Message-ID: <3346E7D9.5045@squirrel.com.au> Date: Sun, 6 Apr 1997 11:01:29 +1100 From: resolve <mailto:resolve@squirrel.com.au> Subject: Re: Power Politics To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Hi Wilbur,If you feel that you have made your own life, and that you can attain any position in society that you choose - work hard and aim for the stars and all that, then you are fortunate. You are right to some extent that you have made the life you choose. This is not necessarily transferrable to the rest of the planet's population, however, because some are battling extraordinary odds.
True, a lot of what holds people back is what's in their minds, and true, they can be seen to be largely responsible for keeping it in their minds, but on the other hand, unless you have experienced an existence where you were born without enough food and resources to gain the optimum benefits from your surroundings, have been told subtly and overtly since your first day on the planet that you will never rise above a certain level because you are black/female/ugly/poor/pacifistic/sensitive, or lived in a country where it is practically illegal to defend yourself, you will remain ignorant of the struggles that keep the majority of the world's people powerless and subject to the whims and fancies of the minority power mongers.
Walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you get on your soapbox, man.
K Webb.