Frederick Douglass And TED?
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress."
"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
-Frederick Douglass
What are you thinking about the listed Frederick Douglass quotations in conjunction with the Briles TED Talk video that watched in class? Reflect, critique, argue, or explain. This blog response is due by 2:30p.m. on Wednesday, March 14th.
posted by Greg T at Monday, March 12, 2018
26 Comments:
After watching the TED talk video and looking at the quotes from Douglass I am shocked and saddened by the fact that slavery is still alive today. Growing up in America and learning about the history of the US and knowing about slavery, it is a quick and true thought that slavery is disgusting and dehumanizing. The fact that it is still happening in today’s society even with all of the knowledge and power many people have today it is being used for evil. By working as a free slave and working to help other people reach a new life and this is very important to try to help others once you have helped yourself. Frederick Douglass did just this and he had a huge impact on the freedom and knowledge of slaves in the United States.
We never really think about the pragmatic approach that slavery has. It's scary to admit that it could be a profitable move to own slaves in a third world country. It is also hard to admit that things that we use could have been sourced through these terrible practices. This modern slavery is hard to conceive because we feel so distant from it, as if it is in the past.
Both Douglass and Briles are giving the message that if slavery is to be fixed, people in power have to make an effort to end it. Government must protect the vulnerable from being taken advantage of if they want it to end. Normal people who care must also make an effort, as they will drive a demand for change in places which need it. Briles also mentions a new idea; slaveholders must be eliminated rather than merely freeing slaves.
While listening to the TED Talk, I wrote down some of the important points he mentioned. The population explosion, extreme poverty, and corruption. These are what he me. He mentions Frederick Douglass, and the way he was powerful/influential by helping other escape slavery. James Kofi Annan has escaped slavery, and as like the modern day Frederick Douglass, he's trying to help others get out of slavery too. Most of the slaves they talk about are born into it, and don’t really know otherwise. Like what Frederick Douglass said, “if there is no struggle, there is no progress.” This can go many different ways. But in America slaves struggled and lived harsh lives until eventually we changed our views and allowed freedom. I think it’s great that this TED
Talk is getting the word out there.
This TED Talk really shows how people are very oblivious to the plight and terror that still exists in the world, even arguably worse than the times of Frederick Douglas. His quotes relate to the TED Talk in that, without people trying to abolish slavery, nothing will happen on it's own. I found it interesting how James Annan described the "worth" of slaves and how the population explosion has brought slave trade to a massive increase and how readily available are slaves are. It is sad to see how people take advantage of others that are in the most vulnerable position with hardly any food and barely living and abuse them.
Looking at quotes of Frederick Douglass and listening to the Briles Ted Talk, I see several similarities. Although Briles does not have personal experience like Douglass, he obtains a grand amount of knowledge on the topic than an average citizen would. Douglass' quotes are very interesting to me, but they make perfect sense. No struggle equals no progress. He is absolutely correct, if there is not an announced or "advertised" issue, than no progress will occur. We must address problematic cases to officials and the public, so then we can essentially change the culture for the better good. This directly correlates with Briles as he shared that slavery is still a prevalent issue to this day, and that this topic is continually pushed to the side. Both of these men address crucial information that is vital for our knowledge.
With the TED talk bringing attention to the many still enslaved today, it brings a question to mind. When will it end? Why must profit supercede human rights? In the example Frederick Douglass has set, we can see ex-slaves freeing others who are still enslaved. This trend will continue until slavery is abolished. What extent will the rest of humanity go to to help those enslaved? Is slavery being illegal in every country enough? Obviously not, there needs to be active abolitionary in every country that still has slavery. Overall, slavery should never be an option, and I'm ashamed humanity has kept it around.
The TED talk brought attention to the fact that there are multiple types of slavery. there is the type that were born into it or the type the had to pay off their debt and then there is the type that unknowingly joined slavery. The ones that joined needed jobs and then when they tried to leave they were not able to. this creates the point that it is unlikely that slavery with ever truly be abolishing in the world because there will always be bad people that take advantage of vulnerable people. These people need to be stopped but it is unlikely that we will find a way to stop it completely. Both Fredrick Douglass and the TED talk bring up good points about how people are vulnerable and the way that those people are often tricked or forced into slavery.
This comment has been removed by the author.
This comment has been removed by the author.
After observing the TED talk and reading Frederick Douglass' text, I saw multiple similarities. They both obviously addressed the idea of slavery and how horrible it is. However, the TED talk brought up the idea that slavery still exists today. People forget that it still exists in many places in the world. It is extremely saddening and truly horrible that people still are consumed by slavery and experience the punishments, pain, lack of freedom, etc. that comes with it. I think both texts address how slavery is something that needs to be stopped and fixed. As people that exist in the world, we need to figure out how to stop slavery and all of the horrible, dehumanizing effects that it has on slaves and society.
