At the start of the Spring 2022 semester I began my “Introduction to Ethics” course with the uncontroversial observation that people have often treated others pretty terribly.
As someone who grew up anti-racist and anti-homophobic, upon reflection, I have no idea where those beliefs came from--they were just part of who I was/am. I would love to say they are the result of thought provoking conversations in my youth; however, I know that to be untrue. As an adult, I have spent many years studying the systems and institutions of oppression. And, although my beliefs mesh with many in society, I recognize that I stand on the shoulders of the men and women who came before and whose work has enhanced my knowledge a million fold. It is not enough to simply be "anti" anything. I think it is incumbent upon us to learn about the institutions that reify the oppression we see today. In order to truly work towards equality, we must do the hard work of learning--really learning. Reading the work of those who came before and critically evaluating our own thought processes and beliefs and whether or not we believe what we do because it is popular or because we understand and are mindful of the history of the that oppression.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. It's a mistake to ignore the way in which we are shaped by family, culture, and social institutions. I don't think we have to deny personal responsibility, either. Arguably the first step in taking responsibility is recognizing how much of who we are, initially, isn't the direct result of our own effort. This allows us to chart a more intentional course in personal development; allows us to pursue the hard work of learning you describe.
As someone who grew up anti-racist and anti-homophobic, upon reflection, I have no idea where those beliefs came from--they were just part of who I was/am. I would love to say they are the result of thought provoking conversations in my youth; however, I know that to be untrue. As an adult, I have spent many years studying the systems and institutions of oppression. And, although my beliefs mesh with many in society, I recognize that I stand on the shoulders of the men and women who came before and whose work has enhanced my knowledge a million fold. It is not enough to simply be "anti" anything. I think it is incumbent upon us to learn about the institutions that reify the oppression we see today. In order to truly work towards equality, we must do the hard work of learning--really learning. Reading the work of those who came before and critically evaluating our own thought processes and beliefs and whether or not we believe what we do because it is popular or because we understand and are mindful of the history of the that oppression.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. It's a mistake to ignore the way in which we are shaped by family, culture, and social institutions. I don't think we have to deny personal responsibility, either. Arguably the first step in taking responsibility is recognizing how much of who we are, initially, isn't the direct result of our own effort. This allows us to chart a more intentional course in personal development; allows us to pursue the hard work of learning you describe.