Talking Points #10 - What Can We Do? - Becoming Part of the Solution

by Allan G. Johnson

Johnson argues that privilege and oppression are problems that exist within our society, and we all need to educate ourselves and others about these issues before we can begin to make changes within our lives and our communities. Johnson says that if we all make small changes, we will eventually create a new and oppression-free society together.

• "The problem of privilege and oppression is deep and wide, and to work with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that we can talk about it in useful ways."

Before we can discuss the subject of oppression, we must have the dialogue for it. We must become aware of the issues of oppression and privilege and the vast problems they cause. Until we see these problems for what they are and who and how badly they hurt, we cannot begin to work at creating a new way of thinking and behaving in our society.

• "To shake off the paralyzing myth that we cannot, individually, be effective, we have to alter how we see ourselves in relation to a long-term, complex process of change. This begins by altering how we relate to time...we can't use the human life span as a significant standard against which to measure progress."

It is easy to say that we do not, as individuals, have the power to impact how our society operates, but actually, it is not true. We ALL hold the power. For example, imagine every person in the city of Newport held a single bulb intended for the town's holiday tree. If one person puts his or her one bulb on a branch, it will not light the tree much, however, if everyone puts their one bulb on it, the tree will shine bright. Now, as a society working for change, we need to focus more on the holidays in the years to come, rather than our immediate future. After all, the world wasn't created in a day! We need to have faith in where we, as a society, are going.

• "It's one thing to become aware and quite another to stay that way. The greatest challenge when we first become aware of a critical perspective on the world is simply to hang on to it."

One of the paths of least resistance Johnson mentions is that once we are educated on an issue, it is very easy to loose sight of the issue quickly. Johnson advises that in order to keep the problems of privilege and oppressions in our minds is to read literature on the subject and to discuss it with others. We also need to bring awareness to others so that they too can help to make a difference in the system of oppression and privilege.

I enjoyed this piece, although it was repetitive, because it discussed the issues of privilege and oppression and how we can all work to make a difference in the system, although we may not actually be around so witness it. This, more than the others, gave a lot of insight as to what we, as individuals, can do in order to produce such a change. In some of the other articles, the reader is made to ponder in depth how they might be able to see themselves successful in making a difference. But Johnson gives specific suggestions as to how to get the job done. I see now how I, as one person among many, can begin to do my part in creating a new society without oppression.