Sameer Auluck, Period 6, 11/17/22

Sameer Auluck

Period 6

11/17/22

Modern Mythology 2023

Socio-political Consciousness

• What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power?

We watched a documentary on the Egyptian Book of the Dead in class. The documentary was about how the Book caused a hostile environment in Ancient Egyptian society. It talked about the traditions of death and the afterlife in Egypt. I learned that the book was put at a very high price, one that was out of reach for most of society. Because of the high price, only the high-status priests and nobles were able to purchase the book. The Egyptians believed that death was not the end of one’s life but a transition to an eternal one. The only passage to this eternal life, which was called the Field of Reeds, is through the Book of the Dead. The book was so sought after that it led to fights and death. It was very unfair to the poor since they were not able to obtain the book as easily. I believe that all people, no matter their social status, should have the right to get the Book because death is for everyone. In addition to the book, Egyptians had to be buried in a certain way to reach the afterlife. They had to be mummified and all their organs except the heart was to be removed. But there was still inequality in this regard because the rich had access to pyramid burial sites and the poor would have cheaper/worse burial places. This was another disadvantage that the poor had in their journey to the afterlife. The poor would have worse preserved bodies and would not be provided with the comforts that the rich would get in the afterlife. This inequity in Egyptian society paved the way for aspects of soul and death in other cultures and religions. 

• How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Treating people differently based on things they cannot control such as social class, gender, or race is very unethical. Treating others the way that you want to be treated is a key thing that I follow in my life. A person is more than just their physical appearance, so you can’t judge a book by its cover. In the example of the Book of the Dead, the rich were able to preserve their bodies without errors and had an unfair advantage to the afterlife. Society should be all equal to a certain extent. They should all be given the same basic rights and necessities such as the Book was at that time. Today, people are discriminated against based on their race, religion, gender, and identity just to name a few. People should realize that in the end we are all human and we should be treated equally. Personally, I think it is important in school to have a moral and ethics class. This way, students are free to share their story and thoughts, while also listening to others and diversifying their thoughts. A big thing I see in my own life is discrimination based on race. Asian Americans were discriminated against during COVID and were attacked and injured by others. There are many isssurs of oppression and discrimination in our society and it needs more attention.