Politics and Power

Because this blog responds to others from the class (probably not the best use of this tool, but I kind of like it), I want to begin with a few general comments about recent work. Generally, I want to say that I continie to be impressed by your weekly efforts; however, this is also a chance for me to admonish that some of you have to push yourselves harder. I'll be sending out emails to some individuals reminding them that failure to post will lower their grades; others will receive an email encouraging them to add more substance to posts--they're getting thin on both details and insights. Finally, I'll add here that late posts by some mean that others can't reply on time--it's not fair to make them check blogs repeatedly to see if a post is ready.

Now, you've probably noticed that I have been trying to organize my responses to postings by calling attention both to patterns across all the comments as well as individual insights. I've tried to spread my references around, because so many of you make excellent points. Please understand that, if I don't refer specifically to your blog, it doesn't mean that I have not appreciated your comments.

Let me begin with the patterns I saw. There aren't many of you who like politics, and this election season isn't helping your dispositions any. I admit that I share your frustration, though I probably enjoy all this election stuff more than most (though I also get angrier than most at certain candidates and the coverage provided by speicfic networks--but that's another story). The political process and all of the rhetoric associated with it matters so much, I think, because, like it or not, democracy is based on words. The US is an outstanding example of that fact: our nation is founded on texts; we have no other basis for authority (though many other bases get trotted out every four years). So I think it not only matters what is said during an election season but how it is said. When Jefferson writes "We hold these truths" he is using a metaphor (we don't literally "hold" truths). Who would have preferred him to have written "We think these truths?"

In addition to using your blogs to share your feelings about national politics, you also noted that the term "politics" is much bigger than what happens in Washington. It can provide "structure," as Camila and Jill wrote; it implies a hierarchy, as Jenn noted (while describing a pecking order that leads me to think she goes home at night and kicks her cat); it is both positive an negative, as Ryan said (it builds buildings but also causes us to "lose ourselves"); it's frequently a topic of conversation as off-limits as "religion" (Caitlin) or "weight" (as Jime noted).

Within all of these other descriptions, many of you stressed the very point I was hoping you would: politics is about power. It is closely related to a term like "influence," as Abby said. And I would agree with Brita that it is all over Invisible Man. I think it comes out most forcefully in that book in the descriptions of relationships that the narrator has. At times, such as the description of the union meeting, it is an obvious force; at other points it is less obvious. Is power (and politics) a part of love? Is it wired into all of our conversations about a topic like race or, even more frightfully, is it present whenever we even look at (or are perceived by) someone of another race?

Many of you struggled to describe the role of politics or power at your service site, and I can understand why. Kate F. spoke about it, as did Russ, who noted a really interesting exchange at St. Pat's about the national election. In Russ's description, I was struck by how easy it is for people (myself included) to fixate on one individual as a symbol of the kind of power I either do or don't like.

Once again, my hat is off to all of you for staying with this weekly project. It won't last until the end of the semester; we'll break to we can push toward the final project. Please watch for a few emails from me; I have some information about the Saturday project and I have some ideas about how we can assign roles for this final project and maybe get it finished on time (such is my power over you). Take care. jw