For this blog, I have chosen to take a step out of the
physical classroom and into the virtual world. I have been told that once you
learn something, you cannot unlearn it. This has stuck with me as I teach and
as I am taught. Throughout my college years, and this first semester of
graduate school, my eyes have been opened to the number of social injustices
surrounding me. The systemic problems have come to haunt my thoughts and now
they haunt my social media news feed.
We have learned from Freire that
words are praxis. This information from Freire leads me to question the
mindless escape I used to participate in with social media: Should we speak or
not on social media? Should our words as praxis be displayed on social media?
Should we comment on systemic problems presented on social media?
After reading Elizabeth Bell and
Kim Golombisky, I realize part of the reason I have not commented on anything
controversial on social media is because this act alone would break my “good
girl” image. I have been constantly praised for my silence my whole life. This
has spilled over to what I have chosen to present in my online identity. There
are many times I have wanted to comment on something on Facebook, but there is
always a fear that keeps me from hitting the enter key.
Part of my justification for not
posting is that I know someone will reply with crude or harsh words. There are
limiting way to keep the dialogue productive with people hiding behind their
computer screens. However, another part of me wonders, what if I post something
that another “good girl” needs to read? Will she read my words as praxis even
if others tear the words apart?
As issues arise on social media,
particularly Facebook, these popular issues create multiple discussions,
multiple pages to like, or hashtags. While I think social media has created a space
for voices that are more often then not silenced by systems, I still have a
hard time participating in the discussion.
Social media can be an outlet for
us as scholars to reach an audience that would not normally come across ideas
that we discuss in our classes. My questions to my classmates and instructor are:
1.)Do you choose to participate in
social media discussions? If yes, what is your approach?
2.) Have you ever felt silenced
from discussions? Why or why not?
Resources:
Bell, E., & Golombisky, K. (n.d.). Voices and Silences
in Our Classrooms: Strategies for Mapping Trails Among Sex/Gender, Race, and
Class. Women's Studies in Communication,
294-329.
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy
of the oppressed (30th anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum.
#doingpopculture
I get mad at myself a lot because I don't approach sensitive topics on social media like I should. In the past I have often tried to open constructive dialogues with people saying terrible things, but it usually accomplishes nothing. I tend to just make sarcastic comments or self-righteous jokes that make feel good about myself for like 10 seconds before I realize that I have basically given up. This is definitely something I would like to change, I just feel less and less patient every day.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever felt silenced from discussions online. When the Ferguson protests were happening I chose not to take part, but I noticed many people of color dissuading white Americans from posting their perspectives. The arrogant side of me wanted to suggest that silencing white people was a problem, and that people like me saying problematic or ignorant things could lead to potential teaching moments from our peers of color, but I didn't say anything because I decided it probably wasn't their responsibility to educate us about our arrogance in a time of national crisis. So I guess my answer is yes, there have been moments where I felt I was not welcome to speak, but I agreed that I shouldn't. It makes sense to me that white people like myself, who have used language and exposure to silence others, should definitely be quiet every once in a while.
Suzanna, we think so similarly about some things that it makes me laugh!
ReplyDeleteIn response to your first question, I typically do not post about social issues on social media at all. My reasoning has been because I have such a vast variety of friends that I don't want someone to think of me differently because I have a certain belief. I wouldn't want someone who has done something I may not agree with deep down in my core to be offended by me posting something on social media. I would rather keep certain opinions to myself to maintain certain friendships. However, I will say this is only the case for certain issues. For example, if poverty, hunger, or sex trafficking (to name a few) come up, I am happy to post about these issues. I think my reasoning here is because most people would agree each of these issues need to be resolved. Other social issues are just now the same. Honestly, I am learning how to have a voice again and my perspective on this could change at any given time. In this case, I think my perspective is justified.
In response to your second question, absolutely I have felt silenced from discussions. Typically when this has happened it was because someone was not willing to see another perspective other than their own and they had not problem stating that perspective very harshly. Another instance was was within a group discussion outside of social media. The leader asked my perspective of an interpersonal relationship situation and I gladly gave my opinion. However, the leader then told me how wrong I was because he had more information on the topic than I did. So I felt as if he purposefully asked me the question in order to shut me down. Now, even within the classroom, I find myself not answering questions because I feel as if I am being set up for failure even though I may know the exact answer to a question. This one is difficult. I think in order to overcome these thoughts us "good girls" have to learn our voice and understand it is OK to actually use it!