Cynthia Selfe

Cynthia L. Selfe describes in her article, “Lest we think the revolution is a revolution,” about how Americans use of technology has become a change that is constantly occurring in the world.  Selfe describes how the internet changes our perspective of cultural aspects of life possibly giving us the wrong idea on some things, and how it is influencing change in other aspects of our lives such as teaching. 

Page 303 of Selfe’s writing she states, “Indeed we tell ourselves this clearly American tale-which I’ll refer to as the Land of Equal opportunity narrative-often and in many different versions…”  Selfe then goes on to say how advertising uses the American culture to draw people in, while they use “American know-how” to make it seem appropriate for cultural reference. 

A claim that Selfe makes on page 305 is, “Americans, regardless, of race and class and other differences, our collective ability to envision such a world is not evident to these images.”  In saying this, Selfe implies that we have the ability to see past these almost, strange cultural references and realize that in a way, they are referencing something that could be taken in a way that could potentially be racist or judgmental.

Selfe makes another claim on page 304, “Our cultural experience, indeed, tells us something very different-that America is the land of opportunity only for some people.”  From this, Selfe seems to be almost saying that advertising has hidden messages that are racially judgmental and don’t respect the possible culture they are portraying.  Our experience as Americans makes us see other cultures that aren’t our own and realize how our country portrays others in different ways that might not be appropriate.