Gavin Rualo, Period 2, 12/19/2022

 Socio-political Consciousness

• 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?

A paradigm shift always begins with a single change catalyzing other changes in the same direction. A broken system that cycles the poor back into poverty and the rich back into luxury is one of the most difficult to overturn; the rich feel no need to change and the poor lack the means to begin it. Yet, so much change has occurred just in the past few decades relating to social justice. The once shattered system comes together, piece by piece, because of the actions of the few driven individuals seeking to overturn the corrupt societal values. Their struggle receives aid nearly exclusively from those in the same situation, as the billionaires and politicians rarely care for the plight of others, perpetuating the power imbalance. Worse than one who does not see the struggles of the common people is one who benefits from it. The only way to ensure fair living is to change the system entirely.

The cabals of the upper class, while an obvious enemy to certain types of change, are not the only obstacles. The greatest obstacle of all is the solidification of these beliefs that push every oppressed person to believe they are helpless. Change doesn't happen overnight, and almost all humans living day-to-day lives would have trouble recognizing positive change around them if it is not immediate. Many who have faced their challenges head on have also faced a setback crushing enough to make them believe that their efforts aren’t worth anything. Fortunately, this is not the case. Those who keep the whole picture in mind when creating and executing their goal are the ones that are able to remember the value of their cause and see it to the end. Despite oppression running rampant thanks to the unknowing or malignant oppressors, change is never impossible, and can always be achieved, even by the hands of a single person.

To that end, I strive to create an environment for myself and others that allows the most growth and freedom. While I do not have any aspirations to lead any social movements, I understand that just keeping my own actions on track is enough to better my community. The best way I know of to do this is simply by learning and understanding more. My perception of good, evil, and myself have all changed drastically from ten, five, or even two years ago because of how much better I’ve come to understand others and my own mind. While straightforward, the goal of “learning” can be accomplished by questioning everything. Questioning the actions and things in the world is always constructive and can lead to connections developing that were otherwise unseen. However, what has catalyzed my growth in perspective the most is questioning my own beliefs and methods. Even beliefs that seem unequivocally correct deserve challenge, and so I seek new perspectives within myself. 

Without context, saying that “killing is wrong” is generally agreed upon. When applied to the real world, however, there must be context. And in every single case, the idea must once again be challenged. Is killing wrong because it causes pain? Is killing wrong because it is inherently bad to end a life? Is life the only thing that is attached to inherently good? Every single question that can sprout from a thought is valid and can often lead to a broadening or sharpening of a perspective once answered. When people begin to question their own beliefs on a daily basis, they can continuously build on their character, becoming all the more understanding of themselves and the world because of it.