Robert Pirsig wrote in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance:
“We take a handful of sand from the endless landscape of the awareness around us, and call that handful of sand the world.”
I used this quote in my Fulbright application essay. It's one of those lines that gets me thinking.
I commented on a blog today that I'm a vanilla person. Torn called me that at least 20 years ago, and it still rings true. I'm a white, middle-class, blonde, blue-eyed teacher. No, I'm not a Republican, but I'm not a radical liberal either.
The town I live in is the one I grew up in; quiet, suburban, and safe.
A "Cross-cultural" class I had to take for my teaching credential was difficult for me. Every day for 8 weeks, I was told how I needed to learn about all other cultures because I was in the privileged culture. That of white folks. Lucky for me I was a woman; at least I was in one marginalized group.
I was told it was my responsibility, more so than others, to educate myself in the customs and norms outside that privileged white culture.
Problem was, the way the class was presented, was as if I was the enemy. As if, simply by being born what I was, I was wrong and had to be fixed.
Sound familiar?
I know it's not the same thing, and yes, the class was lame.
But it goes back to that handful of sand we call The World. It's not the world.
My experience is not anyone else's. Nor is yours. When I talk about how I'm treated as a single, over-40-year-old woman, it shouldn't be compared to how you are treated as a lesbian, or a Latino, or an atheist. We are what we are.
But, it feels as if we are always comparing ourselves, including our problems to others. You know, My problem is bigger, more important than yours.
I'm as guilty of this as anyone.
Hey, I think I've just figured out my New Year's Resolution.
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6 comments:
Neat post!
I'm pretty sure you're not as vanilla as you think. After all, you said yourself you're a gay man in a straight woman's body. ;)
Re: your cross-cultural experience: acceptance isn't required, but tolerance is. I don't have to agree with how someone else lives, but I do need to tolerate it and let them live. So long as they don't infringe on my ability to do the same. The tolerance must be mutual, otherwise we end up where we are now: at war.
We all want to find something in common with those around us. Some of us are competetive, though, so the search for commonality turns into a race to keep up with the Joneses.
May you have a happier New Year than your neighbors! ;)
Very cool post. I agree with you about how sometimes people do seem to have the 'who suffered more' contest. I also agree with doug that you're probably less vanilla than you think.
That sounds like a poorly run class.
I teach Latino History and often find it difficult to assess the racial politics of the students. It's a challenge to a) remind white students that a different perspective on the U.S. as imperialist isn't "wrong" just because it's different than their experience b) remind Latino students that they do not have a particularly greater knowledge of Latino history just because of their racial/ethnic identity and c) that the class will not involve me simply giving out out salsa recipes or talking wistfully about Aztlán.
I do have to ask, though, why aren't you radical liberal?
So what's the resolution? I love that quote, I should read that book again.
As a part of the class did they slaughter a lamb and then pray to the baby jesus? White folks are so crazy sometimes. I have a rich culture since I am white trash. I know all there is to know about moonshine and moonpies.
Hugs,
kb
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