Matthew Muccigrosso, Period 8, 2/9/21, Day C

 Matthew Muccigrosso, Period 8, 02/9/2021, Day C

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?
• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Issues of inequity, oppression, and power have existed in an almost infinite amount of forms since society began. These sorts of issues are still entirely pervasive in today's society, despite numerous claims otherwise (often by those that directly benefit from them). I unquestionably believe in actively progressing towards becoming a more equal society, nation, and world. The modern world, however, has grown more interconnected and complicated than ever before. Issues of inequity and oppression on a large scale are so difficult to overcome because it's impossible to know where to start. It's easy to see something like the $15 minimum wage, a policy that would probably make America a more equal country, as totally ineffectual because of the absurd scale of global poverty. Is it even ethical to pay ourselves more when so much of our wealth is derived from the exploitation of others? I don't mean to sound like a doomer, but are these large scale issues of global inequality and oppression even solvable? After all, essentially everyone with the power to do something like dismantling the military-industrial complex or stopping deforestation or lowering emissions directly or indirectly benefits from the issue at hand. Ape brain (what I call primitive hunter-gatherer survivalist instincts that inform decisions in a modern context) would simply be opposed to giving up unfathomable amounts of money for people they'll never meet to have better lives. It's understandable, honestly. We all choose to forget about the oppression of the third-world workers that produce many of the goods we use on a daily basis in just about the same way as every wealthy person forgets how much they could actually help the world if they stopped hoarding colossal amounts of wealth. 

I don't mean to be dour and depressing. It's just an unavoidable reality that the world can't be "saved." The table's just too stacked against positive difference. Too many people benefit and not enough people care. The thing is, I don't think those who can envision a better world should care about that. I don't think any one of us should give up, even if it's an impossible dream. The saying goes, "shoot for the stars, because even if you miss, you'll be among the stars." Every small increment of progress can have an enormous impact on some people's lives. Eliminating even a small instance of oppression can have immense positive results. Every step counts, no matter how small.

Reflecting critically on my own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences is a hobby of mine. Maybe I'm just a narcissist, but I really do enjoy taking the time to think about why I think or feel a certain way about a certain thing. Sometimes it takes a lot of critical thinking to realize why I think or feel the way I do, and how I should change my behavior accordingly. My go-to strategy for reflection is trying to understand the causes and merits of an opposing point of view.  It's common to feel totally justified in something until you consider why another person might think differently. Especially in interpersonal conflict, it's easy to forget or internally under-emphasize the personal agency and feelings of another until you look back at the issue through their eyes. Someone's reaction to something might seem ridiculous until you consider how you would feel in the same situation. I definitely think the world would be a better place if people could remember empathy like this more commonly, although I guess that's not exactly a hot take. I do try to apply others' perspectives to my consideration of all of my personal beliefs, though. Understanding why someone might disagree with me can help me to either reinforce my own arguments, or even adopt a different position. I always try to stay as open minded as possible, because I'm very aware of my capacity for being plain wrong.