Bringing a Person’s Life Story into the Viewer’s Intellectual Living Room
As I wrote in the introduction to my Mother-Daughter Relationship book (2004), based on my doctoral research with mothers and daughters:
As we view the nightly news, reality television shows, and documentary films, we can become mesmerized by the lives of both famous and ordinary people. Similarly, hand-held cameras, autobiographies, and personal memoirs bring a person’s life story into the viewer’s intellectual living room. By viewing the thoughts, emotions, and actions of others, we can learn more about ourselves,. Increasing self-understanding of how we lead our lives can be a catalyst for change, enabling us to take control and improve the quality of our lives, both in work and at home. By first becoming leaders of ourselves, we can then share what we have learned with others.
It’s been 10 -14 years since I conducted audio interviews with industry experts for Careerwell’s tele-Interviews. I wonder what influenced changes in these industry expert’s lives? What principles anchored their lives as they negotiated those changes?The interviewees were mostly in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. Now they are mostly in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.
I also wonder what has influenced changes in other elders lives? What principles have achored their lives as they negotiated those changes? Do you have the same questions that I do about yourself or elders in your life?
To find answers to my questions, I have moved from writing and counseling/coaching and conducting audio interviews to conducting and teaching others how to conduct video interviews and how to produce multi-media retrospectives. Here is an example: A Rita Abrams Retrospective. I’m exploring mixing media to “bring a person’s life story into the viewer’s intellectual living room.” More to come…
Kim’s Memory Video Trailer