Johnson Chapter 6

In many cases, people do no know that they are part of a problem, but they really are. This is Johnson’s main theme in chapter six. He believes that in order for anything to change or become solved, people must begin to realize that they are part of the problem. This problem of which we are seeking the solution is the problem of privilege and oppression.

To solve any problem, first somebody must bring it up. Now that the problem is recognized, people need to begin to talk about it and not shy away from it. Johnson thinks that we, a society as a whole, tend to do not so much of the talking about it, but more of the pushing it away because it’s a touchy subject and we are afraid to create an awkward situation. “Its not my problem”. This is a phrase heard a lot in today’s society. People have begun to think of themselves and how it affects them, and not the people around them. People begin to blame others before even considering how they may have been involved. Most everyone is part of the problem in some way, and they don’t even know it. We do what is “acceptable” based on what our society accepts and not what is right. But we never even know that it is what we are doing because its what everyone else is doing. But at one point or another, we are going to slip up and do something that is not “acceptable”, and that will be the point where most of us realize. We tend to act differently in different situations. Johnson states that depending on whom we are around, we tend to find different things acceptable and not harmful. But what we are doing in many cases, is doing exactly what is opposite of acceptable in any other situation. Many of us also realize this when, once again, we slip up and those other people around you also realize that what you have said or done just isn’t right. For example, “black jokes” around your friends and others, may seem perfectly harmless and comical. But put in a room with strangers who just may happen to be black, and that joke slips out, there may be not as many laughs but more hurt feelings. And though it was not meant in any disrespect or any harmful manor, you may have just brought up that big problem. Johnson finished this chapter by explaining to the reader that we need to stop holding it all in and being silent about it. We need to acknowledge it and talk about how we can fix this problem of privilege and oppression.

Why haven’t we fixed this problem yet? I think that the answer to this is because people are still scared. Scared of a few things. Some are afraid to talk about it because they don’t want to hurt others and their feelings. But still others are only afraid to hurt themselves. Many of these people are happy with where they stand with their privileges and don’t want to change that, thus hinting on the individualism idea again. And finally, there are still those who just don’t know. People are going along in life not seeing themselves as causing any harm to anyone, and they just see no problems.

I personally had never thought about this before I read this to be honest. I was one of those people who have been going on through life seeing myself as causing no harm to anyone. Now that this has been brought about to my attention, I have no worries talking about it to everyone, even my family, making them understand just what I do now. Though it is in many cases unintentional, people are getting hurt every day because of this and I wish everyone could realize it as I do now.