After watching the TED talk and reading the quotes, I have noticed that they both have very similar views on slavery. The big difference between the two is that the TED talk, talks about slavery today and how many people are enslaved without even knowing it. But Frederick Douglass knew he was enslaved and that he could not get out. I think this just goes to show we need to figure out a way to stop slavery all together, many people think that slavery is already stopped but they do not realize that it is still going on.
There is currently more slaves in the world than there ever has been in the history of mankind. This is mostly due to our very large population of 7 billion people. This causes the price of a human to be very small, because they are disposable. This being said, they have little to no value for human life. That being said, it is very hard to free slaves due to their disposability. They are cheap, efficient, and make a lot of money. Referencing the Fredrick Douglass quote, if people are ignorant and ignore this very huge problem happening worldwide, it will not be solved. If we do not try to solve the problem, it will not become solved.
More slaves have been marked today than ever in history. A human life should is not just something we can dispose of or belittle. Since our population is bigger than ever, slavery is an easy thing to uphold, but not right. This needs to end immediately
After watching the TED talk video and looking at the quotes from, it is insane how slavery is still prevalent today. The use of imagery and sensory images by the author in the book really shows how badly slaves were treated. Using humans to do labor and dehumanizing them as people, let alone their spirits, is just sick. This TED talk video made me realize how many other things are going on in the world that we aren't all really exposed to outside our little area of Centennial, CO. I believe slavery needs to end in modern day, and forever.
The amount of slaves that have been documented in todays time, is not only shocking, but upsetting. As a person, I personally can't imagine the idea of treating another human being the way that other humans have treated each other in the past and throughout today. The thing so dehumanizing about slavery is the fact that another person is doing this to someone else. You expect as another human being for the other person to have some sort of guilt or compassion to the victim, and the fact that some don't, is terrifying. This TED talk shows people that even though we may not be able to see slavery right in front of our eyes, it's still lurking somewhere, in fact everywhere really. And because slavery is something that can be found in many different forms, it almost makes me question if slavery will ever vanish.
There are more slaves in the world today then there should be. We need to do something to stop it because its a human life.
It's sad that today we can still document slaves in our country, we should have already abolished slavery a long time ago. People need to start standing up to slavery to completely end it because this is mistreated humans and that shouldn't be a thing. Slavery shouldn't be ended now and forever.
After watching the ted and reading things from Frederick Douglas it brought to my attention the huge issue that is Slavery. Even if slavery is illegal world wide it often still takes place even if people and governments dont know or care this is a huge issue that still needs to be solved.
When I think of slavery, I think of the basic working in a cotton field, getting whipped, and living in a communal shelter or barn type of slave. So after watching the Ted talk, I realized it is much more than that and that it still has a significant impact on the world today. It makes me very confused, sad, and even a little scared that so many people around the world are capable of being so evil, enough to treat people like insignificant animals and work them to deaths bed. I was astonished that I was in the dark about this topic before now.
After watching the TED talk and reading the quotes, I have noticed that they both have very similar views on slavery. The big difference between the two is that the TED talk, talks about slavery today and how many people are enslaved without even knowing it. But Frederick Douglass knew he was enslaved and that he could not get out. I think this just goes to show we need to figure out a way to stop slavery all together, many people think that slavery is already stopped but they do not realize that it is still going on.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I agree with Frederick Douglass when he says, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress," because we only learn from making mistakes, and if everything is perfect, nothing will ever change. He is saying this because slavery was being normalized and he needed to express the struggle of the slaves in order for people to make a difference.
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress."
Douglass' quote reflects that no matter how many people have rallied behind your cause, no progress will be made if there is not some kind of struggle behind it. In Douglass' case, this struggle was, obviously, slavery and his journey throughout the years of American slavery. The TED talk, however, paints the global struggle of slavery; Douglass' quote in this case plays out the idea that no matter how many people see human atrocities, there will be no change to said atrocities unless there is a struggle for the cause.
Frederick Douglass is talking about slavery from a first person perspective by living through the hardships of slavery. The TED talk is talking about the global scale of slavery. I think both relate to Douglass quote "If there is no struggle, there is no progress" because in order to abolish slavery there has to be mass amounts of pain a suffering.
After viewing the TED Talk and after reading Frederick Douglass quotes, it is crazy to see the connection between them. In the TED Talk it talks about how there is still slavery today, not as much as there used to be but it still is happening. People in other countries being forced to work under awful conditions. Douglass’s quote “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” This quote is saying that there is hope for a better future. Hopefully in the near future countries will realize how awful they are treating people and change it.
Post a Comment
<< Home