Privelage, Power and Difference -- Alan Johnson Part II

Premise:

• privelage
• change
• being on the hook
• acknowlegement
• learning
• opression
• listening
• activism
• solution
• discrimination
• conflict
• myth
• denial
• inablity to change
• stubborness
• obligation
• responsibility
• constructive

Arguement:

• Johnson argues that there is always room for change and that all parties must take part in the effect of change, that the difference in privelage is not immediate and responsibility does not mean playing the blame game.

Evidence:

• "taking responisiblity doesn't have to involve guilt and blame, letting someone off the hook, or being on the hook yourself. It simply means acknowleging an obligation to make a contribution to finding a way out of the trouble we're all in adn to finding constructive ways to act on that obligation"
• "we have to begin by thinking about the trouble adn the challenge in new adn more productive ways as outlined in teh preceding chapters..."
• "the problem of privelage and oppression is deep and wide, and to with with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that was can talk about it in useful ways."
• "this is why most cultures of privelege mask the reality of oppression by denying its existence, trivializing it, calling it something else, blaming it on those who are victimized by it, or diverting attention from it."

Questions/Comments:

• I liked the article or chapter whichever it was. But it just felt like a continuence of Johnson Part I. It is useful information in preparing yourself for society, but at times can be depressing reading how deep in we are.