Artifact Three

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum Publishing Company, 1970. 20 December 2006. <http://marxists.anu.edu.au/subject/education/freire/pedagogy/ch01.htm>

Until now have I analyzed ethnocentrism from the liberal tradition, from thinkers originating primarily from the Left. Paulo Freire is not an exception, although he may be the last. I will later try to find opinions which are either blatant examples of ethnocentrism (and which promote it) or opinions that claim that ethnocentrism doesn't exist.

One of my prior works noted that of all people in a society, most are inactive. Freire says that this is caused by a deficient pedagogy which stunts critical thought. He also gives the scenario that those of the oppressor class, those who may generally be called the "rulers", who realize the injustice of their own present system and wish to change it, still cannot fail to adhere to the prejudices that were and still are to them inherent; so that they will consider themselves saviours. Freire's standpoint does not allow for a change of values in these "saviours", and it must be noted that these "saviours" are not able to save themselves.

Freire: "Submerged in reality, the oppressed cannot perceive clearly the “order” which serves the interests of the oppressors whose image they have internalized."
True, but better, that all people in this social body are indoctrinated. No one sees the full structure of the order. Not the Communists. Not the Social democrats. Not the Theologians. Not
the Republicans. Anarchists may solve this problem, but what may happen thereafter is not in the interests of anyone, not even the Anarchists, who will find that they would become useless. Only until one from the oppressors has been cornered against a falling precipice may he see, but for a moment, the "order". By then, the only way he may survive would be to accept the order and contribute to its survival, for all who have power fear to lose it.

Deeper now. Freire says that the solution cannot come from above, but from those who will be freed. Through education, ethnocentrism may be quelled (?). But education must not come from the saviours, but from the oppressed.

"Human longing for a better future will be the guide to all that men will create. May they long for Solidarity and Magnanimity, not Truth given by a golden Spoon." I said in my first post. Indeed, full circle!

Questions
1 - I want to see what will happen if I ask this in class: Are YOU being oppressed? Being some kind of an outsider yet unfamiliar to certain customs (or rather, more precisely, value systems) that are practised in America, I find certain "acts of oppression" that are done upon those of my own country, and certain ones upon Americans. But who is aware?
2 - What will the political right think about this?
3 - Why is it that such ideas have already been formulated but no one acts upon it? (Because of the illusory effects of indoctrination?)