Chapter 5:
“But if we put those sentences together to make a story, we are able to understand and recall a great deal more. We might not remember the words verbatim, but we are able to understand something far more valuable: their meaning.”
The best activists are storytellers and can pull at the heartstrings of their audience. People’s opinions mostly stem from their experiences in life. The political views of most Americans come from their families. For example, it's extremely difficult to change the political views of a Republican. Most Republicans are constantly claiming anything outside of their beliefs is propaganda. If I were to be an activist against Republican beliefs, I would make sure my message targets Republicans emotionally. Make videos that are centered around family, being patriotic, and building up our communities.
“Arguing more fiercely for what you believe in is easier than admitting you’re wrong and changing your mind."
I am thankful to be at a point in my life where I can acknowledge my faults. Holding ourselves accountable is essential to personal growth. It is easy for stubborn people to become stagnant. Stagnant people don’t add anything to their environments. People that think out of the box move their communities forward. Personal growth is connected to building up our communities. We can all grow and heal together as a community.
“If we really want to bring about revolutions in thinking and being we need to disrupt the stories people already have and help write new ones.”
People that challenge the way that others think and feel are extremely powerful. We have to challenge each other mentally in order to find solutions. Every healthy connection in life involves compromise. To build a healthy community everyone will have to compromise. When I disagree with someone I try to find a happy middle ground. Combining both of our desires, opinions, or personalities is difficult, but it’s essential to connecting with others.
Chapter 6:
“We therefore need to go a step further and compare the benefits and costs of the old way of doing things, the status quo, those of the new behavior we are proposing.”
It is a sad truth that people always have to benefit in some way from their activism. At least, the people that feel pressured by society to become conscious consumers. There are a small number of people that are truly selfless with their activism. People get comfortable with their routines and ignore the disgusting practices our favorite brands support. As a collective we have the power to change how/where things are made. The power of how we spend our money is constantly ignored.
“The principle is simple: we’re protective of what we have and we’d rather not lose it, even if we stand to gain a great deal more.”
It comes down to what the person values and their level of integrity. Recently, Americans had to make a choice between supporting Palestine or buying Starbucks. I didn’t even have to think about my choice, but that wasn’t the case for everybody. People put popularity over standing against a genocide.
“To prevent this, the message of our campaign must not only capture people’s short-term attention but also tap into their long-term memory.”
The genocide in Gaza will definitely be something I remember for the rest of my life. The videos and images I have seen are raw, happening in real time, and devastating to watch. Sometimes we have to be shown graphic videos/photos because we have to see the truth. The truth will set you free and awaken a new way of viewing the world.
Antonio Johnson's photographs are simple but they capture the beauty of a barbershop. His photography is an example of positive representation. Positive representation is essential to building confidence in children. He documents everyday life with his photography. We are allowed to celebrate our everyday lives and we should do it more often. It is a ritual for some people to get their hair done every two weeks. These rituals help us build bonds and connections to people in our community. Some barbershops and hair salons are safe spaces for people of color. It is activist for a person of color to take pride their hair. Antonio's photographs remind me that we can find beauty in every aspect of life. Even the little things
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