That is how the World Works- Bo Burnham

Ooooh Friere. I actually quite enjoy him and his thoughts on the pedagogy of the oppressed. However I also think about HOW writing a blog about pedagogy or even discussing it in a graduate level class truly engages with his pedagogy. The mantra of the oppressors needing to drop status of oppressing to run alongside the oppressed, to learn from the oppressed, and love the oppressed. Loving the oppressed can only come from the true giving up of "freedom" that oppressors hold (oppressors call it freedom, when it should really be called exploitation). 

As always, my favorite white man Bo Burnham, has some lyrics that humorize the situation in a way that I feel is appropriate for a blog:

"The simple narrative taught in every history class
Is demonstrably false and pedagogically classist
Don't you know? The world is built with blood!
And genocide! And exploitation!
The global network of capital essentially functions
To separate the worker from the means of production
And the FBI killed Martin Luther King"

There is lots more than what I will share, but as I suss out what an #EducatedWorldmaking approach is in praxis, I covet popular culture as method of sharing, learning, and understanding. What am I getting at here, in this long winded rant? It is EASY for any person to discuss the obvious horrors oppressed people face, and easy to point out 1. our genocidal and imperialist history and 2. the cycle of complacency that capitalism keeps many in. The telos of utilizing a world making lens is that oppressed groups, cultural and racial minorities, gender and sexuality minorities and the many marginalized groups that exist in this world, will be perceived as valid as dominant groups of people. This perception means that people can live as themselves freely without being oppressed by another group. 

So how do we actually do this? How does an oppressor tangibly give up every aspect that oppresses (how does one choose a job in capitalism without some aspect of oppression, or go to college?) and run alongside the oppressed? 

My answer is I don't know what the end game is or how oppressors completely shed off oppressive systems. I feel conflicted as an academic, academia is oppressive, is the answer to refuse to engage in academia? There can't possibly be a true right answer. 

Like Friere, I believe in the freedom of intellect. I believe in the freedom of education. I believe that education cannot have an agenda to cover up or paint events or people in false lighting. So how can I, as an aspiring educator, remove barriers to oppressed groups I may encounter? Here is my running list:

1. teach multiple perspectives. allow for disagreement and for people to hold thoughts different from my own. 

2.  challenge dominant modes of thinking. push into the uncomfortableness. my first week of class a student asserted that their pronouns were "regular." and I went into my shell of discomfort. I knew I couldn't allow for this situation to make myself and others feel that pronouns and identity were not salient so I took the time next class to explain how pronoun self identification is important in affirming everyone present. don't allow "common" modes of thinking to dominate, push back with kindness and empathy.

3. make education available for everyone. teaching doesn't end in the classroom, it can happen in my extended family's living room, or on social media, or at the bar. education is oppressive only when it is exclusive, it doesn't matter who it is, if they want to learn, take the time to teach them.

Bo Burnham does what any person of privilege can do, he can acknowledge the situation. However, much like Bo, those with privilege aren't in any rush to run the race with the oppressed. I believe that education is our best avenue at reaching the privileged who aren't in a rush, or the privileged who aren't aware. Transformation can only come through engaged and active learning, and while I strive to run the race alongside the oppressed I also believe that making education accessible to anyone is a way I can enact world making throughout my daily life.

Freire, Paulo, 1921-1997. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York :Continuum, 2000.

Burnham, Bo. "That is how the world works." Inside(The Songs), 202, Track 4, Spotify,