Monday, October 2, 2017
Socratic Seminar: "Between the World and Me" Question #1
Coates' life was distorted with the fear of people of color being inferior. It showed how unbalanced and full of fear the world is with dangerous waves of good and bad. The people he knew were not free they were afraid of setting themselves free for the dangers it might bring. All he knew at that young age was that the people he knew,which were black, were powerful but had tremendous fear. He got hit with the cold hard facts of life. It shaped his view of the American Dream because it already had an issue with people of color, having said that all the posters and ads were of white people, and their perception of the American Dream. Signifying that the perceptions they had been thinking of were real. That people of color would not be able to accomplish the American Dream in a white world. This fear is inevitable, there will always be an oppressor and an oppressed, one who is inferior and one who is superior in a world full of betrayal, greed and racism this fear is endless.
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I agree with the you on the grounds that Coates' life was distorted and changed dramatically and suddenly because he was in fear of being a person of color, but I feel his the ethnic group is specific among those minority groups. Throughout the book he specifically states the African American males are living in a constant fear and prevent them from pursuing their dreams and goals and replace them with acts of power in attempt to overcome this fear. I agree with your opinion that there is always going to be the the oppressor and the oppressed, but I disagree saying that minority groups cannot achieve the American Dream in the White world. If you can cite specific evidence my opinion could possibly be shifted, but I disagree because both of my parents came as immigrants from the Philippines and made a living off of hard work and they believe they have achieved the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteWhen I said that minority groups can not achieve the American Dream in a white world, i was saying how Coates' was trying to state that i do not believe that minority groups can't achieve the American Dream because my dad and family have succeeded in this country as immigrants.
DeleteI agree with you about people being afraid of setting themselves free. They’re overwhelmed with all this internal fear that when their “freedom” comes around, they become guarded and closed off. I also COMPLETELY agree with your last sentence. People will always be selfish. They’ll always want to stay on power trips and feed off the weak (minorities). We will always have different levels of humanity and morals. Because of this, that inevitable fear will always be there.
ReplyDeleteI STRONGLY agree with you about how Coates got hit with the cold hard facts of life, without those cold hard facts it wouldn't have shaped his full on view on how American Dream really is and how it's only made for those who have the White privilege. I also agree with your last sentence on how people will always be selfish. That inevitable fear will always get in the way because there will always be an oppressor.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with you that fear had played a big role in Mr. Coates life.He stated in the book that he only knew black people and they were powerful and dangerous,and they even had a lot of fear.That fear played apart of Mr. Coates growing up.
ReplyDeleteI agree that fear has changed his perspective on the world. As he came to learn about the inferiority of people of color, he comes to realization that the American Dream is not available for people of color and does not give any hope for race relations in America. I also agree that fear is inevitable because in the world we live in today, people will be judged by their race and will develop a fear similar to what Coates experienced.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that fear is inevitable. How fear fear made his race become powerful and dangerous. This took part of this life. This fear changed how he she's the American dream and where he felt safe from these things was in France. I also agree with he got hit hard with the truth about life and the reality of how life is as an African American in America at a very small age. He experienced it and lived though it.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point when addressing that fear is inevitable,because I only looked at fear being inevitable before hand, in the terms that you're black based on the main audience that the the author is speaking to, but this really applies to all cultures,races,gender,and religion.This idea doesn't just apply to one aspect in life, so this response opened up my mind to broader possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement, the fear is endless and will always somehow be apparent. No matter how far we think we've come in society, people will always find a way to make one feel inferior to make themselves feel superior. Although this is ultimately a white america, everyone has their own perception of the american dream and it can be achievable through hard work.
ReplyDelete