Let me start by saying that I thought the conversation in class was very interesting and spirited. In response to what Sam said in his post, I personally did not disregard anyones opinion based on age. I think everyone deserves a certain fundamental level of respect as human beings. And just as ones opinion can not be disregarded because off age neither can ones experience.
Imagine that you have already gone through the frustrations of childhood and adolescence to become a member of the adult majority that dominates the economic, social, and political climate. After this you are told by the youth orientated culture that your hard won knowledge is irrelevant because the structured school system is the only basis that you need to have a valid understanding of how the world runs.
I have and currently am in a structured school system as you are and I still don't truly know how the world runs in many aspects. Believe me when I say that aspects of a persons world view will change with time and certain experiences. Something can be said for living an experience as oppossed to reading about an experience and forming and opinion which in many cases is based on the personal bias of others.
Sam, you, me, and future generations are the product of generations before us becoming less and less prejudicial establishing the foundation by which you and I both have our current beliefs. I certainly don't want to say one opinion is more valuable then the other.
The heart of the matter that I was getting act was the question of how certain people came to their opinions regarding the effect of class based factors on inequality. Does a person feel that way because of what people in their environment have told them? Does a person feel that way because of their experience with people of a certain demographic? Does a person feel that way based on the formation of beliefs and ideas reflected by some or all of these things?
My perspective is that of a black person born into poverty who was fortunate to have parents that were positive role models who worked to attain upward social mobility and reach the middle class.
Good post man, mine was a little heated, as I was boiling over from class and I apologize if anything was offensive. We all have different upbringings which influence our views and it is essential to hear and attempt to understand all of them, to instill as full of a perspective on each issue as possible.
ReplyDelete