Leadership and the Humanities Podcast
Episode 5: Revolution and Class
I’ve spent a lot of time—thus far—on this podcast talking about race and oppression. But oppression can be—and very often has been—inflicted on people for reasons other than race…
Visit Blackboard/Podcasts to listen.
Download here for 10.30 class.
Download here for 12.00 class.
The following works were used in this podcast:
National Association of Independent Schools. “Kimberlé Crenshaw: What Is Intersectionality? – YouTube.” YouTube, June 22, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc.
Smith, Cassander L. “‘Candy No Witch in Her Country’: What One Enslaved Woman’s Testimony During the Salem Witch Trials Can Tell Us About Early American Literature.” In Early Modern Black Diaspora Studies: A Critical Anthology, edited by Cassander L. Smith, Nicholas R. Jones, and Miles P. Grier, 1st ed. 2018 edition., 107–34. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
In this week’s podcast, Dr. Bezio goes into detail about the idea of class in the history of the United States. Throughout history, class has been a prominent factor of society that determines how an individual is able to live their daily lives. Individuals who are wealthier than others are looked at differently than those that are less wealthy. The same can be said regarding race, gender and religion. Why has social status continued to be such a deciding factor when it comes to identifying one another? Will there ever be a point where other factors become more important other than class, race, gender & religion?
This podcast discussed the history of some sections of identification and what it was like in the past to be apart of them. Obviously, the white male had the upper hand for most of history, but this leads me to wonder: will every be a new (almost universally known) power group or is there no way to really change that?
History has told us that there has always been a superior group and an inferior group. Do you think it is possible that at some point in the future, there will be a society free of oppression of any kind? Or is it always going to be inevitable?
What i took from this podcast is that there are many facotrs that contribute to the suffrage and opression of a peoples, not just one factor like race, gender, or class. I am curious to see what happens to the histroy books in 200 years as america is projected to be a majority minority country. What will be the tale of opression in the country when a white male is no longer the normal.
What stuck out to me most in this podcast was how different parts of one’s social status intersect and effect people’s daily lives. Professor Bezio gives multiple examples, but one was that a wealthy, black trans woman is safer in the grand scheme of things that a poor, working class, gay, white man. My question then, is it really possible to have a world where there are no stereotypes and there is true equity? If so, how long will this take, and what needs to be done?
During this podcast as you were explaining intersectionality you mentioned the oppression Olympics, I have never really heard this phrase before and was wondering if you could clarify what it means today and the effect it has on society.
This podcast proved to me just how much someone’s social status can effect their lives as a whole. Class meant a lot in colonial America, and quite frankly it still does today. People still are rooted in biases and stereotypes that they just cannot seem to shake. What would the world look like if nobody had any skewed misconceptions about anybody else? Would everyone feel happier? Safer?
This podcast touched a lot on the concept of “intersectionality”, how the interconnected categorizations such as race, class, and gender combine to create discrimination and privilege. I remember hearing about this concept earlier this year as well during one of my OA group meetings, but other than that I have never heard this term before. Is this a new term or have I just been unaware it existed and played such a critical role in people’s lives?
Considering the grievances of indentured servants in colonial America, how did classism in this time period differ from European feudalism, if at all?
What stuck out to me the most in this podcast was the discussion of the “American Dream.” Was there really the idea of the “American Dream” when indentured servants would come to America? Did they know what they were getting themselves into? In Colonial America, did any non-Europeans come to America for the opportunity and a new life? Did any African Americans come to America and own a plantation?
You mentioned intersectionality in the business world and discussed the varying expectations of leaders depending on their race and gender. Is there any evidence that these expectations vary depending on the gender and race of the leader’s subordinates? For example, would a predominantly female company expect their African-American female boss to possess characteristics other than “strong and angry?” Also, does age play a role in these expectations?
This was a great break, but not so much break, from all of what we’ve been talking about. I loved the beginning of the podcast where
*Sorry my comment posted only the first two sentences so I’m here commenting again*
:///
This was a great break, but not so much break, from all of what we’ve been talking about. I loved the beginning of the podcast where we explore this idea that oppression isn’t an addition problem. That being oppressed as a Black trans woman is different than being oppressed as a Black cis man, not necessarily always worse, although it can most definitely be, but when a lot of identities combine, it is different. This made me think of my own family. The struggles I face as a Latina woman, and what is expected from me is completely different than that of my brothers struggles and expectations. This idea of how different things overlap is already so complex and then when you add socioeconomic standing to it, it makes it even more complicated and hard to map. I also found it interesting how being “angry” is a stereotype that people have about Black woman, and it is often perceived as negative, but in the work force that is what is expected of Black women. How does that even make sense? Do people realize how hypocritical they are being?
Throughout history, there have always been power struggles. Dr. Bezio brought up how oppression is put on one another due to one or many of the following factors: gender, religion, wealth, race, class, and sexuality. Throughout history and even in recent years, it is clear that these topics of oppression are still very prominent to day whether it is within the United States or abroad. My question is, do you think there will ever be a time in which people don’t oppress one another? Do you think that if this time were to ever come, there would still be a power struggle between people?
As I listened to Dr. Bezio’s podcast, I started to draw comparisons of the colonies’ (and even modern America’s) apparent caste system to the similar systems applied during the medival ages in Europe. How come our education system only focuses on the caste system when it is implemented by a group of people other than ourselves?
