Appreciation of the Diversity
of
Human Experience
Appreciating the diversity of Human nature is an extremely important part of an intellectual’s life. It involves learning how to appreciate all the different types of people and all the qualities that they bring with them. I prefer to call them qualities because they truly are not differences, just variations. The diversity that are and should be appreciated through this goal are those of culture, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. All of these components offer experience, human experience and it is different for all and everyone, so through learning and becoming more aware of such experience we build our own and I would like to think that with each passing generation our own personal experience becomes ripe, rich and aware. The diversity of human experience is one goal which I hold close to my heart.
This goal is one that I believe I have mastered. Through the transformation I undertook in the class and all the knowledge that was given to me concerning every single one of the components of it. The class itself was a perfect example. In there my most powerful weapon in learning was just by being there and observing every little thing in there. It is surprising what you can learn just by listening and by seeing, and many people say exactly the same thing I just said. That is because those people got to the point I am now of stating such a statement. And that is because everyone says similar things at one time or another but you never truly know what they are talking about until it happens to you and even now someone who might read this will say yeah ok, I’ve heard it before but then it will happen to them and they will say, ooh yeah I know exactly what he meant. And obviously some people who might read this already know what I mean.
Listening and truly seeing things for what they are and not letting other things cloud your view was what I did in class. The way I went bout it is by breaking down every comment and every remark, however quiet or loud it was, intentional or accidental, and letting my mind remember how it felt and exactly how it was when I had a similar scenario, if I had had it at all. And constantly putting yourself in others position one way to reach this goal. Then you can truly appreciate diversity. I was lucky that the class was so diverse and in a way I expected it to be since the beginning. I had a feeling it would be since anyone going out for a class named forbidden knowledge must have something really interesting to them and true or else I doubt they would be interested. And I believe that there was a time when it came to the point for those who truly had what it took to be in the class made the decision to keep going or leave their opportunity to open their eyes to the world for some other time. For this goal I have chosen to showcase my research essay on the Zapatistas and my Essay on sexuality. These are two pieces of writing that I am extremely proud of and hope that they are worth my joy.
The research essay is titled Feliz Ano Nuevo, Cabrones, and it is about the Zapatistas and the Zapatista National Liberation Army. This essay itself deals with every single component of the goal itself. It deals directly with cultural perspective, class, race and ability. I do not remember too well if I added in there anything about female Zapatistas and their accomplishments within the culture so I am not to sure if it deals closely with gender or not. I belief it does though, well maybe. My other essay I know deals directly, to its fullest level, with gender and sexuality.
My second essay is titled Sex, Gender, Natural?. It is my most favorite piece because I believe it is my final stage in becoming completely comfortable on with all the branches attached to sexuality and gender. I say this because up until my junior year in high school I was a bit homophobic. And then as I gathered experience and backlash from people on the subject I became educated on the subject and I began my state change. And when I was able to write that essay I saw in the words I was writing why I was no longer homophobic and why it was not my place to judge anyone or anything in this world, and why what I believe now is correct as I see it.
Zapatistas Essay Sexuality Essay