Friere - "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" (Pages 5-23)
DESCRIPTION:
- Oppression is an all too common and powerful tool in our society, deeply embedded in the system and used to dehumanize and discriminate (Page 6).
ANALYSIS:
- The greatest goal of the oppressed is to free not only themselves but those who are oppressing them as well (Page 6).
- It is difficult for the oppressed to begin to fight back because they have adapted to the theories of oppression and are fearful of what may happen should they overthrow it - they want freedom while simultaneously being afraid of it (Page 8).
- When the oppressed begin their revolution to regain their freedom, they must be very careful that they do not themselves become the oppressors (Page 7).
VISION:
- Implied: The author hopes that the oppressed will realize the problem and find a way to demolish it entirely so that we no longer live in an oppressive world and become fully human.
STRATEGY:
- Implied: The oppressed must see their oppressors vulnerabilities, analyze their situation, embrace the fact that they are indeed oppressed but that the system is not permanent, and begin to transform their own lives to change society as a whole.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
But don't we call this the "land of the free"?
Moschkovich - "But I Know You, American Woman" (Pages 83-89 of This Bridge Called My back: Writings By Radical Women of Color)
DESCRIPTION:
- The US tends to be very ignorant society when it comes to other cultures (whether it be due to our education system, the way we raise our children, or the ideals and beliefs we promote), making us a very culturally oppressive group (Page 83).
ANALYSIS:
- The education system and way of life in the US puts forth a sort of "cultural isolationism" so that we grow up with a small bit of respect but not much concern for other cultures (Page 84).
- People of other cultures, when living in the US, are living in an "American culture", one that makes them speak and act in a certain way and does not accommodate for differences (Page 84).
- The problem is not America itself, nor the people in it, but the way these people do not try to reform their ignorance, making them remain imperialistic and racist (Page 85).
VISION:
- The author hopes that we will some day get to the point where we don't have to explain and defend ourselves or our cultures (Page 88).
STRATEGY:
- We must utilize education and a shared learning experience, so that no one group is taking full responsibility for changing the system and so that everyone has an equal amount of respect (Page 88).
DESCRIPTION:
- The US tends to be very ignorant society when it comes to other cultures (whether it be due to our education system, the way we raise our children, or the ideals and beliefs we promote), making us a very culturally oppressive group (Page 83).
ANALYSIS:
- The education system and way of life in the US puts forth a sort of "cultural isolationism" so that we grow up with a small bit of respect but not much concern for other cultures (Page 84).
- People of other cultures, when living in the US, are living in an "American culture", one that makes them speak and act in a certain way and does not accommodate for differences (Page 84).
- The problem is not America itself, nor the people in it, but the way these people do not try to reform their ignorance, making them remain imperialistic and racist (Page 85).
VISION:
- The author hopes that we will some day get to the point where we don't have to explain and defend ourselves or our cultures (Page 88).
STRATEGY:
- We must utilize education and a shared learning experience, so that no one group is taking full responsibility for changing the system and so that everyone has an equal amount of respect (Page 88).
Sometimes I forget what a gendered individual I am, but it's all okay, because society will be quick to remind me...
Newman - "Portraying Difference: Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in Language and the Media" (Chapter 3, Pages 71-103)
DESCRIPTION:
- While society bases difference on things like race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and class, the language we use and the symbols we employ perpetuate and point out these differences in our daily lives (Page 71).
ANALYSIS:
- Symbols, although arbitrary and wholly human created, can have a very powerful affect on our thinking and emotions (Page 72).
- Language is gendered, sexual, racial, and ethnic, meaning it reflects these different aspects of society and changes according to changes within each category (Page 76).
- The media plays a very significant role in the way we look at things, dividing the world into very "us and them" categories, based on race, sex, sexual preferences, and class (white, middle class, heterosexual, middle class males are the most common actors and audiences, yet they are rarely, if ever, scrutinized and torn apart so thoroughly as those who don't fit into these specifications) (Page 87).
VISION:
- Implied: The author writes to inform people of the way in which symbols and language (most notably those used in the media) promote racism, sexism, and elitism, in the hopes of making people care more and getting rid of the gendered, racial, ethnic, and sexual language.
STRATEGY:
- Since the act of naming things is what creates a very divided society, we must learn to stop categorizing based on names and start treating all people equally, whether this means helping those who don't get help (ex: those wielding little or no power) or exposing those who remain hidden behind the media and tricks of language (ex: those who run the media and hold a mass amount of power in society) (Page 103).
DESCRIPTION:
- While society bases difference on things like race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and class, the language we use and the symbols we employ perpetuate and point out these differences in our daily lives (Page 71).
ANALYSIS:
- Symbols, although arbitrary and wholly human created, can have a very powerful affect on our thinking and emotions (Page 72).
- Language is gendered, sexual, racial, and ethnic, meaning it reflects these different aspects of society and changes according to changes within each category (Page 76).
- The media plays a very significant role in the way we look at things, dividing the world into very "us and them" categories, based on race, sex, sexual preferences, and class (white, middle class, heterosexual, middle class males are the most common actors and audiences, yet they are rarely, if ever, scrutinized and torn apart so thoroughly as those who don't fit into these specifications) (Page 87).
VISION:
- Implied: The author writes to inform people of the way in which symbols and language (most notably those used in the media) promote racism, sexism, and elitism, in the hopes of making people care more and getting rid of the gendered, racial, ethnic, and sexual language.
STRATEGY:
- Since the act of naming things is what creates a very divided society, we must learn to stop categorizing based on names and start treating all people equally, whether this means helping those who don't get help (ex: those wielding little or no power) or exposing those who remain hidden behind the media and tricks of language (ex: those who run the media and hold a mass amount of power in society) (Page 103).
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