I think, as with many questions in this area, it is at once a simple and complicated answer. The more I think about the differences between all of us, and, more specifically, the difference between myself and my students, I am faced increasingly with the realization of the ways in which we are so similar. I don’t think that we can minimize the experiences of marginalized peoples and cultures, but I also feel that it can be dangerous to focus so much on these differences rather than the overwhelming similarities we have as humans.

I appreciated the reading for today, and I was challenged with the perspective of multicultural teaching having a flattening effect. I totally understand and see where this is coming from. Without a doubt, I as a white, straight male have an experience vastly different from people of color and people with varying sexual/gender identities. I am always interested in trying to gather other perspectives so that I can more fully understand the others around me. In regards to the students specifically, I also have been hit hard with the realization of the differences of our motivations towards our education. Within the English 101 classroom setting, it is jarring to come face to face with so many students who are ticking off a box on their transcripts. There are such a low number of people who are actually interested in writing or literature, that I have been feeling this, sometimes, demoralizing effect around our inherent educational goal differences.

I think that these differences are at once valuable and damaging. Without the respect and interest in varied perspectives, our art, literature, and research would become more one-dimensional. However, I feel as though there is this ever present figure of fragmentation between us. I am not even sure if I can adequately put this concern into the proper wording yet. I feel like there is, in some sense, the impossibility of understanding and acceptance when there is the ever more prevalent and detailed attention payed to all of the varied subsets of people and orientations. We need to move forward, of course, with open-minds, kindness, and respect for one another, but I wonder if there is really a more unified and progressive end in sight without a return to the elements that make us all, for better or for use, similar parts of humanity.