Reflective Summary

Reflective summary

Teach Diversity - with a Smile Barbara Ehrenreich

Sept 7, 2010 English 101: Freshman Comp

Did you ever think why our elders do not quite understand why we are so open to accepting others who are not exactly like us?, why they seem to say “why are you talking to that black person?, or my goodness gay men are a menace to society, it’s just wrong!”, well back in their day years ago it was wrong and Barbara Ehrenreich discusses this topic in her essay Teach Diversity- with a Smile. Barbara discusses the difference between monoculturalism, multiculturalism, and being politically correct. She explains how cultural issues were looked at in the fifties compared to how society looks at these now. Multiculturalism is what is accepted, it is the way we live now, it is politically correct or P.C to accept people the way they are be it homophobic, of mixed decent, disabled etc.
Barbara explains that in the fifties when she was young monoculturalism was of age and different cultures were limited. People were only deciphered by race and religion. She says “there were Negroes, Whites, and Orientals, Chinese and Japs and only 3 religions Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish.” Which we now know has tremendously changed, there are numerous categories people could be put in and plenty of religions that people believe in. I agree with her that multiculturalism does prepare our people for a wider more diverse world. Although there are people (conservatives) very much against multiculturalism they think it is wrong and socially unacceptable, yet they are the close minded people that are socially frowned upon because people are people regardless how they are.
Both sides of the spectrum are well understood yet multiculturalism still remains on top and being politically correct needs to become more verbally expressed and an issue that more people need to address. People are starting to realize oppressed people are here and should not be shunned out they should be accepted because they are not going anywhere. I also understand how Ehrenreich feels that it is not just the oppressed that are the victims it is also the people of the monocultural time who are oppressed and victimized because they do not quite understand and was not well prepared for a cultural change in society and aren’t really “politically correct” but as time goes on more people are starting to follow suit with understanding other peoples cultures and learning how much of a good feeling it is to see life in someone else’s eyes.

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[ 1 ]. Monoculturalism- (mn-klchr)n.- A single, homogeneous culture without diversity or dissension.
[ 2 ]. Multiculturalism- (mlt-klchr-l, -t-) adj. - Of or relating to a social or educational theory that encourages interest in many cultures within a society rather than in only a mainstream culture.
[ 3 ]. Politically correct- A term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, and age-related contexts.