Lena Singh, Period 6, 12/21/22

 Lena Singh, Period 6, 12/21/22

Modern Mythology 2023

Socio-political Consciousness

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

Simple. They’re all bad. Well, bad in the sense of who has power, who oppresses, and who is victim to bias. 

I think that no matter who has power, once they get it, they become bad or are perceived as bad. Some examples include: hating on your boss, assuming that every official in every government is corrupt, hating your parents for setting a curfew, or being constantly annoyed by your teacher’s voice. When someone tells us what to do, our ego automatically chooses the path opposite to doing what we are told to do. Unfortunately, for the sake of salaries, transcripts, and well, law, we sew our mouths shut. In a sense, we do also have ourselves to blame for giving them that power. It’d be so easy to say, “who cares?” And then society would fall apart. 

Oppression is a consequence of such immense power. The abuse of authority. People do it all the time. Teachers think it’s funny to stop you from going to the bathroom just because. The Emperors and Sultans continue to abuse the poor and side with the wealthy, the side they represent and believe they belong on. Regular people that torture other regular people because of race, religion, or the usual things like COVID-19. It’s already ingrained in society for a long time that white people are better than other people. That Christianity is the better religion. Oppression is something that will never go away. We will constantly put ourselves above others, intentionally or not. 

Inequity exists in the justice system, in the government, in schools, in families, and perhaps even in the afterlife. The justice system, no matter how many times they mention it or try to prove it, is not blind. The government appeases businesses and the wealthy, knowing the middle class is another word for “almost poor.” Some Ivy Leagues pick on legacies and rich people over students with actual intellect to offer. Teachers in schools favor the children of principals. Just like every child has a favorite parent, a parent is bound to have a preferable child. The child that’s likely to be successful and dependable. The male child vs. female child. The gay child vs. straight child. And after all this discrimination, there might still be no peace. From the knowledge we have, hell and heaven divides. Now I'm not arguing that Hitler shouldn’t go to hell - if it exists. But do I believe that every serial killer deserves some sort of forgiveness if they repent. If they see no wrong, it could be because of their upbringing. The upbringing that isn’t considered in court nor in people’s minds. Which is normal. Additionally, in wealth, inequity exists. The poor vs. the rich. Even though a mansion is just as much of a home as a hut is. The Mercedes vs. the Toyota. Even when the destination is the same. 

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

My mother often consults me in family matters and even goes to ask my advice when dealing with the extension of her brother's family. My mother and her brother haven't been in a good place for a while and normally, a child would side with their parents. However, my mother doesn't get angry when I consider her brother's point of view in the situation. And she told me once that she liked that about me. That I saw different sides of situations and always made sure not to be too biased, even if I knew the ins and outs of what was going on. 

I've always believed in the fact that there are two sides to the truth as well as two versions of a truth. Because we all are different people with different perspectives. Whenever I make an opinion about something, I always make sure I know the whole issue at hand and not just one side of it. I am pro-choice when it comes to abortion. I am a vegetarian. I don't know much about politics, but know enough to decide that Biden was less worse than Trump. 

Now, I know about pro-lifers. I know what their argument is and why they must think what they think. But my choices and beliefs that form from a patriarchal and religious family, are what make me a feminist. A feminist that believes that women should have the right to be able to choose what they do with their body. I understand that perhaps one can be brainwashed into being a pro-lifer or just spew nonsense for the sake of holding up an argument. Though I want what I believe in, to make sense. So I made sure to do my research. 

Now, I am a vegetarian. I don't eat eggs or meat, because I don't want to harm or murder animals. My parents are vegetarians because they’re religious. My brother isn’t vegetarian because he likes to eat everything. Though I am vegetarian, I still eat dairy. Who am I to condemn carnivores when I am still contributing to animal harm? 

Now, I know little about politics nor am I interested. But nowadays, it is better to know a little than nothing. And so I hold my opinions on Trump and Biden. Sometimes I do agree with Republicans and what people have to say about Biden. But do I think that makes Trump better? Nope. I have my priorities based on my race and gender and urgency to accept anyone that doesn't fit "normal" standards. 

Essentially, I make sure I am aware of myself and what I want to present myself as. Who I want to be reflects my choices and beliefs. That doesn't make me God because I still make my own assumptions and judgements about people, knowing little about them. But I know that I know little about them. Sometimes my assumptions are correct and sometimes they're not. I am someone who has my own thought process, someone that doesn't often follow others. Others might have been raised to believe whatever their parents believe and have no mind of their own. Therefore, our values might not align. It only becomes someone's belief, when they're aware that they believe it to be true. 

Experience is what gives people beliefs and values. It is my mother's experience of having a dog that now all of a sudden she wants to volunteer at an animal shelter. It is my father's experience of having not a cent in his pocket when landing in America that made him realize the value of every penny. It is how people are brought up, where they are brought up, and the company they have around them. It is up to you how you take in all those influences. I think my perspective allows me to better observe people and figure out their intentions before I can get hurt or left behind. It allows me to be mature about my family's situation and be grateful for all that I have. It allows me to have dreams that I can go on steady and wild paths to reach. 

That is when it all comes down to perception. It is the very reminder that the way you see things, people, and the world is not how it actually is. In my opinion, everyone including me will never be right about anything. But we’re not here to figure out what is right. We are here to pick up different ends of society so that one day,  we crumble on ourselves.