What Can We Do?

Privilege, Power, And Difference
Chapter 9 - - What Can We Do?
Final Talking Points

Allan Johnson

Premise: change, privilege, power, difference, challenge, myths, society

Argument: Johnson says we have to think about new ways about the troubles and challenges of patterns of exclusion, rejection, privilege, harassment, discrimination, and violence. These patterns have affected our society in many ways in time through our existence. Johnson also says that we have to continue to “tap on the glass”, as one of the many tools for us to change. He says that to make effective changes, people must educate themselves by reading and listening to others.
My Thoughts: I do agree with Johnson’s point of view that change can and should occur. As he says, even one person can make a change. It maybe small but it can become greater in time. I was thinking of our whole semester and how, in the readings, the lives of students with disabilities, language barriers, or whatever it may be, were changed and influenced by other people. It might not be a dramatic change but at least it still is a change. Society, itself, can change by the way we look at it. I think of the economy is so greatly affecting schools and life outside of school. I think that if we were a rich country that we would have more books, more knowledge, more necessities, and more to grow. The point is societies are always changing which means it has never been the same way. Another thing is we do not have to be rich to make change. Change can happen with attitudes towards people, too. Whites and people of color are getting closer and bonding more together with one another. You can see that we are slowly changing and nothing will ever be the same. Every day is different. We as a people are very diverse, which is great, but we have got to keep it together by maybe helping one another, sticking together, and think of even more ways for us to change for the better. It is not really a safe world after all, and we are constantly hurdling over obstacles to get to where we want to go.