Diversity Awareness: Helpful or Hurtful?

What I'm about to tell you is very important. Are you ready?

Don't think about elephants.

So what did you think about? My guess is that you thought about elephants. And you are probably still thinking about them :) We will think about them again later. Don't forget.

So when reflecting on this idea of racial diversity and awareness, I would venture that we would all agree on the principle and intentions behind it. The idea is to create a society that lacks racial bias; a society that removes racial stigma. I think we also all support and agree with the value of this motivation. Is it possible that in our efforts to remove racial stigmas that we have gone too far? Are we looking beyond the mark?

Here's the issue: racial bias and stigma is created by racial boundaries - the separation of races and exclusive social circles based around racial premises. So how do we break down these barriers? I would suggest that by making ourselves more aware of them and drawing attention to them in excess, we have perpetuated the problem rather than subdued it. If I tell you not to think about an elephant, what do you think of? If I tell you not to think about races, what will you think of? Do you see the parallel? I am not suggesting that principles of self-reflection on ourselves or our society is bad, but there is a gentle balance that must be maintained in order to continue forward progression and improvement. I do suggest, however, that in an effort to create a society more accepting and tolerant of different cultures and races, we have perpetuated differentiation and therefore passive hostility between races.

Another thought (stay with me :) ). A current professor of mine specializes in adolescent development  - particularly in research relating to identity formation in general including racial identity formation in particular. The idea of supporting youth in creating their identity based on racial premises seems counterproductive to this society free from racial bias we are trying to promote. It also seems to be less than productive for the adolescent as well. Without some guidance on how to process the culture they are (by society's push towards racial pride) to endorse, they have little personal choice as to the kind of culture they want to adopt in their own lives. Let me explain what I mean. If you support black pride in a youth who is black, they are expected to accept (by default) every part of that culture and defend it in their own lives. Problem: there is a part of every culture - black, white, red, brown, yellow, blue, purple, whatever! - that could not and should not be perpetuated. But without giving them the tools of knowledge, they are left on their own. We know through ridiculous amounts of research the results of poor family life, poor education, poor monetary situations, but in the name of being politically correct, we impose racial pride on them without helping them realize they can choose to be who they want to be. Help them find their own identity? We are dictating their identity!

There are beautiful things about each culture too. Can we not try to take the best from each? Must we be victims of the hand we are dealt? I would suggest that we are not. We can become what and who we want to become - regardless of what we look like or where we come from. Can't we switch our focus more towards the future rather than fixating ourselves on the past?

Just a thought.

Adolescent Development

Can I tell you how excited I am for the coming school year?? I'M SO EXCITED! I am excited to learn theories and ideas from great minds. I'm really excited to shoot them down! Mua ha ha! Just kidding. But really, I am excited for all the great things I will learn and most likely share in this venue.

In my coming Adolescent Learning and Development class we have a graduate version of the good ole book report project to do. As I was reading through the list of possible books and their summaries, I realized a major principle of adolescent development. This principle is soooo obvious to the rest of the world: adolescence is the time of developing identity. DUH! Right? From an educational psychologist perspective, that's rocket science. But the real fun comes into play when thinking about what true identity is and what influences our identity. One major component in my opinion in gender. Another resounding DUH, right? But I must point out that the world we live in (at least part of it) is trying to move toward a world without gender (They obviously didn't do their Biology homework). News flash - gender is part of our identity. To take away gender or to dilute, convolute, or pollute the associated development wreaks havoc on adolescence. English translation: adolescent development + messed up ideas on gender = BAD IDEA. Messed up growing plant = messed up grown plant. Ta da! Scary rocket science.

So here's the bottom line. Identity is what it's going to be about this semester in this class. Identity is what it's all about in adolescence, and those who can teach and inspire youth (and adults for that matter) to find true individual identity -- not in conjunction or retaliation to trends or fads of society -- have a gift to share.