Let's Be Enlightened

 

"Discomfort is always a necessary part of the process of enlightenment."

-Pearl Cleage

In this day in age, people seem to understand the value of thinking for oneself. People understand the importance of wanting to breakdown the inner mechanisms of society, deeming whether or not they should continue. The importance of being skeptical in order to completely formulate an educated opinion is valuable, and I think modern-day society understands that. However, the ability to construct these educated opinions, perhaps going against the status quo to do so, must involve some type of education, but that does not necessarily mean of the formal variety. 

 

Reading is a form of education. In fact, it is a huge form. The Enlightenment showcases just how much reading can affect a society. It shows that reading brings education and the ability to think and formulate opinions. To me, I find the Enlightenment so important because it demonstrates that citizens do not simply have to blindly follow their government. They can educate themselves and then form educated opinions about what is going on in their world. It’s quite literally in the name. People were enlightened. They were educated enough to think for themselves. There’s power in that. 

 

image source: Sacrée Frangine

Today, I think it’s fair to say we are in an Enlightenment period of our own, and I believe it all started with George Floyd. It’s called the Black Lives Matter Movement. You see, people are truly beginning to understand the systemic racism that permeates this country in all institutions. People are seeking out resources to educate themselves, specifically those people placed in positions of privilege. They are attempting to unlearn everything they have been taught about race. Society has taught people that there is this hierarchy to race. It’s a tale as old as time, really.  It’s a ramification of the days of slavery and Jim Crow. Simply because slavery was abolished and integration happened does not mean the days of racism are over. They are not, and I think people are beginning to understand that. A tide is being turned. There is a potent shift in society right now.

 

That is not to say that police brutality is new. It’s not, by any stretch of the imagination. This is something that has been going on for years, much like the authoritarian type of government that was happening in England, prior to Charles. Unfortunately, there were many people that simply were not educated on police brutality years ago. Now, they are. They are seeking out that education through reading, much like people did during the Enlightenment. We are changing the fabric of society as we know it. With this shift being so palpable, you can almost feel it in the air. There is a new age coming. People are educating themselves. They are forming opinions. They are trying to make this world a better place. 

 

We are becoming enlightened.