- I think what Baldwin means is that education holds the power in shaping oneself to have the ability to face society and decide to fight against it. This disconnects with my own experiences in school because I always felt like the system teaches kids what to think instead of how to think for themselves and kills creativity. The strict compartmentalizing of classes and teacher teaching students, without any freedom and initiation from kids, is of concern. I remember an instance in my 10th-grade government political class where we were all having a class debate and this one student had a different opinion than the majority and my teacher silenced him because it upset and riled up the others. This bothered me because it felt like the kid had to accommodate other people’s feelings because he didn’t think the same way they did. I connect this to what Baldwin was stating that “ The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions….. But no society is really anxious to have that kind of person around. What societies really, ideally, want is a citizenry that which will simply obey the rules of society.” This is evident in most classrooms and it really goes beyond into the world where there’s that mentality to just go along with the majority.
- I believe education is vital in tending to the injustice in society. Individuals are more inclined to accepting the myths taught than to be critical and take action. As Baldwin illustrates prejudice in America and how it is experienced by black children and adults other marginalized groups can also relate to that feeling of exclusion and feeling powerless.
- The first sentence in the reading is an example of ethos used by James Baldwin stating “Let’s begin by saying that we are living through a very dangerous time. Everyone in this room is in one way or another aware of that. We are in a revolutionary situation, no matter how unpopular that word has become in this country.’’Baldwin is identifying himself with the audience as an American citizen. He further establishes his credibility and knowledge by talking about his own experience in being a black man in the 60s. An example of pathos is at the beginning of paragraph 3 on page 1 stating “ Now, if what I have tried to sketch has any validity, it becomes thoroughly clear, at least to me, that any Negro who is born in this country and undergoes the American educational system runs the risk of becoming schizophrenic.” This is an example of pathos because of the way the statement appeals to the emotion of the audience as he talks about how black people live in the shadows of our society watching white people succeed while they are pushed to the side.
- An educator who had a significant impact on me was one of my middle school teachers because he acknowledged me as an individual instead of just overlooking me as a quiet kid. I remember he once told me that I would do something great in life. That was really all I needed as a kid was for someone to believe in me and to this day that pushes me to prove him right.
2 thoughts on “Week 8: Education Discourse”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
i agree with you that Baldwin means is that education holds the power in shaping oneself to have the ability to face society and decide to fight against it. i think Baldwin’s quote highlights the transitions one goes through on his/her enlightenment quest.I mostly deem it my responsibility to enlighten people how the society operates given that many lack this basic grasp.
Hi Jennifer, I agree with both your and Shafi’s assessment of the power of an education. Jennifer, I really appreciate you pointing out how powerful Baldwin’s opening statement was, and how a solid introduction has the power to foster a dynamic interaction. I’d love to have seen an example of the instances where Baldwin illustrates prejudice in America (prompt #2), to really drive home the strong message you already set up. Great work, all!