Blog 9
This weeks readings were very informative. I felt that they were direct and brief. The articles focused on offering the reader solutions to breakdown oppression in its many forms. The Cycle of Liberation, and How to Interrupt Oppressive Behavior differ in how they explain the same process, but in the end both articles offer the same solution. The solution is to break, interrupt oppression when it happens. Both articles also petition that change of oneself through education and actions is necessary to deconstruct oppression.
The Cycle of Liberation is a diagram with eight sections that express moments in every individuals life that allows them to break from oppression. The idea is that everyone will wake up from their current state of ignorance and realize that oppression is a part of their daily life. The enlightened individual must then go through various stages to reach change. Liberation could not come without the individual’s desire for change, wrestling with their current perspective of privilege, and oppression, and engaging in a number of actions in order to transform their core values. Also once an individual has reached the desired state it is their responsibility to maintain this level to prevent from regressing. fighting oppression is an on going process.
How to Interrupt Oppressive Behavior takes a different approach instead of focusing on a diagram this article simply provides a list of what to do to interrupt oppressive behavior. This article also gives a great illustration of people oppressing others in a summer camp setting. The illustration is very effective because it is simple, relatable and clear. The actions you take when hearing or seeing oppressive behavior could be, actively join in behavior, no response, educate oneself, interrupt the behavior, interrupt and educate, support other’s proactive response, initiate proactive response. The choice you make in any situation is either going to interrupt behavior or support oppressive behavior there is no middle ground.
The authors made great points in each article, a few points that really stood out to me were as follows. You are going to be part of the problem or part of the solution. No one is neutral in constructing or deconstructing oppression. Failure to fight oppression is participation, our choices will influence others. Since we are all involved it is our responsibility to become introspective, educated, and to raise consciousness about oppression, this part of the process towards liberation is called getting ready. I value the getting ready part of the cycle of liberation because it bluntly tells you that you are not perfect. To attain liberation you must challenge your core values and rearrange, destroy and build, old and new values. I also appreciate the concept of building community. Instinctively we will build a community around us of like minded people. A community of people who value and live like we do is healthy, but to fight oppression we need to reach out to people that are not like us. Building community with people unlike us will help cultivate understanding and peace.
