When I use the term politics, I think of it as a system in which decisions are made in order to govern a group of people; this can be in government, schools, workplaces, religious groups etc. I also think of social politics in which connections are made in order to advance oneself or gain friendships. The author in the book is trying to convey his idea of politics, which is that it is too ideological for government or 'politics' to really benefit the individual. I think he is trying to say that these ideologies prove too simplistic or one-dimensional to serve people who are simply more complex than what those simple ideologies can serve. He also is trying to convey the fact that sometimes by putting ourselves under institutions that we think are working to better us or liberate us, we are actually restricting our personal freedoms more.
The second week of service went really well. I am suprised at how vastly different the children are both in what their backgrounds are, but also in personality and ability. the children are responding really well to having someone there to help out, and the staff keep expressing how grateful they are to have someone there to help, so already this early in I feel as though I making a difference.
1 comment:
Your definition of what the word politics means was very close to what I think of it as well. I did see that you added a definition concerning social politics which I had not thought about, but I think that it fits very well. Your insight on what you thought Ralph Ellison was trying to say about the role of politics in organizations was very different than what I interpreted. I agree with you that our personal freedoms can be restricted in organizations. The narrator of the story definitely felt restricted in his ability to live out his potential in all of the organizations that he came across. It looks like you service is going well and that you are learning something from your experience. It may not have been possible, but it would have been nice if you would have found a way to talk about the politics surrounding your service thus far.
Post a Comment