Now that I've rambled on for about nine posts, I feel as though I should include some reflection on my work. I'm sorry if you are disappointed that I have not yet provided you with a solution to class conflict but hey, I warned you.
The reason why I have decided to withhold my ideas is not because I have no hope in humanity. I do believe that people can advocate for social change if they are provided with enough information which is what I hope you do after viewing this blog. If nothing else I at least hope you understand why there cannot and should not be one fix-all, universal solution for such a large social issue.
So that you can better understand my views, I thought I would include and excerpt from a reflection paper I wrote for this course. It is not exactly relevant to the issue of class conflict, but it does explain why I have been so hesitant to provide a solution.
When I first arrived at Seattle University last year I felt as though I had been thrust into a new and progressive kind of community filled with lessons on multicultural competency and politically correct language. At first, I was afraid to speak during class discussions and orientation groups out of fear that I would say something wrong and offend someone. However, I slowly adopted this new and progressive way of thinking and soon enough, I had become what I considered to be a true “social justice warrior.” I became very conscious not to promote marginalization with my language, helped to plan inclusive programs for residents, wrote letters to congress, volunteered at an elementary school and could even identify where I was privileged and where I was marginalized. I had bought into this amazing concept that we could live in a world where no one was oppressed and was high off of the idea that I could make a difference. I was passionate and extremely invested in the idea that a perfect social order could be achieved to the point where I could not comprehend why anyone would think otherwise. I was bound to be surprised when I read through my copy of the UCOR 3430 syllabus for the first time. I was under the impression that I was going to be told that everything I was passionate about and that I believed in was wrong and that my goals were unachievable. However, being in this class has affected my views in a different way. Through doing the readings and participating in class discussions my view of “utopia” has not been destroyed, only complicated. I now realize that what is a utopia for one person might not also be a utopia for the next person and that even my own views of utopia are constantly evolving. I realized that it would be impossible to achieve a social order in which everyone agreed and that our desire to do so is what creates the dystopia we so desperately try to avoid.
The reason why I have decided to withhold my ideas is not because I have no hope in humanity. I do believe that people can advocate for social change if they are provided with enough information which is what I hope you do after viewing this blog. If nothing else I at least hope you understand why there cannot and should not be one fix-all, universal solution for such a large social issue.
So that you can better understand my views, I thought I would include and excerpt from a reflection paper I wrote for this course. It is not exactly relevant to the issue of class conflict, but it does explain why I have been so hesitant to provide a solution.
When I first arrived at Seattle University last year I felt as though I had been thrust into a new and progressive kind of community filled with lessons on multicultural competency and politically correct language. At first, I was afraid to speak during class discussions and orientation groups out of fear that I would say something wrong and offend someone. However, I slowly adopted this new and progressive way of thinking and soon enough, I had become what I considered to be a true “social justice warrior.” I became very conscious not to promote marginalization with my language, helped to plan inclusive programs for residents, wrote letters to congress, volunteered at an elementary school and could even identify where I was privileged and where I was marginalized. I had bought into this amazing concept that we could live in a world where no one was oppressed and was high off of the idea that I could make a difference. I was passionate and extremely invested in the idea that a perfect social order could be achieved to the point where I could not comprehend why anyone would think otherwise. I was bound to be surprised when I read through my copy of the UCOR 3430 syllabus for the first time. I was under the impression that I was going to be told that everything I was passionate about and that I believed in was wrong and that my goals were unachievable. However, being in this class has affected my views in a different way. Through doing the readings and participating in class discussions my view of “utopia” has not been destroyed, only complicated. I now realize that what is a utopia for one person might not also be a utopia for the next person and that even my own views of utopia are constantly evolving. I realized that it would be impossible to achieve a social order in which everyone agreed and that our desire to do so is what creates the dystopia we so desperately try to avoid.