I Hate to Admit that Freire May Be Right
I know, call me crazy, but Friere may be onto something with his idea of oppression. In Miller's essay "The Arts of Complicity," he points out the good and bad of both the banking-concept and problem-posing. I feel similarly, that both have their merits and may be worthwhile if used correctly. However, one of the points Miller made got me thinking that Freire might be right and that I am a blind subordinate just happy to be complicit in my own oppression.
Miller's idea follows. Many people go through the educational system and sit in classes we despise just be because they are required. We never say a word in the "public discourse" about our hatred of a certain subject or professor. To do so would be anti-social. However, this is a form of oppression. Shoudn't we be allowed to voice our opinion outwardly, instead of passively falling asleep or checking Facebook on a laptop during such a class?
So, we finish the educational system, which, as part of the American dream, has promised us that if we did so we would be successful and find great jobs. However, we enter the corporate world and discover that oppression exists there too. Didn't we just get a degree in order to get out of being oppressed? So, we take the first menial job somebody will hand to us and work under a club of good old boys. Oppression continues. Is it time that we stopped being complicit?
As a personal example, Miller's scenario happened to me. I graduated from BYU with a degree in English. My emphasis was in editing and technical writing. I walked into the great and spacious building downtown and told the human resource people I would like to apply for an editing position. The woman in charge could barely hide her dismay as she explained that I was not qualified for any such positions, but that I could apply to be a telephone answerer in the call center.
WHAT? I have a degree! I'm too educated to work in a call center!
So, I tried again. I asked to apply for some secretarial positions, as I had some experience working at BYU's law school as a secretary. Again, I was told that I was not qualified. After some begging, the woman agreed to allow me to take the secretarial tests.
As I took my tests, my husband happened to run into a friend of his father's in the lobby while waiting for me. This man happened to have more clout in human resources than the woman who had given me no hope. My husband explained that I was there applying for jobs. The man left.
I emerged from my test taking, feeling more and more desperate as my options seemed to diminish. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the lady immediately asked if I wanted to interview for some secretary positions that very day. Huh? Hadn't she just told me I was not qualified.
We found out that my husband's friend had talked to her. I guess nepotism is not dead. I got a secretarial position and eventually worked my way up to being an editor, but it was a hard-fought and unpleasant experience. I was one of 6 women in a department of 250 men.
My point is that we are still oppressed. We may blind ourselves to it or soothe ourselves by pretending that it is not so, but it is. We can certainly try to achieve all we would like, but it may not be possible because of the way our society is run. There are the elite and the subordinate. For now, I'm subordinate and that may be my own darn fault. It's time to speak up!
Miller's idea follows. Many people go through the educational system and sit in classes we despise just be because they are required. We never say a word in the "public discourse" about our hatred of a certain subject or professor. To do so would be anti-social. However, this is a form of oppression. Shoudn't we be allowed to voice our opinion outwardly, instead of passively falling asleep or checking Facebook on a laptop during such a class?
So, we finish the educational system, which, as part of the American dream, has promised us that if we did so we would be successful and find great jobs. However, we enter the corporate world and discover that oppression exists there too. Didn't we just get a degree in order to get out of being oppressed? So, we take the first menial job somebody will hand to us and work under a club of good old boys. Oppression continues. Is it time that we stopped being complicit?
As a personal example, Miller's scenario happened to me. I graduated from BYU with a degree in English. My emphasis was in editing and technical writing. I walked into the great and spacious building downtown and told the human resource people I would like to apply for an editing position. The woman in charge could barely hide her dismay as she explained that I was not qualified for any such positions, but that I could apply to be a telephone answerer in the call center.
WHAT? I have a degree! I'm too educated to work in a call center!
So, I tried again. I asked to apply for some secretarial positions, as I had some experience working at BYU's law school as a secretary. Again, I was told that I was not qualified. After some begging, the woman agreed to allow me to take the secretarial tests.
As I took my tests, my husband happened to run into a friend of his father's in the lobby while waiting for me. This man happened to have more clout in human resources than the woman who had given me no hope. My husband explained that I was there applying for jobs. The man left.
I emerged from my test taking, feeling more and more desperate as my options seemed to diminish. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the lady immediately asked if I wanted to interview for some secretary positions that very day. Huh? Hadn't she just told me I was not qualified.
We found out that my husband's friend had talked to her. I guess nepotism is not dead. I got a secretarial position and eventually worked my way up to being an editor, but it was a hard-fought and unpleasant experience. I was one of 6 women in a department of 250 men.
My point is that we are still oppressed. We may blind ourselves to it or soothe ourselves by pretending that it is not so, but it is. We can certainly try to achieve all we would like, but it may not be possible because of the way our society is run. There are the elite and the subordinate. For now, I'm subordinate and that may be my own darn fault. It's time to speak up!
posted by Emily Petersen at 4:14 PM
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