PPD, CH.1

At the end of chapter one in PPD, Alan Johnson concludes on the meaning of words and the negative impact they can have on people. He says that we must learn to tolerate the discomfort that words such as racism, sexism and privilege evoke. He also states that words that describe himself, “white male and middle class”, are something he didn’t create but was passed down to him as a legacy in today’s society.
His argument of being able to become tolerant with one another is based on people’s ability to recognize their own problems and to do something about it. If each person doesn’t take the initiative by acknowledging their privileges, then we will not be able to break the barrier of what privilege and difference mean and in return not be able to respect, understand or appreciate one another.
Yet I believe that other steps are needed before we automatically recognize our problems and learn form them. Change is needed in earlier stages of the learning process. As we grow up under our parents and guardians they posses the ability to create and shape our way of thinking. We need to alter the meaning of negatives words such as racisms and sexism to a more neutral meaning. When I hear the word racism, I think of violence and hate, which in turn causes controversy. However, by relating these words to a more positive meaning this will in turn lower the need for controversy and negative reactions.
The intro of “were in trouble” made me question his attitude on the subject of race and ethnicity. As he continued with his story it drew me in and then I realized why he wrote the intro in that manner and I became more considerate of the material. I understand his point of view, we must use words that offend us and relate directly to the material; otherwise we will not be able to make sense of the truth.