In class, we have been talking about resistance, and the power of the individual to influence their environment and push for change. We have discussed how resistance can take many forms, including activities of daily living such as dress, cooking, home-making, and more. It can also include larger scale resistance like protests, boycotts, or strikes. In recent media, these larger forms of resistance have been categorized as destructive or harmful, and smaller acts of resistance have been labeled as insignificant. Externally, this may or may not be true, depending on the context and the inertia behind a movement, but internally, resistance can impact an individual’s well-being and happiness. Arguably more significantly, resistance can directly save lives and protect individuals.
Following World War I, the Nazis were scared of contagious diseases, and a Polish doctor resisted by creating a fake Typhus epidemic, saving an estimated 8,000 people from death or imprisonment over three years. Historically, countless doctors have enlisted in programs like Doctors Without Borders, or abandon their practices in order to assist those who have been impacted by violence or war. Resistance within the medical establishment continuously serves to outright protect individuals and further social justice movements.
Socially, inclusion within resistance movements has also led to an increased sense of satisfaction for many. Resistance is necessary within a context of power, as the two forces coexist. When power is being used or exerted on others, resistance is the natural antithesis as individuals advocate for themselves and any substandard living conditions or treatments. Engagement in resistance against powers that harm or negatively impact an individual can offer a sense of community, and help bolster the individual’s sense of self-worth through accomplishment.
Smaller acts of resistance, like a woman wearing pants in the 1930’s, may not have as obvious of an impact as doctors saving lives, but these small acts of resistance shift the paradigm, and can articulate new ways of thinking and new social norms. It is a method of challenging socially determined “truths” in order to change policies, procedures, and cultural norms to create a better and more socially just future.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8984666/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-a-fake-typhus-epidemic-saved-a-polish-city-from-the-nazis
Hi Max, I very much enjoyed reading your post! Resistance is complex and intriguing since it can come in so many forms at varying scales. Your example about WWI immediately made me think of current Palestinian resistance against Israel and overall resistance in cases of social injustice. When people resist, they often are antagonized or demonized for doing so. It seems that acts of resistance are far more focused on than the reasons behind it. As you mentioned, social movements power resistance. Can there ever being resistance without a reason for it? It's crucial to understand the societal power imbalances that drive people to resist rather than unfairly punish or vilify acts of resistance, when there is sometimes no other choice.
ReplyDeleteInteresting perspective Max! I am particularly interested in how resistance is enacted within the micro-environments that have broader impact on our sociocultural realities. Although you point to more meso levels of culture (e.g., medical organizations) I wonder your perspective on bell hooks' argument that "the personal is political". As we have also discussed in class oppressive structures like racism operate on these two levels as well and how we resist them through everyday actions is important! While I like to think of myself as a forward thinking graduate student, I sometimes wonder what significance hyphenating my last name has in the broader cultural narratives of prioritizing patriarchal lineage.
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