adventures in 中国

SO, update: asked for my job back, with no success.

Apparently, they're certain they want to hire one of the individuals they interviewed while my boss was here in Beijing. Good for him, bad for me. What can ya do? I tried.

Now I'm focusing on moving forward with the job search (...that has been going on for two months), and I still have faith that I'll find something great. Some days I hold a positive outlook, some days I hold less optimism, but all I can do is try my best to snag a new gig. And hopefully, it'll be something that I actually enjoy!

I've learned a lot about myself over the past few months, and at least that's something I can take away from this whole ordeal.

...This is a day where I'm more positive about the situation. Maybe it's the blue sky that graced Beijing with its presence.

Freirean Thoughts on Liberation 

      In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, perhaps Paulo Freire's most famous piece of work, he illuminates for us the inherent conflicts and struggles that exist for individuals who are oppressed, in their efforts to gain (or regain) their sense of self-humanization. As he highlights these issues, Freire delves further into reasons for how certain situations come to be, explicates why they may persist, and offers his personal insight and ideas as solutions for the obstacles he has observed throughout the history of the oppressed.

      It is made clear in Freire's work that the fight to break free from an oppressed situation entails intense collaboration and continuous critical thinking about the true reality of oppression. These conditions are necessary to cease a dehumanizing situation for all individuals involved in oppression, and Freire believes this necessity stems from every individual's natural inclination toward self-humanization. According to Freire's assumption, humans' ontological vocation is to be a Subject who acts upon and transforms his/her world.¹ This is done by cooperative dialogue, which produces new knowledge by communicating each person's own experiences and reflecting upon the sharing of those social experiences. However, this is not suggesting that oppressed individuals should sit around together and share and lament about each of their own experiences under oppression.

      A dialogue for growing knowledge must be made not only with the intention of progress battling against an oppressive situation, but with a true conviction for praxis² in opposition of oppression. This conviction is a result of critically thinking about one's own place and identity in oppressive circumstances and recognizing the reality of situations encompassed within that state. Although oppressors dehumanize those who they are oppressing by only acknowledging them as Objects to have (and not Subjects with whom to exchange thoughts, ideas, and opinions), considering the oppressed as Objects is a false reality. This false reality is constructed completely out of invalid justifications and erroneous proclamations that certain individuals are less intelligent, worthy of fewer rights (or more likely, no rights), and thus, should be treated as less than human.

      The true reality is that the oppressed are human beings who are subjugated under a violent³ stronghold by a minority – a minority who have dehumanized themselves in the process of dehumanizing others.⁴ And because true reality asserts that the oppressed are people and not things, the oppressed are, in actuality, capable of much more than what is assumed by the oppressors. Every person is capable of looking critically at the world when engaged in dialogical encounters with others. Therefore, the oppressed are individuals who are able to acquire knowledge about the world in which they live, intervene with that world, and move toward new possibilities of fuller and richer life, individually and collectively. Freire writes that no reality transforms itself, and cites Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as saying, "The materialist doctrine that men are products of circumstances and upbringing…forgets that is is men that change circumstances."⁵

      The propensity in human nature toward liberation from an oppressive state can be awakened by the inevitable realization at a certain point that one no longer has anything to lose, because everything has been unjustly – violently – taken away. There is little left that signifies a human life except for a physical body; a body that may even be weakened over time by deprivation of proper sustenance. The choice that is left is to revolt against the oppression that has overtaken one's life.

      However, Freire poses a critical, fundamental problem in which he discusses how oppressed individuals, when they think about their liberation, usually desire to replace the position of the oppressor with whom they are familiar – that is, take on the identity of one who is in, and has, power. Almost always, during the initial stage of struggle, the oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors, or "sub-oppressors."⁶ This can be explained by the fact that the oppressed are always in the presence of only themselves and "the other" (i.e. the oppressor), and thus they are accustomed to know only these two types of identities. The oppressed have internalized what they have been conditioned to see, hear, be in the presence of, and ultimately, know. Essentially, when they think about their freedom from oppression, the oppressed want to become the "the ruler(s)."

