Sitting Pretty - Chapter 3, 4, and 5
Discussion Questions:
1. Taussig asserts that "inclusion isn't better just because it's kinder." Just words? Or, what do we do to make it happen in our local communities?
2. We can talk about different kinds of independence: professional, financial, mental, emotional, and physical, which, as shown by Rebekah Taussig, has a certain price to pay. What price do you need to pay to become independent in the country where you live?
For Question 1. What pops into my head are big business "Including. " People from various groups so companies wouldn't get canceled, and I feel that they are just wanting to make more money at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteFor me to becoming independent I would have to spend my time working on myself so I can build myself to then focus on my goals.
1.The statement by Taussig suggests that mere inclusion is not automatically better simply because it is a kinder or more compassionate approach. It implies that there's more to creating an inclusive environment than just using inclusive language or making symbolic gestures. True inclusion involves active efforts to address systemic issues, promote diversity, and ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, feels valued and has equal opportunities .
Delete2 The issue of independence in Ukraine has always been relevant.If we talk about physical independence ,people give their lives to protect their country.If we talk about financial ,you have to pay taxes ,just like in any other country.
Deviating from the questions, but I wanted to state that chapter 3 was so far my favorite! I was so annoyed at Adam who for me was the embodiment of my frustration when I'm met with people who have seemingly no empathy towards others, and Claire has all my love, sign me up for a child that maybe isn't a perfect student but is willing to try and understand. And how the change of style for the class was met with much better participation and made me regain a bit of faith I lost at the beggining of the chapter? It made me very emotional.
ReplyDeleteOK now about inclusivity - I think inclusivity looses it's point when it's done just for the purpose of "making it inclusive so people can't have a problem with our company/product". But what we see on a daily basis shapes our understanding of the world and if we don't see different types of bodies well, they don't exist and that's hurtful.
Independence in Poland, well.A lot depends on what family you're from I think. Traditionally we could say we are very family oriented, meaning help comes from within family but also family can be a constriction some seek independence from. However in about two or three of the last generations (starting after second war) this model changed for many.
Regarding question 1, being inclusive doesn’t mean anything just because it’s “thoughtful” but it does seem off in the way that they don’t want to seem as if they don’t support those who are different because they’re afraid of being judged or receiving backlash therefore causing them to lose business or close relationships.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: being independent as a woman isn't always easy. There is the social encouragement for women to have a family and kids. This often means staying at home and becoming a housewife. Many women try to combine full-time job and house chores but there are also those who don't want to have kids at all. I believe that putting a stigma on those women is wrong as it should be a personal choice, nevertheless it is often a case in Poland.
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Taussing- it is not just nice, it is human, it is basic. It allows all people to participate in daily activities and what is more, it gives all people access to basic human needs e.g. restrooms, shops etc. Inclusion should not be a part of kindness, it should be a prerequisite to be considered kind. What is more, companies advertising themselves as "accessible" just for the purpose of not receivng backlash is very shallow and not sustainable. If something is not done with passion and goal in mind- it will be done is a sklack way and usually- with company's wellbeing in mind instead of people who are supposed to be included. And that's not kindness.
ReplyDelete2. Firstly, the price of courage and social judgement if you want to express yourself fully, be independent. This desire can also come at the cost of health as it causes a lot of stress, cost of relationships as people can be judgemental. This can also be a financial strain as people lose support from their close ones. Finally, there's the cost of time as independence requires more and more money (e.g. living by yourself so living expenses etc.)
1. Inclusion isn't better just because it's kinder. Inclusion is better because it educates us on things, situations, lifestyles and experiences of the people around us. Being inclusive doesn't end on just the intention. It has to be visible with our actions, words and everyday lifestyle. If we want to be truly inclusive in our everyday life we need to certainly acknowledge that there are many differences between every individual, able bodied or disabled. So, how do we make our local communities more inclusive for everyone? It all starts from education, not only at schools but in our houses, churches, organizations and so on. Inclusivity can take a form of words but it should also be visible. Local communities should make their best effort to create accomodations that would be helpful for people with disabilities as well as create comforting spaces for those, who are in need of them. Inclusion isn't better just because it's kinder. it's better because it makes all of our lives easier.
ReplyDelete1. I don’t think it’s just about being kinder. Inclusion creates more opportunities for people, in every sense of that word. It helps in shaping our worldviews, developing empathy and compassion. It’s very disappointing, that not everyone understands that. Regarding companies that treat inclusivity as a mean of attracting new customers – as sad and disgusting as it is, are we really surprised it happens? Some of them are getting called out about such shallow approach to those real-life problems, so at least there’s that.
