Respect Others’ Way Of Thinking

Thanks for stopping by Ross,

Your comment reminds me of a few things. First, because of oppressive dynamics that have been set in place, privileged perspectives are often valued at the expense of the perspectives and worldviews of those who are oppressed. I think of this whenever I hear the quote “Until the lion has it’s historian, the hunter will always be the hero“.

History, and what is deemed as acceptable belief is often defined by those in power. The stories we believe, the way we are socialized all have an impact on how we think, and what we do. Because of that, I agree that some points of view must be challenged more than others, and some must be supported more than others, and your example of Fox News programming highlights how important that is.

I shared this image with people who are marginalized in mind. I shared the image with the understanding that although there are commonly promoted and established definitions of what is deemed acceptable, there are people who think and live differently and are able to achieve happiness or acceptance on their own terms outside dominantly established definitions.

These same folks are marginalized not because what they are doing is wrong, but because they lack power.

So for example, when I hear 6+3=9, but so does 5+4, I think of the dominant belief that Christianity is the superior religion. I think about the people who practice different faiths, or even no faith at all who still find fulfillment and satisfaction in their lives.

When I hear 6+3=9, but so does 5+4, I think of the dominant belief that two-parent, heterosexual coupled homes are the ideal environments for raising children. I think about single parents, adoptive parents, parents in the lgbtq community, and other forms of family where people have successfully raised children.

To me, there are so many ways the idea in the picture I shared challenges dominant narratives that support the superiority of some groups of people over others.

When I read your comment about the problem of some people thinking 17+49=9,reminded me about the cycle of socialization and how each of us, even within “the social justice movement” have bought into some belief systems that are problematic; that we have bought into some narratives that have instilled a belief in our own superiority in one way or another, and we too need to unlearn some things in order to get to liberation; for others as well as ourselves.

17+49=9 could come in the form of a self-proclaimed white ally who has not fully investigated their complicity with racism, including their conscious or unconscious complicity. 17+49=9 could be that person silencing a person of color for calling them out, or policing their tone with threats of withdrawing their support because the call out is not being delivered in a way that massages their need to be recognized as a “good person”.

17+49=9 could be a person who is upset about class inequity, but actively perpetuates homophobia or transphobia while calling themselves a social justice advocate.

17+49=9 could be the person who advocates for racial justice, but perpetuates ableism.

Truth be told that 17+49=9 list could go on and on. I shared this image not as a means to say that some worldviews shouldn’t be challenged more than others, but as a recognition of marginalized voices, and as a recognition that, even those of us who say that we work for social justice, also need to remain mindful that while we may see 17+49=9 in another, there’s someone else who may also see 17+49=9 in our way of thinking as well, depending on our privilege and lack of awareness.