What is My Context??

The lens through which I view the world is a very interesting one. Growing up in a strictly Christian household, where we went to church every Sunday, I can definitely say that this portion of my childhood makes up a great part of the glass through which I view the world. I was always one of the kids in school that “didn’t do that” one thing that everyone else did. I would not in the least say that I was brainwashed, with my churches teaching, because I was always given the opportunity to speak and think for myself, but I would say that what I learned definitely kept me grounded and alert for the coming world. I now view the world from the perspective of a Christian, fully committed to the work of God. Now you’re probably thinking, “why did I have to read this guys blog?” You may in fact think of me now as a religious fanatic who has no real sense of the world. I would argue the complete opposite. I would say that I know exactly what it is that I believe and stand firm on that.

Anyway, getting to the point of the question: How has this Christian, Oakland Californian lens made up the way that I view the world? Well I would definitely say that it has influenced the decisions that I’ve made, as well as not made. It has influenced the way that I think about people of different races and socio-economic statuses and all the like. Even the schools that I have gone to affect the way that view the education system. Sadly, the educators that I have had all told me that the education that I have gotten is of a far greater caliber and quality than other surrounding schools.

“The earth seemed unearthly. We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there -- there you could look at a thing monstrous and free. It was unearthly, and the men were -- No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it -- this suspicion of their not being inhuman. It would come slowly to one. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity -- like yours -- the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough; but if you were man enough you would admit to yourself that there was in you just the faintest trace of a response to the terrible frankness of that noise, a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it which you -- you so remote from the night of first ages -- could comprehend.”

After reading this passage I was completely appalled by Marlow’s inability to act. He fully realized and recognized the humanity in these “conquered people,” and although they were different they still deserved some kind of respect. Marlow knows that along with this realization and admission comes some type of responsibility. This responsibility includes some type of acting against the injustice being dealt to the natives.

A typical British reader may have had the exact same sentiment as Marlow. He may have felt, deep inside himself, that what was going on in the Congo was wrong and those “strange people” that were being conquered were in fact humans. In partial recognition of this humanity, they would have unfortunately continued on with their lives. Perhaps along with this paralyzing response they may have also felt slightly guilty. Essentially, engulfed in this interpretation to this passage is a sense of entitlement. Although, there is a partial recognition of humanity, there is yet injustice.