Johnson Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Rodney King’s Question

Thesis: “Can’t we all just get along (1)?” No.

Argument/Support:
Not everyone can manage to get along with everyone else. Racism and its effects are everywhere, and create “the problem of the color line.” Words such as “racism” must be used because “if we dispense with the words, we make it impossible to talk about what’s really going on and what it has to do with us,” (2). Color is not the only issue that makes it hard for people to get along. “Differences in gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and numerous lesser divides,” all lead to people not getting along (2). Male domination, daily used stereotypes, discrimination, and inferior classification of certain groups does not display a peaceful and friendly society. “Human nature” is used by many as the reason for us not getting along, because people fear the unfamiliar and think that there is only one acceptable group such as white, heterosexual, “able” people (3). We, as a part of society, are in trouble. We cannot get along as a society… as a whole. People accept some into their group, yet deny others the chance. “You’d think we could treat one another with decency and respect,” and in this sense “get along” (5). Something prevents everyone from getting along though…difference, power, and privilege. An example of this would be the difference between a male and a female. Males are privileged in our society and therefore have more power. Females must suffer from this male privilege and power though. “A female’s misfortune is connected to a male’s good fortune,” (7). Females have to deal with sexism, whereas males do not. Males must recognize sexism and know that it exists even though they may think it does not exist just because they do not have to deal with it. “The trouble we’re in privileges some groups at the expense of others…It sets people against one another,” (7). This means that everyone is involved in this “trouble” or “problem,” and everyone can then be part of the solution. People in the privileged groups cannot leave it up to the others to fix this problem because it is a system of privilege that our society has adapted and defined through history and the effort of those privileged is needed also. It may be quite easy to not think much about privilege when one is part of the dominant group, but people of dominant groups are part of the solution.

Personal Response/Question:
“Someone, after all, has to be on top,” (3). Is this what our society is based on? Greed, wealth, and power are three of the most popular nouns describing what most people wish for and strive for. Our society is too selfish and we need to start being unselfish. We do not need someone on top. We could do fine with everyone being on the same level. The only problem is that we have had someone on top for so long that we do not know how to successfully lower them and heighten the bottom people to reach an equilibrium.
I agree with Johnson when he says that we cannot all just get along. I think that the people that are most privileged and have most of the power and wealth will not be willing to reach any sort of compromise to “level the playing field.” If you are on top why would you want anything to change? As Johnson mentioned, our future starts now and generations to come will learn to adapt our system of privilege and if anything make it worse if we do not take action to change it. Everyone is part of the problem and solution, so act now to change the future.