Assignment 2

The film clip shown in class about Professor Randy Paush was moving and at the same time informative. It was moving and heartfelt because it spoke about his boyhood dreams, aspirations, and accomplishments. The beginning of the film was an introduction of who Professor Randy Paush was and his lifetime achievements. He not only spoke about the impressions others had in his life, but the impressions he left onto others.  Although Professor Paush spoke little about his battle with cancer, he managed to keep the lecture positive and away from the cancer subject. By doing so he was able to have the audience stay mind free about his health condition and focus more on his lifelong doings. Prof. Paush used quotes, pictures, video’s, and even stuffed animals to keep the energy in the room upbeat and sympathy free.

Prof. Paush’s speech was informative because it made people aware of the fact that just because someone is sick doesn’t always mean you should stop and give up on things. He said for people not to feel sorry for him because he is sick but rather remember him by his aspirations. Paush uses his boyhood dreams as examples of what he always dreamt of becoming when he was a young child and that although times got rough, to never stop trying. He refers to brick walls as something that is meant to stop us, but for those who want things badly it is just something for us to go over. When Prof. Paush said this I thought of this as the way he sees his cancer. Instead of letting his cancer stopping him from going out and living life, he decides to preach what he’s done throughout his years and what he has done to show others that nothing is impossible even when you are diagnosed with something so horrible.

Going into the lecture with a positive face rather than a negative face it was helped the audience see who he was rather than just a sick/dying patient. The intentions Prof. Paush had for his lecture was just to show others what he has done in his life and what he has done in others lives. Because someone is diagnosed with a fatal disease such as cancer, people normally pity them because they feel sorry or sad, but Prof. Paush’s speech was so effective in the way he geared away from his health condition that audiences and viewers seem to forget that he even had cancer to begin with. This way of communication is related to implicit personality theory and the way we assume things about others.  I would say that this is effective communication.

  “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you want.” – Randy Paush