"Power that seeks to support itself over justice inevitably leads to oppression."
This was a very striking first sentence to Valverde's "Academics Awaken: Power Resistance, and Being Woke." It immediately grabs the reader's attention and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. It made me think how power is often talked about negatively when power can lead itself to progress and positive change. Power is needed to make a difference; whether its political, social, etc.
It goes on later to quote from another source that, "Ultimately, institutions or leaders dedicated to social justice must also be prepared to allow for their own end; to do otherwise is to allow self-preservation to pervert power." This goes into further details regarding the first sentence and it goes on to provide historical examples how power that prioritizes self preservation needs to end for actual change needs to occur.
This was a very striking first sentence to Valverde's "Academics Awaken: Power Resistance, and Being Woke." It immediately grabs the reader's attention and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. It made me think how power is often talked about negatively when power can lead itself to progress and positive change. Power is needed to make a difference; whether its political, social, etc.
It goes on later to quote from another source that, "Ultimately, institutions or leaders dedicated to social justice must also be prepared to allow for their own end; to do otherwise is to allow self-preservation to pervert power." This goes into further details regarding the first sentence and it goes on to provide historical examples how power that prioritizes self preservation needs to end for actual change needs to occur.
"It is one thing to want to fight, but how to do so is just as important." This quote comes from later on in this piece and it stood out to me because this encompasses many of the topics for my questions I write on my note card for class. I've been made aware of so many issues and problems gong on that I am interested in and passionate about but figuring out how to make a difference, figuring out how I could contribute is difficult yet absolutely necessary.
Question: A lot of common sentiments talk about waking up and staying woke. Does that mean it is common for people to 'lose their wokeness'? If so, how does that happen? Or does it refer to people being woke about some topics but ignorant/blind to others?
Source:
Valverde, C. Academics Awaken: Power Resistance, and Being Woke.
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