Front and Back Regions/Boredom

There were two essays in the hand out from last Wednesday that were interesting to me. One essay was called Front and Back Regions of Every Day Life. In this work the author makes references to various situations in which our behavior changes depending on whether or not we are in view of others. One case that impressed me the most was that of the hotel restaurant. The managers were desperately trying to impress their costumers while hazardous habits and conditions were going on in the kitchen. It was also interesting to read about the different behavior of an employee when his boss was either absent of present. The author suggests a kick door or a small glass window to encourage better work habits. From this essay I have concluded, and always have that your behavior should be professional and honorable to the best of your ability whether you are seen or not.

I was also impressioned with the essay about Boredom. It was surprising to hear the author's view on the state of boredom. He suggested that boredom can be a postive thing rather than a negative one. The authors says that boredom can be a very valuable in that it can bring about positive new changes.

"Thou Shalt Not Have Any Other Gods Before Thee"

Last Wednesday we viewed a film in class called: "Thou Shalt Not Have Any Other Gods Before Thee." It was a rather grim film about a man who lost his only son. The loss was not only sad, but unexpected in the film. The boy was an ordinary child, bright, and curious. He loved spending time with his father and they both loved making mathemical predictions using computers. One evening after determining that the ice on the pond was safe to skate on, The man gave his son a pair of ice skates. The next evening , his son was pulled from the pond after having tradjically fallen through the ice and drowning. What seems ironic to me is that the boy had previously questioned his father about death after seeing a dead dog in the street. Needless to say I was saddened by the death of the boy and the father's tremendous loss. However the film's connection and relevence to the title is a bit of a mystery to me.