Response to Sladjana's Post

Sladjana,

your post resonates very strongly with me and what I've been considering in this Unit.

On a practical level, one important change in my professional development is the way that I see people in positions of power. At this point it is useful for me to use Freire's concept of critical consciousness and what he aims to achieve with The Pedagogy of the Oppressed, with which I strongly identify.

I too am focussed on power relationships and structures in as much as how positions of power have eluded me. Freire is one of the few links that I found some indentity with

My consciousness of my class position and my relative disadvantage (granted, that is how I thought of it then; now I see my upbringing as a huge advantage)

This too also resonates for me although I was wondering in what way you now see it as an advantage? For me its almost like the old Rock band idea of 'paying your dues'! Silly, I know!

So, I have always conceived of my path in a narrative of struggle. This has a lot to do with my working class upbringing too, no doubt: migrant parents with a formidable work ethic who constantly reinforced the “us” (the oppressed) and “them” (the oppressors) divide: we have to work hard for a living, they can play with us however they like, they are in control while we, the poor old working folk, work all our lives to make money for them.

This is where I diverge from your narrative. Yes, my parents did have an us and them attitude that filtered down to me but there's was was predicated on a pragmatic approach. Some people were born to be in power. Coupled with this was the idea that a strong work ethic, morality, goodness and integrity were the lynchpins of this right. Hence politicians were in government because they were the role models for us to follow (Can you believe that?!!!!).
I grew up with the idea that if you strove to work hard, to be different, to inspire to be smart then the corridors of power were a natural place for you to end up. Thus my echo-ing of your parents' views came much later in my life.
It is interesting that today having just retired my father is now proud of his achievements - not because of the grace of the people in power but in spite of them.

One of the most important aspects of my professional development is questioning the nature of the oppressed/oppressor dichotomy. Growing up, it was always a given (in acknowledgement from my family, etc) that my we belonged to the former camp

The first line is central to me. Every last experience of my life has re-enforced this - heavily. In the case of the second line we too had this belief but there were ways - education being the main one - that would allow us to join the latter camp where we would could affect change ie remove oppression

Yet this narrative is as limiting as typographical self-reflection in many ways in the sense that if previous chapters set the tone for the present, then you can’t escape your past.

what if this is not possible - at least without violent struggle?

So the oppression dichotomy is helpful in that it enables me to question whether in fact this is the dichotomy through which the world is actually played out; and then, questioning how to move, as Freire writes, from a position of oppression to a position not of oppressor, but of freedom.

For me its now a mixed question. At times I know struggle to see the difference between Power and Freedom. I would almost certainly take Power over Freedom. Freedom for me has always been an unattainable goal, a myth that oils the wheels of the oppressed/oppressor dichotomy. If in a mass consumer society everyone is so free then why do so many people do, buy, say, like, believe the same things? (massive generalisation I know!!!)

I'm tied up at the mo with work stuff but I'll hopefully be posting back again by mid week.

BTW if you find anything helpful on Foucault and Marx I'd be appreciative of a link!