Today in class we observed and explored the theory of standpoint. In the beginning of class we all sat in a circle as one and talked about what this chapter all meant to us individually. I mentioned that this chapter was not what I thought it was going to be, and the fact that it was much different than the true definition or explanation. In class we decided to have our activity outside in the beautiful and wonderful summer weather. The task of the activity was to listen to the statement and if you agreed with the statement you were to step forward and if you disagreed you were to step backwards.
There were many statements made based upon your ethnicity, religion, skin color etc. As the game went on I found trent that the negatives were usually when one stepped back and the positives for the ones that were more forwards. To me, when I noticed this trend the thought came to me as though when stepping forwards you are making a positive change in the world or maybe possibly just within your day. When stepping backwards I believe though you stepped back and you are reflecting on that thought, I believe that was a time of also letting go all of the bad memories of that statement.
After the activity, we sat down in the damp, cold yet green grass and talked about our reactions to this activity. Most of us said that we were more grateful because this exercise opened our eyes to what we actually have in our lives and how lucky we are to have those things. I said that I was open minded, because through out that activity I was not only thinking of myself and my life, but I was noticing around me my classmates whether they were stepping forwards or backwards, and thinking about their lives and how they may be affected by the statement that was made.
In the end, I really enjoyed this activity, I have always enjoyed these kinds of activities because they help one another get to know each other and see how one's life may be drastically different. Learning this theory through this activity really brought the chapter more alive and definitely changed my idea of the chapter and I now understand the chapter clearer.
Bridget, I agree with you that this exercise is interesting because it allows us to reflect on things that have happened throughout our lives. I've done this exercise multiples times but with sometimes different statements and always ended up around the same spot. However, I'd have to disagree with your opinion that this activity is enjoyable. Personally, I have never found this activity to be anything but interesting because I feel like sometimes, people feel down about themselves when they find themselves taking more steps back than forward. I sometimes feel bad because I've been very fortunate to have strong support from family and friends my entire life when there are other people who haven't been so fortunate. I think that its a lot harder to think about negative things than positive things that we've gone through, especially when doing an activity like this. I understand the lesson and the point of the activity and sometimes it is necessary to fully grasp different concepts. I don't want to sound like I'm bashing anyone who uses this activity because it has actually helped me understand the standpoint theory better and it sounds like it helped you too!
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