September 4, 2015 - 16:36
Elena Luedy
Professor Jody Cohen
Changing our Stories
9/3/15
Report from Elena
(2015)
“They sell and I buy or I don't. They risk not eating. I rink going broke on my first vacation afternoon” (Jordan 41). Jordan says this in reference to her trip to the Bahamas, and buying knick-knacks to bring home. She recognizes that she is privileged. She is both torn on her own desires for finding a cheaper option and the desire to help others. She is later seen trying to defend herself to the reader, telling of a time she helped another girl find the support she needed to get through a difficult time. This is almost in an attempt to show the reader that yes, she has her faults, but she recognizes them and attempts to better herself constantly.
What we see in Jane Jordan is what many of us see in ourselves. We live in a world where capitalism is the default. Raised like sheep to always look for material wealth and how to get the best deal. Companies like Walmart and Nike sacrifice a living wage to provide consumers with low cost items they don’t need. How many of us know of the injustices these major corporations are guilty of, yet continue to buy into their system of inequality? Is the sacrifice of children working in unfair conditions worth the cheaper sneakers or television? Are we as consumers actively depriving others of their rights?
The questions we must all ask ourselves are difficult realities to face. The most important question is, however, what are we going to do to change it? Will we be able to forget our capitalist teachings? Or will we, like Jane Jordan, be forced to accept that we will not be able to fix everything, and instead have to focus solely on our one past good deed, as if it cancels out all other evils we might have committed. How many times as someone posted on the internet their good deeds? One is infinitely more likely to post that they helped in the soup kitchen or donated to the poor, than to say they assisted in the destruction of natural resources or exploited workers in developing countries.
Even I find myself in situations similar to those of Jane Jordan. Although I recognize the problems with major corporations, I will typically go to a store that offers an item for a lower cost. Is it out of shear malice that I shop where I do? Of course not. I shop where I do out of necessity. If I had the capital to only buy clothing and food that was fair trade I would, but unfortunately I do not. I, like Jane Jordan must resign myself to remembering the positive things I have done for humanity and for the world at large. Perhaps it is our default as humans as a coping mechanism to be more forthcoming with our good features than with our flaws.
We can see in Jane Jordan’s writing that she is conscious of her privilege and is trying to better herself. Unfortunately, not all of us can say that we are constantly trying to improve upon ourselves. It is important, nevertheless, for us to all recognize our privilege and to try to lead our lives as responsibly as possible. It is not only our own growth we hinder with our small mindedness, but also those who may not get the same privileges that we might.
Jane Jordan’s Bahamas is a story that transcends the barriers of time. Although this story was written over 30 years ago, the same principals still apply. We are still stuck in the belly of the monster that is capitalism, operating in an almost sheep-like manner focused solely on the lowest prices. Many times, we desire others to focus on our positive choices rather than the negative ones. We as a society still have a long way to go in terms of equality, however recognizing our privilege (or lack of others) is the first of many steps.