Alvin Huynh
Professor Cantor
English 100
13 September 2012
Through Another Pair of Eyes The perception of life through someone else’s eyes can alter one’s appreciation toward that particular lifestyle. Culture is perceived differently depending on the type of environment in which we grow accustomed to. It can also range from the type of location in which we live in. For instance, someone living in a different state would have a different perception of the way we do things compared to their ways. In the essay “Bumping into Mr. Ravioli,” by Adam Gopnik, the view on life is seen differently when viewed in Gopnik’s perception. However, this perception of life changes when viewed in a different point of view. Gopnik’s perception of life
Gopnik asserts, “If the train crowded our streets, the telegram crowded our minds. It introduced something into the world, which remains with us today: a whole new class of communications that are defined as incomplete in advance of their delivery.” (Gopnik 157). This quote implies that the creation of trains and communication devices has lead to the foundation of the busy lives of many people. For instance, people crowded the streets in order to get from one place to another using the train. This made the streets of New York even more crowded. Likewise, the communication devices influenced people to contact by phone, which then frequently leads to requesting for email, and ultimately requesting for fax. Although the trains and communication devices created more hassle for many people, it also made it more convenient for some New York people, allowing them to conserve more time by contacting by phone and using the train to get from one destination to another much quicker. Gopnik’s perception of these technologies allows him to realize how busy some people are in New York and do not have time to consume these technologies. In addition, the busy streets of New York limits the amount of technology inhabited in New York. Gopnik claims, “New York, though, almost uniquely, got hit by a double dose of the first two technologies, and a very limited dose of the