awakening

I grew up in a household that focused on the environment (deep ecology), social issues, and collectivism – hence my mother standing for the Values party. I remember some man calling my lovely mum a scab like he hated her when we were at a Springbok tour protest – we lived, at the time, in right-wing dairy country. We did not live the dominant paradigm.

When I started teachers’ college I wanted to be a tech teacher. I had been working in fabric stores and love sewing. I liked the idea of teaching kids something practical that is actually constructive and fun, something I felt was worthwhile. Then I read the technology curriculum and it talked about a process that I, as a maker, had never used, and it focused on the PRODUCT – more to do with supporting capitalism than for fun or at all creative. I abandoned that idea.

A friend’s child (13) brought home some homework from school about KiwiSaver. She was unable to tell me if the kids had heard a dissenting voice. Or if there was a discussion on inequity that will arise as a result of KiwiSaver. I was taught to question the dominant paradigm – I am not saying I don’t make many assumptions, as I do, but they will be of a different type.

I have total privilege because I have been brought up to be a critical thinker. I know school, only the school work part, was easy for me due to a culture of nerdness at home. I am not sure where the boundaries of my privilege start and my personal family values stop, or if there is a bit of me that rejects, is highly critical of, any system. I do not believe that my families values come from being privileged as they faced many obstacles to live them, including within their own families. I can not see how you can live in New Zealand and not take on aspects of Maori (I can not work out how to use a macron in Jetpac) culture – perhaps here is some magical consciousness?

All cultures contain good and bad, the oppressors and the oppressed. I think we should be more magpie like.

I am not sure if I have understood this at all.