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After reading Anne Dalke’s, “Slipping into Something More (Un)comfortable,” I have spent a lot of time mulling over the possibilities of what it really means to “slip.” I rationalized that “slipping,” in a broader sense of the word, means unconsciously allowing actions to negatively impact others. In a more refined, and possibly closer definition to the one Dalke intended, to slip is to unintentionally revert to a mentally constraining belief or set of beliefs ingrained by societal norms.

       “People in U.S. cultural contexts often evaluate those who are quick and effusive in their verbal responses more favorably than those who are quieter.” (Kim and Markus 189).

“Don't you hate that? Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it's necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable? That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.” (Pulp Fiction, 1994)

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In recent classes we've had a great dialogue about dealing with systemic injustices built into institutions. There is a theme going on about dismantling systems from the outside versus/while seeking to improve conditions from the inside. Are the two approaches mutually exclusive? Can the tools and system of the oppressing institution be used to fix said institution, or do we need something more radical than reformation? 

I'm not quite sure where this question will take me yet, or what thesis I'll be developing on, but I'd like to do some research into the prison abolition and prison reform movements. Are these movements so far opposed in their goals or can they harmonize?

In an essay written by Dalke, the word “slippage” appears. Living in a community, we cannot avoid committing a “slippage”. It is to unknowingly hurt someone. It is common to do it in daily lives since it is impossible to avoid dissent where more than two people gather. Even if they share lots of same features or have same hobbies, it is inevitable for them to be always the same or always have the same feelings unless they are clones of each other. All people are different from each other. In particular, in multicultural environment, “slippage” is more likely to happen. Even when we have knowledges of other races, religions or cultures, it is difficult to reflect on practice.

Public schools and prisons reflect and reinforce societial expectations and the concerns and interests of the wealthy and powerful. How are public schools and prisons run/ designed/operated similarly? How is the experience of being a student in a public school similar to being locked-up? What are the contrasts between surveillance in public schools and prisons? What is the purpose of surveillance in these two institutions? How is punishment comparable in public schools and prisons? How are the objectives being met ot not? I want to focus on high school students in public schools, specifically in Philadelphia.

i did not do an initial response to sheila’s to have some sort of basis to start research, which i think put me at a disadvantage. while i started something (and might post it), i then struggled a bit with where to go.

part of this struggle is because i already consider myself a prison abolitionist. i don’t claim to know even a whole lot about prisons, but in a way, i feel like i know enough to hold steady to my belief. 

the thing is, i know textually how some communities are affected by incarceration. i know many ways in which black and latinx individuals are incarcerated and put to “civil death” more frequently. i know that women face rape more. a lot of things i know intellectually, but have little personal experience to connect myself with the individuals.