      Looking back on history, Freire is well aware that this is a likely possibility with those who have been oppressed. The behavior of the oppressed, he says, is a prescribed behavior, following the guidelines of the oppressor.⁷ The oppressed suffer from the duality which has established itself in their innermost being. Although they desire authentic existence, they also fear it. They are at one and the same time themselves and the oppressor whose consciousness they have internalized.⁸

      However, Freire elucidates for his readers that this fundamental issue can indeed be solved. To avoid repeating the mistake of replacing the "old ruling class" with a new one, there must be genuine education. This means an education that involves authentic solidarity, constant dialogue, and critical thinking on the part of those who are attempting to fight for their liberation. It is important to note that Freire emphasizes that the struggle for liberation is in the hands of those who are oppressed, and no one else. In his words, the great humanistic and historical task of the oppressed is to liberate themselves and their oppressors as well.⁹ It is those who are oppressed who must, from their stifled humanity, wage for both the battle for a more complete humanity in everyone's life.¹⁰ Yet, Freire also goes on to question his audience by asking how it is possible to carry out the intentions of the oppressed prior to a revolution, if the implementation of a liberating education requires power and the oppressed have none.¹¹ So why is it up to the oppressed? Why can't the oppressors, the ones with power, change things?

      To no longer be prey to oppression's force, one must emerge from it and turn upon it.¹² Although the oppressors possess power, they carry with them the identity of an oppressor. Inserted into the situation of such an identity (an identity in which dehumanization is inherent), it is impossible for the oppressor(s) to transform the oppressive state – that is, to turn upon it. To transform the situation would be to destroy themselves, their identities as oppressors; and an individual in such a position would never do so.

      Furthermore, it is only the oppressed who can initiate this transformation, because without the oppressed, the oppressor cannot exist.¹³ As the oppressed, in solidarity,¹⁴ begin to realize this as part of true reality, they commence the fight for their liberation, recognizing their ability to dismantle the current repressive state and shape a new reality. This is where they find their power. So how does Freire think the oppressed should approach this difficult, yet necessary and inevitable, task?

      One part of his answer to this obstacle is found in the difference between what he deems systematic education, which can only be changed by power, and educational projects, which is to be carried out with the oppressed in the process of organizing them.¹⁵ One example of an educational project is the idea of problem-posing education.

      What exactly is problem-posing education? The method involved in this sort of education does not dichotomize the activities of the teachers and students. Individuals who are a part of this education are always cognitive and do not regard cognizable objects as private property, but objects of reflection by everyone.¹⁶ This goes back to the idea that everybody is capable of contributing something valuable to the entire group.

      Problem-posing education invites critical thinking. It also involves a constant unveiling of reality, and it strives for the emergence of consciousness and critical intervention in reality. It is necessary to trust in the oppressed and in their ability to reason.¹⁷ Trusting in the capabilities and potential of the oppressed reinforces their humanity. It reminds them of their own autonomy in shaping a new reality for themselves and countless others, by encouraging reflection and action toward the world in which they exist. A pedagogy must be forged with, not for, the oppressed in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity.¹⁸ Attempting to liberate the oppressed without their reflective participation in the act of liberation is to treat them as objects.¹⁹ Thus, the role of a problem-posing educator is to create, together with the students, through constant dialogue. This is a type of liberatory education in which all participants are jointly responsible for a process that helps everyone grow and learn. Dialogue is a critical aspect of problem-posing education. Without dialogue, there is no communication, and without communication, there can be no liberatory education.

      Liberatory education is displayed in Freire's idea of a pedagogy of the oppressed. The pedagogy of the oppressed, which is the pedagogy of people engaged in the fight for their own liberation, has its roots in an affirmation of the need for the critical intervention of the people in reality through the praxis. And those who recognize, or begin to recognize, themselves as oppressed must be among the developers of this pedagogy.²⁰ Freire outlines two distinct stages of the pedagogy of the oppressed.

