People since the beginning of time have been exposed to racial, gender and class discrimination and segregation. It started in ancient civilizations with long fought battles between different tribes, such as the Romans and Etruscans, and continued with the class based societies of the middle ages. However, as cultures continued to develop into the 1800s, the minorities called for change. So why is it that we are still fighting to end racism, sexism and homophobia when the battle began so long ago? I believe the story of Audre Lorde and the calligraphy of Margaret Rigg display that the social norms and laws that are meant to protect us actually inhibit the growth of our society, and thus prevent us from ending discrimination. Zami, a New Spelling …show more content…
In one of her pieces she writes, “Most of our beliefs protect us from the danger of being an invidual,” (Rigg). This phrase directly correlates with the idea of “ignorance is bliss”. Our class discussed this phenomenon throughout the discussions of Zami, and Rigg’s emphasizes it in her work, as well. However, she believes that innocence is not as rewarding as many people believe. The next lines in her calligraphy piece read: “Think of others, we were once taught. Adapt. Adapt, we are now told,” (Rigg). This epitomizes the notion of being a blind follower, the exact strategy many people believe in when raising children, not letting them explore for themselves. Unfortunately for Audre Lorde, she would have benefited from having more independence and being able to explore the world. Her mother’s ignorance and protection restricted her from adapting to the hostile outside social environments around her and required her to discover the world for …show more content…
This is one of the main reasons why our society is still stuck in time. Old-fashioned parents brainwash their kids from an early age, closing them off from any ideas but their own, so they are unable to decide for themselves. Additionally, often times when children are allowed to branch out, they still support their parents’ beliefs out of fear of disapproval. I believe to improve the American culture, and truly make the United States a welcome melting pot of different ethnic backgrounds, the younger generations should not be controlled by their parents, but learn to make decisions for