Blog Post #1 - Privilege, Power, and Difference by Alan Johnson (Quotes)

The first quote that stuck out to me from Johnson’s introduction was “We are, both individually and collectively, stuck in a kind of paralysis that perpetuates the trouble and its human consequences” (Johnson vii). I’m glad he mentioned this early on in the introduction. I think a lot of the times when people do want to try and make good change, they don’t know where to start. They’ll only look at the bigger picture, get overwhelmed, and ultimately do nothing because they think the issue is too much to handle alone. This is part of the paralysis Johnson mentions. By not knowing how to tackle an issue, no change can be made and we are left with the repercussions we started with. 

My second quote from Johnson is, “I also know it’s possible to understand the world and myself in relation to it in ways that get past the defensive feelings and give us all a common ground from which to work for change” (Johnson viii). Just before this quote, Johnson talks about people getting defensive when talking about more difficult topics. This is the other part of the paralysis he mentions earlier. They think they’re going to be told their experiences or actions are wrong, so instead of talking about societal issues we avoid them. When we ignore those defenses we are actually able to listen and understand other people’s experiences. 

The last quote from the Introduction I chose is, “But that combination of social characteristics does not simply limit me, for each also provides a bridge from my own experience to some portion of almost every reader’s life” (Johnson ix). I really like that he wrote this. When looking at social issues it is so important to try and hear every voice. And while something may not negatively affect you that much or at all, it doesn’t mean  that your experience is the only one. Johnson goes on to say that because of his background he has privileges. He acknowledges that his experiences limit his first-hand understanding of different issues, but that won’t stop him from listening to others and filling in the gaps of what he doesn’t know.

My main takeaway from Introduction was the importance of listening to others' experiences. Issues like class, gender, and race are going to affect everyone differently. And if you are fortunate to not experience any of the negative side effects of these issues, then the best thing you can do is hear other people’s stories. Listening bridges the gap between people and is a step towards good change. 

    In relation to Johnson writing about social issues, I found this short article that shows the top three societal issues in each region. This article focuses mainly on how people perceive poverty and that it is the largest global societal issue. But it also looks at what other issues greatly affect parts of the world.

Through the barricades: establishing barriers to inclusivity