ReplyDelete2. I guess it depends on person and their personal circumstances. We can look at that topic from many different perspectives and consider different factors. For example, in communities where family is the most important value, people who think differently or do not consider creating their own family as their ultimate goal in life might be ostracized or not taken seriously. Same things happen regarding any other personal choice or expression.
1. Answering the first question, I don’t think that inclusion should be considered as something "kinder." It should be regarded as entirely normal and not treated as an act of heroism. Inclusion represents equality for everyone, regardless of their background or differences. Most importantly, we should educate ourselves about how crucial inclusion is and its positive impact on society as a whole. We should all try to become more welcoming and open, creating an environment where everyone feels included, equal, and valued.
ReplyDelete2. You can become independent in Poland at the cost of your mental health, as achieving independence can be stressful, especially at the beginning of the process. It also demands a significant amount of time, as you need to work to attain independence. While some people can rely on their families and receive much support from them, this is not the case for everyone.
1. Inclusion goes beyond kindness. It should be a pre-requirement for modern society. Maybe my perception of the word 'kind' is warped, but in my mind, it implies something extra. Being inclusive should be a habit as unnoticeable as greeting colleagues when one arrives at the university or work. A good starting point could be better education. I am fond of experiential learning thus I would suggest including additional projects in the school curriculum. It can include voluntary work at retirement homes or assisted living residences so that students can interact, learn and internalize information and values that may help guide them to be more open-minded. Currently, many schools in Poland may award students who take part in volunteering extra credit, which might be counterproductive to the aforementioned process or learning.
ReplyDelete2. With the rising costs of living, the lowering of work standards, and unstable political and economic situations, one has to sacrifice a lot to become independent in any way. Accessible minimum wage jobs bar most people who cannot acquire a more demanding job from moving out of their parent's house by renting a flat. Many young people who live seperately from their folks still rely, even if only partially, on financial help from their families. If you sacrifice your evenings and give up some weekends, you may have the possibility to become independent. The stress of making a living can influence one's psychological state that is already bombarded by terrible news and bleak reality. That can lead to a slippery slope - becoming reliant on one's partner or family regarding emotional regulation, feeling disempowered and annoyed by one's own behaviour, then searching for comfort outside oneself. In this regard, emotional independence may require time (meditating, journaling, resting) (and) or money (help from a psychologist or psychotherapist).
Sara Cybulska (PANS NYSA)
Delete1. I agree that inclusion should be a fundamental aspect of modern society, extending beyond mere kindness. Education plays a crucial role, and incorporating experiential learning projects in schools, like volunteering in retirement homes, can foster open-mindedness from an early age. In Poland, the emphasis on such educational initiatives could contribute significantly to a more inclusive mindset.
2. Achieving various forms of independence comes at a cost, especially in the face of economic challenges. Access to minimum wage jobs may limit financial independence, leading many young people in Poland to rely partially on family support. Balancing work demands with the need for personal time is crucial for emotional independence, and in the context of Polish culture, support for mental well-being, including access to psychologists or psychotherapists, is essential for navigating these challenges.
For question one "inclusion isn't better just because it's kinder"
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tausig 100%.
We should not think of inclusion as being kind, being extra. We should think of it as basic decency, as something not surprising but normal, usual thing. And that's because in most of the cases inclusion doesn't make disabled people "feel good", it makes them being able to experience life like we do, which shouldn't even be debatable.
For question 2
I think I am pretty entitled if its comes to independence, I think that with situation in my country it is really hard to be independent. Although I work, try to save up from selling my artwork and study at the same time, I could never imagine myself buying or even renting a place to stay. I'm still dependent on my family and so far it doesn't bother me very much but I often think about future and it scares me.
Answering the first question, I believe that inclusion should not be perceived merely as an act of kindness. Instead it should be seen as a standard and regular practice. Fist of all we should understand that there are a lot of differences between every individual and raise awareness of this problem.
ReplyDeleteTalking about the independence, which has always been the most important question in my country, the citizens of Ukraine are ready to pay the highest price for it - their own lives. People can not live without freedom because such life feels like being a bird in a cage. We must always pay for independence. It may be our time, physical and mental health or even our life.
Hi, this is Monika Śmiechowska from Poland. It is very hard to be independent in our country. On every level not only financially. Housing and prices in shops are very high in relation to earnings. It is also difficult to find a job. I myself had a huge problem with this, despite many courses and qualifications. A lot of adults are still living with their parents or renting a room because they don't have enough money. It's also very often the case that young people don't know what they need to do at the authorities, what taxes they need to pay, because they don't have this kind of knowledge at school.
