• About Me
  • Links!
  • My Website
  • Quotes!

taherehbarati

~ It is a sharing ideas site!

taherehbarati

Tag Archives: social change

SnowPiercer- Reflection!

01 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by Tahereh Barati, PhD in Articles

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Aggerssion, Class, Class division, Class Wars, Destruction, Fighting, Future possibilities, Human Conflicts, human relationships, Humanity, Labour Day, Labour Movement, Movie reviews, movies, Racial identity, social change, Social Hierarchy, Social Justice, Social Location, Train of Life, War Crimes, Wars

SnowPiercer is a move with a great production reflecting on our current social dilemmas. It is a movie about social location, social inequality and social justice.

Today is Labour day that we recognize the importance of the labour movement in promoting social justice and equality. I think this movie offers us alternative possibilities to end the current social injustice and inequality.

We are all born into per-existing places in society based on our race, age, intellect, culture and ethnicity, class, sexuality and (dis) ability. The social locations of each individual are not decided by individuals but by structural systems established for centuries. The notion of social location is like the ‘cast system’. It is the subtle disguised version of the cast system. Remember! the cast system used to be an acceptable system in old empires such as Rome, Persia, and also it is currently, somewhat, practiced in India.

The movie, Snowpiercer, illustrates the destructive impact of social locations on people’s life very vividly. It also reveals the invisible long- lasting collaboration between the leaders of oppositions (shoes and heads). It shows how the leaders of oppositions plan and decide for citizens; when and how citizens should be treated, when and how the population needs to be reduced or increased and so forth.  The sad part is that the both leaders (shoes and heads) create and plan wars among citizens. The leaders of shoes and heads work for the maintenance of the social/ power structure and inequality. Their mission is to maintain the power!

Interestingly enough, as the leaders of shoes and heads are aged, they realize that to maintain the social (dis) order and inequality, they need to find a replacement who is committed to the money- making machine, who has greed for power and who maintains the statues quo. Who would they pass the torch onto?  Of course, a person  from the middle class is chosen; a person who has seen and experienced poverty and who has shown enough intellects to climb up the ladder of power.

The dialogue between the leader of heads and the new leader is the best part of the movie.  In that dialogue, the new leader discovers deceits, lies, and games of killing that lead to people’s suffering.

The new realizations give him courage and new set of responsibilities. He becomes the leader of a new movement.  A movement to end the normalized social locations/social inequality/social injustice. He has a dream! a vision and hope for people.  His new movement aims to flatten social hierarchies and all its associated practices. His actions and intentions are to bring back freedom, liberty and justice to people. How? There is no more choices left but to stop the train, the machine, and the social power structure. And that is how the new life is promised; a life in harmony with nature and other species…

I enjoyed the movie very much.  Like many, I yearn for the return of equality and social justice to people’s life.  Who knows maybe by 2031, we will have ended all man-made wars. Who knows maybe by 2031, we will have become more conscious of the impact of what we do to one another. Who knows maybe by 2031, we will have put a stop into any forms of social inequality, social hierarchy and social injustice!

Happy Labour Day!

Happy Possibilities!

Tahereh Barati

 

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reflection- Billy Elliot!

20 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by Tahereh Barati, PhD in Articles, Reflection

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

1984, Ballet, Billy Elliot, British Movies, culture of patriarchy, Dancers, Films, Gay Children, Masculine Culture, movies, relationships, social change, Social Norms, Stories, Story Telling, Union

Billy Elliot is a great movie and a great story that got me thinking about the challenges we face when our purpose/ desire doesn’t fit with what the dominant culture of masculinity.  A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance, the cultural pressures,  and the disintegration of his family.

The movie takes place in County Durham, during the endless, violent 1984 strike against the Thatcher closure of British coal mines. Billy lives in a family where his mom passed away, his father and brother rules the household and his grandmother suffers from mental deterioration. Under these conditions, Billy sneaks to the girls- only- attended ballet class to learn dancing.  Only one schoolmate, closet-gay Michael, encourages Billy’s desire, aroused by the teacher, who judged him talented enough for private lesson, to train and try out for the world-renowned Royal Ballet audition. Billy through dancing frees himself and ignites his inner electricity in his own life and others’.

There are many scenes in the movie that brought emotions to audience. Moments such as when Billy re-reads, by heart, his mom’s letter; when Billy dances with anger against the social norm; when Billy’s father, who is emotionally distraught,  is torn between supporting the union or supporting his older son’s beliefs; when Billy’s father breaks the piano to warm up their house in winter; when Billy’s father cries out his loneliness at the Christmas night, and so on…

Watching the movie brought the following questions to mind:

  • What do we do to help our boys form their identity?
  • What struggles do our boys have in developing their destiny/identity today?
  • What are the current social stigmas against boys?
  • What challenges do we all face today while intentionally wanting to form our non-conformist identity?

Any ideas? Looking forward to hearing from your!

Happy possibilities,

Tahereh Barati

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Endgame!

26 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by Tahereh Barati, PhD in Articles

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

goodbye, hope, loss, separation, social change, transition

What is about leaving that makes us cry?

What is about separation that makes us nervous?

What is it between you and I that never ends?

