There are roughly seven billion humans in the world, so defining the term 'human' is tricky. There aren't many traits all humans have, with no exceptions. To me, being human means having the ability to choose. Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, however unfair this may be, humans are the only species that choose what they want or need to do nearly every second of every day. There are some choices others make for us, like my parents choose how long I'm allowed to stay out, and my teachers choose the ammount of homework I need to do every week, but I make thousands of other decisions each day. Animals make instinctive choices, like where to hunt, eat, or sleep, but not the kind of choices humans make. I think oppresion is to take away someones ability or right, to choose.
Sold is a book all about oppresion. The main character Lakshmi has absolutely no say in the matter of her step father selling her to a brothel. She is passed from her step father to the arms of the brothel and its management, one oppresor to the next. Things like homework and curfew, for the most part, aren't life changing descions being put on us as students and kids, but to have your entire world turned upside down under somebody else's hand is the ultimate oppresion.
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ReplyDeleteI loved your definition of being humans. I like how you not only mentioned that you get to make your on decisions, but that your teachers and parents make them too, and how you mentioned that we get to choose what we want or need every second of everyday. I completely agree on everything you stated.
ReplyDelete-Giiiooooiooo.