Critical Reflection #2
Freire starts the excerpt with, “Without practice, there’s no knowledge” (97). This quote already grabbed my attention because I truly agree with it. How can one consider themselves knowledgeable, if they do not practice their craft? No person is born with all their knowledge, one must practice and listen. As I continued reading, Freire’s explanation became more clear. He believes that practice leads to knowledge and that knowledge is paired with theories. Knowledge is a complex idea, it is never ending and requires many people.
They believe that by not taking a position on a decision does not lead to change or knowledge. Horton says, “ You can’t have a spiral, you’ll just have a circle that stays flat if you don’t have a theory about where you're going” (100) and it speaks to the idea that without a position, one will continue to go in circles and not see change. With the idea of democracy, it depends on the contribution of the public and them sharing and stating their stance on decisions. I partially agree with the idea of neutrality being problematic. I do agree that everyone should have a stance on situations, but I understand why some people are hesitant about sharing their opinions. It is hard to share your thoughts when you are alone or in the minority. It can be scary and no one truly enjoys being the odd one out, but sometimes it takes one person to stand out for some change to happen. We must ignore what society has said about active bystanders and people who speak out. Those are the people who want change and are willing to make the difference and change this world needs.
Last year, I had the opportunity to do service at Health Hubs and work with Florencia. Her passion and dedication to the canal district are something I truly admire and aspire to have towards the community I will work for in the future. She made me curious and passionate about the health care system and making sure that everyone has an option to quality health care. This class I hope will fuel my passion to help the flawed healthcare system. Not only the laws and rules that are involved with the system but the fact that some people are denied or not even eligible for care is something that needs to change. Being cared for is a need every person needs and no one should have the fear of knowing that they might not be able to have the supportive care.
