For Blog #1, I decided I wanted to pull quotes from Alan Johnson's, "Privilege, Power, and Differences".
Chapter 1: Rodney King's Question
"...the most important thing I can say to reassure readers who are wondering whether to continue is that things are not what they seem. The defensive and irritable feelings that whites often experience when they come across such language are based on some fundamental misperceptions..."(Johnson 2).
I think that this quote was important to mention because it talks about how a lot of people get very defensive and automatically shut down when certain words are said which leads them to not listen to or have preconceived notion's that prevent them from being able to fully listen and try to understand what the other person is saying.
Chapter 2: We're In Trouble
"This means privilege is always a problem for people who don't hate it and for people who do, because privilege is always in relation to others. Privilege is always at someone else's expense and always exacts a cost. Everything that's done to receive or maintain it-however passive and unconscious- results in suffering and deprivation for someone"(Johnson 10).
This quote caught my eye particularly because I really liked how the author talked about how everyone is constantly in a state of unhappiness.
Chapter 3: The Trouble We're In
"The trouble is rooted in a legacy we all inherited, and while we're here, it belongs to us. It isn't our fault, It wasn't caused by something we did or didn't do. But now that it's ours, it's up to us to decide how we're going to deal with it before we collectively pass it along to the generations that will follow ours"(Johnson 15).
I really enjoyed this quote and I thought it was a strong way to start off this chapter. Multiple times throughout the text, Johnson reiterates how while we may not have started the issue, it is our responsibility to fix and find a solution.
End Question/Reflections:
After reading these chapters, I have gained a new perspective on how I can approach topics like white racism, privilege, and how to better understand and navigate our current world. I thought that this reading was an interesting read and was a good way to kick off the semester. After reading, I got a better sense of what to expect this semester.
This post is super insightful and reflective! I especially love the second quote you picked out about privilege and the connection to a general lack of contentment in society. This quote, in particular, reflects much of what I said in my own post, and how envy and discontent with our own lives can rot away and lead to hate. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI also focused on the quotes for this post and I love your example for chapter two. The tie between these worldly issues and mental health are not talked about enough!
ReplyDeleteI really like the quotes you chose! Especially the last quote because it is really the first important step into making a change is realizing you have the power to come up with a solution
ReplyDeleteHi talia! I really enjoyed reading your post, especially your quote from chapter 2 "We're in Trouble." I also talked a lot about privilege in my blog as well. You did a great job getting important points across!
ReplyDeleteHi Talia, I found your reflection on gaining a deeper understanding of the challenging topics mentioned in the chapter very interesting. I like your positive and open-minded approach to learning.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the quotes that you chose and how you got your point across. I especially liked quote two and how you talked about how we are in a state of unhappiness.
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