One major system I interact with daily is an educational classroom. I am in a classroom in at least one different class everyday. These classes are made up of certain expectations and rules. If someone looked critically at the set up of a typical college classroom they would observe students sitting in the same assigned or unassigned seats every class. This unofficial “rule” is unspoken but almost always observed. The professor is always the head of the room and in complete charge. The students are all expected to follow what is told of them without challenging them. A critical reading of this circumstance would be interesting because these standards are rarely challenged. The critical reading of this circumstance would include these unspoken rules and how the student rarely challenges them because of the unknown consequence.
Another system I interact with daily is the library on campus. I work at the library and it is an interesting job to have. The rules regarding how I act at my job are relatively simple but not common for ever job. I am not able to be on my phone while people come to ask me for help and I am expected to be friendly and fulfil their needs. However, I am able to do schoolwork, eat and essentially do whatever I chose to do as long as there isn’t a student waiting for me to assist them. This would also be an interesting critical read because my job as a supervisor at the library is unlike a job a Neubig. This brings into question the different tasks involved and expectations. If a student came to the desk and I was rude and refused to help them I would at the very least be reprimanded. This expectation to be kind and helpful no matter the disposition of the person I am helping is an rule that is rarely challenged because it influences job security which has a rippling affect on other aspects of my everyday life.
Overall, the unspoken interactions held by people daily are a thought provoking critical read because these “rules” are rarely challenged. When challenged, the reaction to the change is typically negative because it disrupts the expected order of things.
Kara Smith