ReplyDelete1 Answering the first question, I think that it is not that inclusion is nicer or should be nicer. I think it is normal human behaviour and it has a positive impact on society. We should accept and open up to people. Unfortunately, some people have completely different views and this can mean that they are not accepted by everyone. 2 I think it depends on the person. But, for me to become independent in Poland, you need a strong psyche because the process can be stressful at first. You also need time, patience and diligence.
ReplyDeleteHello, Dominik Benesz here again! I believe that Taussig is totally right when it comes to the statement that inclusion isn't better just because it isn't kinder. Personally, I think that it should be considered as something normal, nothing extraordinary. It shouldn't be treated as some kind of righteous thing to do. Incorporating inclusivity into our lives should be a natural process. We all ought to acknowledge that each person is different and treat them equally. Incorporating such people as an act of kindness would be, in reality, quite horrible, because it would be portrayed by other people kinda as an act of mercy. What we should, in fact, do is to simply accept everyone as they are and not make some kind of 'excuses' just to look better in other's eyes because we associate ourselves with different people.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to a price of independence, there are various types of price we must pay. For instance, when young adults move out of their parents' homes, they first-handly experience the hardships and difficulties of living on their own - paying bills, cleaning, doing everything alone with no support. This can be very exhausting, mentally and physically. To become independent, one must take a lot of risks to achieve greater goods to secure their lives. Whether it's starting a new business, investing in personal development, or making unconventional choices, sometimes we must take them to make progress. Calculated risks are sometimes necessary to break free from dependence. Moreover, building independence often involves networking and establishing new connections as well as relationships. This requires time and effort to cultivate relationships, mentorships, and a supportive professional or social network.
1. I think that inclusion should be something that just happens, it doesn’t mean a person is “kinder” just because they include someone in something. Being kind means that we treat people well, it’s nice to make a person feel included, of course, but being kind is so much more than that.
ReplyDelete2. I personally think that being independent can be extremely stressful. From the cost of living to trying to stay healthy, physically and mentally, it’s hard. Living by yourself and trying to keep up with everything is not easy at all.
1. I agree with Taussin, for integration to work a lot of things need to happen. It has to work both ways. Being nice is human thing we do this but really integration works only if both sides try.
ReplyDelete2. For me the biggest problem I have with independence is the financial one. By just working you have some part of it, but with this there comes more stuff you need to worry about. You need to be ofage to be at some level self independent. That's how I see it cus thankfully I don't have problems with physical independence. It has to be harsh and tough to function and rely on other people. Especially hard it is when you had this ability but for some unfortunate reason lost it. In Poland for sure mental independence is hard becouse people don't like to talk about it. Financial is hard because of inside problems we have as country
Paulina Stęglowska. Nysa Poland
1. Taussig asserts that "inclusion isn't better just because it's kinder." Just words? Or, what do we do to make it happen in our local communities?
ReplyDeleteI think that what Taussing states is right and it's not just words. The statement says that inclusion is not just something nice we can do for disabled people it's something all the people deserve. The world should be inclusive for all its inhabitants since we all have the right to live a life without unnecessary complications. It's important to know what inclusion is about to make it happen around us. The ways we can make inclusion happen in our local communities are by spreading awareness and educating, realizing the problems disabled people face, and adjusting local spaces to be accessible for them.
2. We can talk about different kinds of independence: professional, financial, mental, emotional, and physical, which, as shown by Rebekah Taussig, has a certain price to pay. What price do you need to pay to become independent in the country where you live?
There are a lot of types of prices we need to pay to gain independence in Poland but I think It's similar in a lot of countries. Starting with the basics we spend a lot of time of our lives focusing on gaining and maintaining for example financial, mental, or even physical independence. We often have to sacrifice our mental health to be independent in other ways.
1. Inclusivity only makes sense when it's relevant in a particular situation. Forcing inclusivity and aiming to "represent" every single group simply for the sake of it is in my opinion pointless. A common example in with movies, where nowadays every character needs a counterpart with a different race, gender, sexuality etc. This leads to situations like a story in a medieval Europe setting being more diverse than citizens of New York. Instead it should be kept believable, perhaps come up with new ideas, new settings, where other groups could be included. Or in workplaces. My idea of inclusivity is not making "quotas" to create an equal split between different groups, and thus hiring people incapable of doing their work. It should be about not rejecting anyone based on who they are and where they come from, which I believe is what we're already doing.