      The first stage entails the oppressed exposing the world of oppression and, through the praxis, commit themselves to transforming it. They must deal with the problem of the consciousness of both the oppressed and the oppressor. What must be taken into consideration is behavior, their views of the world, and their ethics. Taking a critical look at causes and effects in regards to their own lives is what the oppressed should do in order to begin adding to their knowledge; and in turn, reflecting on that knowledge and deliberating what necessary action to take to liberate themselves.

      Next, following the transformation of the reality of oppression by the oppressed, the pedagogy no longer belongs just to the oppressed, but becomes a pedagogy of all people in the process of permanent liberation. The culture of domination is only culturally confronted through action in depth.²¹ Freire means that people must first critically recognize the causes of an oppressive situation, in order to overcome it. As long as the oppressed remain unaware of the causes of their condition, they fatalistically "accept" their exploitation.²² From a critical reflection of reality and acknowledging humans' capacity to shape that reality, the oppressed can create a new situation through transforming action – action that will transform a structure so that they can become "beings for themselves,"²³ instead of "beings for another."

      Thus, for the oppressed to be able to wage the struggle for their liberation, they must perceive the reality of oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a situation which they can transform. To do this authentically, they must consider their state not as fated and unalterable, but merely as limiting – and therefore challenging.²⁴ Then they come to see the world not as a static reality, but as a reality in process, in transformation.²⁵ This thought must become the motivating force for liberating action. However, although this perception is a necessary condition for liberation, it is not a sufficient one. Also, the discovery by the oppressed that they exist in dialectical relationship to the oppressor, as his antithesis – that without them the oppressor could not exist – in itself does not constitute complete liberation.²⁶

      Liberation is a praxis. It is the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to dismantle an existing repressive situation and transform it.²⁷ For this to occur, the oppressed must strive for critical consciousness, by rejecting passivity and practicing dialogue, together. Critical consciousness is brought about through collective struggle and praxis. In this process of growth, awareness, and a renewed sense of self, individuals must also keep in mind that fatalism and pessimism must be fought constantly. They must continue to remind themselves that their action is intimately interdependent with the world, but only when it involves action from true reflection.

      The world and human beings do not exist apart from each other; rather, they exist in constant interaction.²⁸ Interaction results from humans living, being, communicating…not just having. There is no interaction from merely having – there is only domination. Oppressed individuals must recognize the fact that oppressors suffocate in their own possessions. The latter no longer are, they just have,²⁹ and with only this sort of consciousness, oppressors would then lose contact with the world after losing such possession of objects.³⁰ Following that logic then, it would be appropriate to say that if the oppressed were to revolt and transform the oppressed situation into a new reality, the oppressor's identity would be destroyed.

      Paradoxically, in the response of the oppressed to the violence of their oppressors, a gesture of love may be found. That is, an act of rebellion by the oppressed (an act which, according to Freire, is nearly always as violent as the initial violence of the oppressors) can initiate love. How is this so? Consider the idea that violence from the oppressors prevents the oppressed from being fully human. As the oppressors dehumanize others and violate others' rights, they themselves also become dehumanized. When the oppressed take away oppressors' powers to dominate and suppress, by fighting to be human, they in turn restore humanity in the oppressors – the humanity they had lost in the exercise of oppression. So it is only the oppressed who, by freeing themselves, are able to free their oppressors.³¹ Freire makes this point explicitly clear by reinforcing ideas that connect so well together – ideas that make so much sense, because he himself was a human being who intervened in the world by observing, reflecting, and acting. By having lived his life and passing on his own critical reflections through his work, he has managed to continue engaging in a type of dialogical encounter with others. Even after his physical presence is no longer in existence, he continues to participate in our world by creating lasting impressions and encouraging discussion through the presence of his words.

Okay, I'll be honest -- after a couple months of being pseudo-unemployed... I miss my job (there, I said it). As each day passes, I'm wondering more and more why I decided to leave in the first place.

Horrible, horrible timing, Annie. 不好.

Um... any advice on how to beg for your job back while still keeping a smidge of dignity intact?? Please and thank you.

...if we wanna wear mustaches? Brilliant. And hysterical.

Photo by Jeff Lau

There is an absolute beauty in being alone and peaceful.