I am afraid  this will be the last time i ever leave

I am afraid  this will be the last time i ever cry

I am afraid things have changed…

Yes, it is an end to a long game!

 

Tahereh Barati

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Gifts of Spiritual Joureny 4!

12 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by Tahereh Barati, PhD in Articles

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Definition of Love, love, People with different cultures, Personal Journey, Perspective of others, social change, Understanding

In this Journey, my understanding of Love expanded and changed. I became familiar with various understanding/meanings of Love as different people shared and talked about their meanings and understanding of this notion.  I listened to delightful amazing descriptions of Love. The followings are a few definitions of Love from people who shared ‘the way’ with me:

An Italian person shared his understanding and definition of Love. He said this: “Love is like a fire; it could hurt. That is why one has to be protected from Love.  He continued and said: “When Abraham wants to see God, God tells him that he should go to the corner and protect himself from His Love because His love is so strong that could burn him”. He said “Love for another human being can be harmful if two people don’t know how to guide each other. However, It is powerful and strong; it is source of life”.

A Belgium person described his definition of Love this way: “Love is a beauty; it is magical; It is a powerful force. Love is a way of being; it is understanding; it is having respect for others’ wishes; it is a two- way street consideration; it is a collaboration between two; it is when no one is an object to another.

A Dutch person said this: ” Love perhaps is doing something for another person without expecting any reward. Love is perhaps being teary when one does something good for another one. Love is giving without expecting anything in return”.

A German person described Love this way and said: “Love is when things continue; where there is no cut off; when there is a continuity in expressing oneself in certain manners. When one’s expression of Love doesn’t change due to physical distance”.

Their definitions have broadened mine. This journey has broaden my perspective and has made my life further multidimensional. This journey has brought things to my attention that i wouldn’t be able to recognize otherwise…

Any action we take has consequences, why not taking actions that are life- changing and long- lasting!

Happy Possibilities!

Tahereh Barati, M.A, RMFT

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

I have a dream!

13 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by Tahereh Barati, PhD in Articles, Reflection

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

collaboration, direction, Dreams, Martin Luther King, movement, plan for life, shared dream, social change, vision

People have dreams, visions and plans for life. Our relationship is that determines if our dream comes true or gets crushed. We intuitively know what can be possible and what can be done to become more connected with our own dream. We tend to present our dreams to relationships that have capacity or ability to support its implementation.

It is proven that when dream is shared, it is more possible to come true. There are many examples in human history; for instance, the dream that Martin Luther King had for human being; he said ‘I have a dream’. He, by himself, couldn’t make his dream come true. Martin Luther King shared his dream with his friends, colleagues and people in his life first, then he shared it with millions of people around the world. The more he talked about his dream, the more people became part of his shared vision and its implementation. That is how a movement takes place in the history of mankind.

Let me tell you a story of a woman who had a dream and wanted to see it come true. She came to my office and shared her dream as well as obstacles to achieving her dream. She said she has a dream – a dream of having her own family when she is reunited with her children. She said she had tried hard to make it happen but many barriers didn’t allow her to accomplish her dream.

In my conversations with her, her past initiatives were acknowledged; her dream, as her preferred future, was recognized and supported. As we talked and explored ways of removing barriers, her dream became more accessible to her. She began to share her dream with people close to her- her parents, friends, colleague and employers. When she shared her dream with others, some didn’t take her dream seriously, some crushed her dream with cynicism and some began to listen to her. We discussed the feedback she got from her social network and took pieces that were supportive of her.

A dream doesn’t come true if it is not shared, if steps towards its accomplishment are not realistic and ethical, and if it is not supported by the community that one is in –workplace, family, nation and etc.

Steps towards achieving a dream are relational steps; these steps have to be collaboratively drafted, examined and nurtured in relationship. No one, alone, can make thing happen in life. Every action has to be accompanied with actions of others to come true. Every dream has to be supported by community of people to become one’s reality.

Let’s be part of each other’s dreams, let’s work together to make our dreams come true, let’s support each other’s ideas, visions and dreams in every setting we are in – home, workplace, community, and society.

Happy possibilities,

Tahereh Barati, M.A, RMFT

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Twitter Updates

  • RT @RonaldKlain: Thanks for mentioning me @vp, so here are the facts: 14,000 died from H1N1; we are headed to 400,000 dead in less than a y… 6 months ago
  • ted.com/talks/bill_gat… 1 year ago
  • RT @ilovequotebooks: Now more than ever: Practice the pause. When in doubt, pause. When angry, pause. When tired, pause. When stressed… 1 year ago
  • RT @CassK9: THINGS YOU CAN DO IN QUARANTINE: -chores -sweep till the floor's all clean -polish -wax -do laundry -mop & shine up -sweep agai… 1 year ago
Follow @tbarati

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

April 2021
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Jul    

Recent Posts

  • HOW MUCH LONGER BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
  • Be your own best critic
  • I Said No
  • The Nightmare of History
  • Summar Pics 2!

Categories

  • Articles
  • Audio
  • Interview
  • Link
  • Photos
  • poetry
  • quotations
  • Reflection
  • sharing success stories
  • Uncategorized
  • videos

Blog Stats

  • 46,103 hits

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: