Powow 1
– La lucha con la culpa y el privilegio en decisiones de la vida (the struggle with guilt and privilege in life decisions)
7pm casa de John. My arrival, followed by that of Mneesha, and lastly Perth, all marked by our gasps and awe of the beauty of Juan’s 11th story Rotarian-architected apartment, kissed with a gardened balcony. Perhaps in hindsight a foreshadowing to our inaugural conversation once the four of us sat down to an immaculately set table.
To live or not to live…in Recoleta. Our conversation twisted and turned around the philosophical bases of our decisions of where to call home during our stay here in Buenos Aires. No small question. On one hand, the repulsion from neighborhoods such as Recoleta and Palermo for their wealth and all this represents. For one, a distance from the poor neighborhoods; an “out of sight, out of mind” phenomenon that we hope never to fall into. The resistance to be associated as “one of them,” o sea, another privileged person living in Recoleta. Though we are indeed privileged. At what point can we or should we distance ourselves from this privilege by virtue of living in lower-income neighborhoods? Distancing would mean letting go of several things to which we’ve become accustomed: proximity to parks, yoga studios, health food stores, and “safety.”
Perhaps the “hottest” concept in this 21st century: are you safe? Protect yourself from the terrorists out there and make sure you’re protected and secure. But who are these apparent “bad guys” and why do they harbor the anger they do? Aren’t we, after all, so inextricably connected so that one person’s violent act is a reflection of us all? Is our desire to be “safe,” and therefore apart, exacerbating the problem?
And there we were, four individuals who had come together with a similar awareness of the problems at hand, knowing that true change begins with each one of us. What is required of us, as peacemakers, with respect to this choice of location? How much of our personal desires do we let go of? Where do the sacrifices begin and end? The privilege we recognize and the feeling of guilt that privilege evokes, we agree, is not entirely productive, but clearly links us and is our common bond that has led us here. No matter where we live, we will remember. The dilemma lies in that we are tired of the words and longing for action. How do we, who are so few, encourage a change that involves many?
7pm casa de John. My arrival, followed by that of Mneesha, and lastly Perth, all marked by our gasps and awe of the beauty of Juan’s 11th story Rotarian-architected apartment, kissed with a gardened balcony. Perhaps in hindsight a foreshadowing to our inaugural conversation once the four of us sat down to an immaculately set table.
To live or not to live…in Recoleta. Our conversation twisted and turned around the philosophical bases of our decisions of where to call home during our stay here in Buenos Aires. No small question. On one hand, the repulsion from neighborhoods such as Recoleta and Palermo for their wealth and all this represents. For one, a distance from the poor neighborhoods; an “out of sight, out of mind” phenomenon that we hope never to fall into. The resistance to be associated as “one of them,” o sea, another privileged person living in Recoleta. Though we are indeed privileged. At what point can we or should we distance ourselves from this privilege by virtue of living in lower-income neighborhoods? Distancing would mean letting go of several things to which we’ve become accustomed: proximity to parks, yoga studios, health food stores, and “safety.”
Perhaps the “hottest” concept in this 21st century: are you safe? Protect yourself from the terrorists out there and make sure you’re protected and secure. But who are these apparent “bad guys” and why do they harbor the anger they do? Aren’t we, after all, so inextricably connected so that one person’s violent act is a reflection of us all? Is our desire to be “safe,” and therefore apart, exacerbating the problem?
And there we were, four individuals who had come together with a similar awareness of the problems at hand, knowing that true change begins with each one of us. What is required of us, as peacemakers, with respect to this choice of location? How much of our personal desires do we let go of? Where do the sacrifices begin and end? The privilege we recognize and the feeling of guilt that privilege evokes, we agree, is not entirely productive, but clearly links us and is our common bond that has led us here. No matter where we live, we will remember. The dilemma lies in that we are tired of the words and longing for action. How do we, who are so few, encourage a change that involves many?
posted by Amanda Joy at 11:21 AM
2 Comments:
hello Amanda, my name is Emily, our mutual frind Ginny Ackiewicz sent me to your blog, after reading a similar post on my blog regarding Lima, Peru. If and when you find the answers, could you pass them on? Until then, be the cange you want to see.
hola angela... reminds me of my house-hunting days in detroit. scott and i were lucky to be able to find a (adequately) safe secure place to live that was still within the geographic confines of reality. perhaps you will be as fortunate. the way i see it, even idealism won't help you do good work if you're dead. but you'll likely not get close enough to the problem/solution if you don't take risks. my $0.02
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