Episode 5 continues on our historical path to the truth. I found this podcast intriguing as it compares the power of class and race and what happens when the two mix. I wanted to ask about an assertive statement made, “race is not as powerful as class in our country”, can you clarify your point? I agree class was more powerful in the past, but I believe today is a different story. I understood your points, but I feel as if there has been a power change for the two to become more equal within the past few years. Are the two even compatible, race and class?? They have evolved on very different terms. A great listen once again, thank you!
Once again, America misrepresents itself. The main motto of the country advertises a diverse country where everyone is equal. Yet in reality, ” all men are created equal” came with many exclusions. Till present day, the country still existed on a platform whose founding principles and actions did not align. Every differentiating factor has been used as a form of oppression, and as these elements intersect, more forms of oppression were created. Thus, when we look at the struggles of a certain group, we must look through an intersectional lens to specifically see the conditions they have had to endure and the expectations they have to conform to. Specifically in the workplace, everyone but white men were critisized for conforming but also not conforming to standards of success, When looking at a situation, we have to look through the individual point of view, but also not create different standards for each group. How do we balence these two things? Is there a way to hold an equal set of standards and judgement for a diverse group of people who come from diverse enviroments?
Given the discussion on intersectionality in this episode, I’d like to ask about literature you recommend within the issue. The example that first comes to mind for me is “Their Eyes were Watching God”, I feel as though that book captures the intersectionality of lower-class Black women and the American experience. Are there more modern examples of literature that you recommend? Or is intersectionality to be found in all literature?
One interesting pattern I have learned from these podcasts is how much the wealthy are able to manipulate not just history but people. Those who would benefit from moving away from English rule used the resentment of those with less money and manifested their anger towards England, therefore manipulating revolt into taking place for more economic gain. This in turn perpetuated a cycle of wealth which we can still see evidence of today. What would America look like now if there were measures to prevent class disparity in the new world (meaning if your arrival to America wasn’t dependent on your wealth)? Or is the foundation of America too dependent on the separation of the wealthy and poor to imagine a history like that?
According to Dr. Bezio, several systems of oppression have bled into our modern-day society: class, race, occupation, religion, and gender. While all these systems of oppression have kept certain groups in power over the centuries, we, as an American society, are discovering that intersectionality could be the key to dismantling these systems of oppression. At its core, intersectionality motivates each and every one of us to actively listen to each other’s lived experiences in hopes that we can understand ways of life that are different from our own. Intersectionality also prompts us to be trailblazers as we create and execute change in the spaces of our world that only prefer to hear and value the lived experiences of rich, white men than the lived experiences of other non-dominant groups in society. In response, Zinn (1980) provides numerous examples in history where the elite in society became so obsessive about sustaining their dominance, wealth, and property over the minorities that they laid the foundation of a major war to occur at no cost to them, per se. And with that, here is my question: How far would the elite in American society go to ensure that their dominance, wealth, and property could and would not be overthrown by the middle to lower class? By black people? By indigenous people? By women? By LGBTQ+ people? How far would the elite in American society go to ensure that their dominance, wealth, and property could and would not be overthrown by all of these groups combined?
In the podcast, Dr. Bezio discusses the importance and relevance of intersectionality when discussing race, gender, class, religion, etc. and the way each one of these social factors intersects with another to create a wholly unique identity and lived experience. I found the discussion of this topic very interesting, especially given the recent Black Lives Matter and subsequent social rights movements we have been witnessing over the last few months. In my personal search for information and attempts at activism and standing with these oppressed communities, intersectionality is a term that comes up often and has played a big role in these movements. Specifically, a big intersection that was discussed thoroughly this summer, specifically during Pride Month in June, was that of being a Black trans woman. In terms of the differences in lived experiences, there was a rise of Black trans women being murdered and light being brought to these tragic incidences through the social justice movements, and it was able to put the concept of intersectionality into a real-life context. Not only do Americans today face potential discrimination for being Black, or for being trans, or for being a woman, the specific intersection of these identities creates an experiences that is dangerous and, in some cases, leads to murder. I think it is important to continue discussing and bringing awareness to the concept of intersectionality, especially in the context of the movements we have been seeing over the past months, and I think continuing to learn about intersectionality will help us to understand and develop the ability to see perspectives and experiences of people we have not been able to before.
This podcast touched on the class struggles of colonial America and the impact it had on the revolution. One question I have after listening is how were the wealthy colonists able to divert the anger of the lower class colonists onto the British ruling class and away from themselves? They were the cause of many of the problems that the lower class faced. However, they had power and wealth and could sway the masses to fight a war for them. So, how can we say that the colonial elite were wrong for using the masses to fight their war when it lead to the creation of a powerful country like the US?
My biggest takeaway from Podcast Episode 5 pertained to Dr. Bezio’s analysis of the statement “All Men Are Created Equal” in the Constitution. After listening to this podcast, it is clear that this statement is highly hypocritical and radical as people within the lower class of the American colonies were controlled by rich, white males. For example, as Dr. Bezio mentioned, black people could not own any land and did not have the right to vote. My question is why did the Founding Fathers of our country coin the statement “All Men Are Created Equal” in the Consititution, but still allow for the oppression of black people and indentured servants? Furthermore, why did the Founding Fathers leave “women” out of the statement “All Men Are Created Equal?”
This podcast was valuable for several reasons. One of which is the idea and misconception of where oppression can come from. What I learned through this podcast is the idea that class in and of itself brings power. Dr. Bezio paints a picture that describes the idea that money offers anyone, whether they are white, black, gay, or straight the opportunity at safety. On the surface, that seems like an obvious statement. When thinking about the fact that historically the only people able to afford this safety and ultimately luxury that is class and wealth, were white people. This helps bridge the gap of why we are in the social and economic climate that we are here in America today.