Over the course of this school year, I have learned about empire the its ruins. From the unique and fascinating infrastructure of the Roman and Inca empires to learning of the seemingly endless cycle of controlling and being defeated, empire is a term that can be used for a million and one aspects, whether they be physical or mental.
I have learned that not only is everything interconnected, but that is is also a reaction to what had happened prior. The world wasn’t given a set of rules. Rather, we, as humans have been trying to make sense of the inter-workings of societies to relationships since the beginning. And we still are. Because of this, injustices can be found throughout every society and time period.
After reviewing and learning about the process of Othering that is found within imperialism, I was left very aggravated. It can not be used to justify the tearing apart of cultures, land, and of people. Although we don’t have the “correct” set of rules, it has been agreed throughout different cultures and belief systems that taking more than one should and being unfair to the less fortunate is wrong. And yet, we still continue to do so.
With the material given, the need and want for humans to be apart of the group and have group identity (especially if individuals are within an elevated group) is sadly revealed. Because of this need, the use of Othering as a justification can be understood. This is our ultimate weakness. Humans are willing to kill others and justify taking land that isn’t theirs because the ones inhabiting it look differently, talk differently, or use a different system.
Humans have been doing what they have wanted and use justifications that are seemingly pulled out of the air to do so. These justifications are the basis of much of the American high school history curriculum. Now, they have become the subconscious.
Due to this, we have a much more dense set of beliefs that are based off of wants.
Although the material throughout the quarter might have some completely and utterly emotionally destroyed, it has left me recharged. The injustices that we are able to identify throughout history, in media, film, law, and even the day to day are the same injustices we can pick out in our present media, law, and day to day. Now with the knowledge that I have acquired, and with the reflections that I have encapsulated in past blog posts (i.e. the ways in which I have come to my conclusions) I can not reflect back on the year correctly. I have grown immensely in terms of being able to make worldly connections.
However, I do not know if this is a blessing or a curse.
letsgettothecore 