ReplyDelete2. I believe it's next to impossible to become truly independent. Even if you are healthy, successful, stable financially, there is still someone you have to listen to. Most humans are dependent on their jobs, and their employers. Those who run their own businesses, even if successful, still have to, in a way, "kiss up" to their clients and encourage them to spend money, otherwise that business will collapse. Only those who are extremely successful can afford to truly do things their way, without the risk of ruining their lives. And, naturally, regardless of who you are, laws apply to you, but that is for the best. But yes, for the vast majority, there will never be complete independence. We can, however, work to reduce the amount of control others have over us
Achieving independence in Poland costs a lot of stress and effort. You have to meet a few requirements so people could call you independent. One of them is working, earning your own money, and living off it alone. For some people it will be harder, because they don’t have wealthy parents from whom they will be able to inherit the company. Moving out of the family home to your own apartment is also a sign of independence. However, it is very stressful for young people and requires a lot of effort.
ReplyDelete1. I totally agree with Taussig because inclusion should be normal and not a bonus. Everyone should be treated equally and deserves a normal life. Unfortunately, most people still do not understand this, although I think that people's awareness is increasing all the time, which is hope for a better future.
ReplyDelete2. Being independent in Poland often meets criticism. Why? Because you have your opinion, you express it and someone may not like it. A great example is instagram, where stars are more and more often speaking on a topic honestly and very often it is found with hate. If someone has weak nerves, such comments and human judgments can often be harmful to mental health. Another more obvious example is being financially independent, it has its pros and cons, but when it comes to minuses, you need to have a well-paid job to pay for housing, shopping, etc. Every problem is on our mind, we have to deal with what is often difficult.
1. Well, firstly, I don't think we should think of inclusion as "kind." It's simply "normal" - it should be, at least. We're all born into this world together, might as well make it decent enough for everyone to enjoy their life to the fullest. As to how to actually make it happen in local communities. First and foremost, *listen*. It's something, I think, a lot of people sometimes just... forget to do when discussing issues such as this. "Oh, we should do this and this!" while there could be way more important issues which they simply miss, because they do not directly affect them. And, of course, education - something which seems easy enough to do, but can prove very difficult.
ReplyDelete2. First thing that comes to mind when thinking of independence is moving out, getting a job, getting your own place to live. Which is difficult in Poland. Good luck renting an affordable flat with actually decent living conditions. Being independent in that sense is stressful, and the prices of everything ever-increasing.
Mental health is sacrificied when it comes to many types of independence, actually. Even if you simply just want to live as yourself, be true to your values, out and proud, etc. It's not unheard of people losing contact with friends, family just because they want to live however *they* want, not influenced by anyone.
1. Honestly, inclusivity these days alongside diversity I would consider blessing and a curse. Especially in modern media I’ve seen many examples of forcefully inserting people of many kinds, actively damaging IPs. Shows like Batwoman, High Guardian Spice or mentioned in the book The Eternals get praised by “critics” for including diverse characters, just to completely fail and be forgotten in a matter of weeks. As for inclusion in local communities if it’s feasible, I could see schools implementing programs for kids to have more experience with disabilities. Personally, I come from a smaller town which had its own set of problems and projects to realize, I never thought of changing the infrastructure (like adding elevators) for people I could count on one hand, costs outweighing the benefits.
ReplyDelete2. The cost is mostly in time and body. Working on your skills, both social and personal, should be a universal requirement towards acquiring independence of any kind. Unfortunately, these days with prices rising and socializing becoming paradoxically harder for many, it’s becoming more and more common to rely on your family while preparing for independence, of course if you have the luxury to do so. Ultimately it is necessary to strike a good balance between family, career and social life needs to be maintained, many choosing to focus on only two of the three to maintain healthy body and mind, without straining unnecessarily. Finally, there is stress, from my experience despite polish families being rather tightly knit, it is rather normal to teach through trial by fire after reaching maturity, going from high school into being a working student in a flat far away from home can be too much for some and while learning independence they buckle under pressure, falling into depression or developing destructive habits. Our education system can be rather flawed, especially with how much redundant information it provides for time it consumes and tests that are quite outdated.
PS: Adam made me chuckle, mainly his bluntness.
Kacper Zybert (Poland, Nysa)
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Taussig. Inclusion for me is something that should be normal, even not thought about. Many companies use inclusion to attract customers and avoid backlash. That is just disgusting, but unfortunately that's just how it works. Milk something for all it's worth and stop at nothing, the hidden motto of most companies. What we can do is acknowledge each person as equal and different, put ourselves in their shoes.
2. To gain independence of any kind you have to put a lot of work. It's hard to balance the things you love with the things you must do. It comes with a lot of sweat and tears, sleepless nights and sacrifices. With financial independence, inflation is not helping much. Expensive price combined with low income only demotivates to gain independence. With professional, it often comes with exploiting other people to be on top. Mental, emotional and physical you can gain by putting aside work and focus on yourself. All types of independence are connected with each other and one could cancel the other.