Lenses

It's strange for me to think about exactly how much my background, beliefs and other "lenses" will undoubtedly shape how I end up viewing things throughout the course of my field study. I have always viewed myself as a rather open person, the kind who tries not to let her own ideas get in the way, but in the end, it's true that all of us have these lenses that shape how we see things. Because of this, I feel that it is important for me to tell you a little more about me and my subjective positions, so that you might understand why I view things in the way that I do. My name is Sarah Buttrick, and I am a white, 19 year old female. I was born in the medium sized town of North Attleboro, Massachusetts and have lived there since, with my family which consists of my mother, father and little sister. While I come from a small family, I do end up visiting my grandmother quite a bit. She was a volunteer at the senior center in Needham, MA up until recently, when she had to undergo surgery for a broken hip. Since I have a grandmother that is part of a subculture similar to the Salvatore Mancini senior center, it may influence the way that I think about this field study. Besides the obvious point of view that comes from my age being so different from the members of the senior center, another concept that intrigues me is the ways that a senior center is very different from a nursing home. My perspective of nursing homes is more focused on the idea that they are a place for elderly folks who cannot take care of themselves anymore. Where my views on nursing homes are dreary and dismal, a senior center seems far more uplifting and positive. It is a place that the elderly can use to keep them active and give them a community of friends which whom to socialize and spend time. I feel that these differences will seriously impact the way that I interpret my findings from this site, because I will be on the lookout for cheerful, positive seniors who reinforce my preconceptions that a senior center is a place that is full of joy and live.

As far as textual positions go, the idea is for me to try and keep things as real as possible when I write about them. As I transcribe conversations, I will try and capture the nuances of each individual's speech, to give the readers a better picture of who they are. My language will stay friendly and informal, while also being informative and truthful. One thing that I need to consider is what the elderly would prefer to be called. I know that I need to be sensitive, because certain labels may be offensive. Throughout my writing, I will probably be referring to them as "elderly" or "seniors" unless I find that people would prefer to be referred to in a different way.