Emerging Perspectives
One of the biggest things, when it comes to social change, is what fuels that change. We have looked at political, what causes a movement to go, and the cutural reasoning behind things. When it comes to emerging perspective, they are looking at the underlining things that those three have in common. That thing is EMOTIONS! Emotions can and are a driving force that has been overlooked by many other perspectives. When you want a change to happen, you have to make it relatable. If you want them to stick with it, you have to make it personal. When it becomes personal, it is hard to ignore.
EXAMPLE:
Legos are amazing building blocks. Kids and adults love them. Parents HATE them. This is because kids will leave those little lego blocks all over the place. It hurts so much when you step on them, especially when you did not expect it. We parents need a way to contain legos. Now others that have not stepped on a lego piece will ignore this. It does not apply to them. So we need to change the narrative to apply to them. Whenever you are building that amazing lego set, there is a lot of small little pieces. Nothing is more heart breaking when one piece is missing. You will not be able to complete this set that you have been working on for a week. To stop this from happening, we must have something to contain legos. Now this problem of containing legos is personal for those without kids.
This types of things have been done with it comes to rape, alcohol consumption, and drug use. When it effects someone you love, you will take notice.
Processes Not Structures
Social movements are not in a nice little box. They are hard to research because everyone has a different idea on what was a failure or success. Sidney Tarrow believed that social movements are only a real success when you see long-term change. Things like climate change have been a failure, because it has been a fight for years without any long-term change. Now this is not to say that changes did not happen, but they are to small to make a big difference.
Power of an App.
We are in a special time of space. We have apps that connect us to people we would have never meet. We can network like never before. We can talk to anyone we want. This power can cause a shift in what people know and how they fight. Social movements like #Metoo and #Blacklivesmatter were possible through the power of the apps. It connected so many people together. It cause political parties to take notice. There was massive movement, first online then in the streets. It was so big that it is now in some history books.
Our Part
Now with all this information, where do social workers stand? As social workers, we look for injustices. We advocate for our people. Social work guidelines change as things change. We need to know social movement theory and research. This will help us change things. Reframing the problem to show how it effects loved ones. As social workers, we need to be able to see when it is time to push for change. You cannot make grass grow when there is no sun. We need to know how to gain people to help. We need to be able to help manage things. Some of the bigger things that we need to be able to do is assessing in how a client would be effected by being involved with said movement.
Thinking
I believe that emotions play a big role within social movements. You have to be passionate about what you are fighting for. You may face a lot of hate and distrust for fighting. You may get hurt. This is part of the reason why I have never gone to rallies myself. Another thing to know is that anger is an easier emotion to cause change. You have to make sure that this anger does not get out of hand. I do believe, that as social workers, we do need to get our hands dirty now and again. If we do not fight, than who will? Because of this, we do need to know the basics of social movements. One thing to think about is how you can be of use in a social movement? For me, I can organize and help manage things. I also know how to reword things to make it apply to more people. As for other things, it may change after my kids get a little older. I do not want to put them at risk. In a professional setting, we need to try and make sure that the movements we are supporting are for the best. We may need to talk to supervisors/colleagues to get second and third opinions.
Comments
17 responses to “Emotions and Change”
I agree with you that emotions play a big role in social movements. I do think that they need to be controlled. You mentioned that Anger is an easy emotion to cause change and I think it sparks the idea within someone for change. I think passion is a big one. Being passionate about a change will help keep things from moving into anger I think. Passion allows us to feel the need and organize our thoughts and ideas so that others can feel that spark of anger and become passionate about change. Feeling upset about why something is the way it is starts your brain thinking about what you would like to see changed and how to begin a change.
Yes. I agree with you on passion. If it is just anger, anger will eventually go away, unless you are holding a grudge against someone/thing. Passion is something that helps keep things going.
I teared up reading your wonderful post, since protests and revolutionary movements are very close to home. I do not have much confidence to raise my voice to be heard, especially in huge the-world-will-see-it ways, but your post is extremely motivating! Your words ring true, of how social workers will have to get their hands dirty, to use our voices as megaphones for the voices that can’t be heard in the government buildings, to walk and rally together, even if it might get dangerous.
For years, Indigenous people in the Southwest of Alaska have been wanting to get our voices to be heard when it comes to fish, Bristol Channel trawlers, and mental health emergencies – but everyone seems to be scared to speak up, including myself, unfortunately. However, I plan to try to gain the confidence to work with other social workers and other professional entities to raise our voices against these life-endangering things in the future, even if I shake at the thought of this. I am honestly dizzy as I am typing this from the mere thought of it. Something about how life-changing these movements can be, not just for the people living today, but for the future of all people in the next generations will be. How going against the Central Yup’ik value of not retaliating, will have to be ignored in order for this to happen – a change will have to come.
As you have rightfully mentioned, being passionate and relating these movements to others will get the fire going.
My grandpa once said to me, how no one will do it for you if you do not fight for your goals. No one will raise my voice for me, if I do not speak first, even if I am whispering it in the beginning.
Thank you for sharing your post, as this is going to be in my mind forever until I actually find the guts to stand up for myself and others. I wish you a very good weekend, and thank you again, for sharing this amazing post.
That is passionate. You are right. You need to start off in any way that you can, even if your voice is a whisper. Sometimes, the fear is about the unknown. Even if you push for this, what you know is known. You know what to expect. The unknown is scary. It can hold good and bad. When you are brave, you are not without fear. Brave is to do something even if you are afraid. If you want to start off small, try writing things out. Just like you did. It is easier to write than to speak. After you are used to writing things out, you can move on to talking to one or two people. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Come together with like-minded people will make it easier to speak. With more voices, it will get louder.
Emotions are powerful. The expression is real and applies to other humans.
Hi Ana, phenomenal job on your post! It was well-written, intriguing, yet most importantly it was thought provoking.
I think what stood out to me about your post the most was the social workers role in social movements, specifically in the #MeToo and BlackLivesMatter movements. Both of these movements had a lot of negative attention directed towards them, and some of the various individuals or organizations associated with them were not the best representation of the messages being presented. It is because of this that I wonder how best social workers can help not only in advocating these movements, but also in directing them on the right path. A big movement or protest that I think of often is the Seattle Capitol Hill Occupied Protest which has been widely regarded by many as a terrorist act or a horrible riot, but the demands that made were all reasonable and focused towards community development and public aid rather than harming others as other more right-wing based riots have leaned towards. I hope that our country can focus more on recognizing the efforts so many have made to be heard and to direct politicians and policy makers towards a more beneficial and infrastructure-focused society.
That is a good thought. Violence does come with big changes. There is a way to fight against it without going to far. It was better to be peacefully arrested than to be violently arrested. Having people check on people to keep them in line, may be needed. You also have to watch out for those that are hired to cause violence to happen. So proper training would be needed.
Hi Ana, great post. Emotions is a strong subject to talk or teach about and you did a great job explaining it. I’ve always and still thought that people with no emotions are the ones who sit back and watch like it’s a show to them. As you said in your lego example, it doesn’t apply to them. Thank you for sharing your post and I hope you have a great week.
Yeah. People that do not feel either way about an issue will sit back and do nothing. Being able to get issues to apply to others is a big way of taking steps to making it a social issue. If you were going to be apart of a social movement, where do you see yourself? How would you help push that issue?
Wow, just wow. You did an amazing job on this blog. Emotions are a tricky subject to talk about. I would’ve had issues with it. That lego example was powerful. I say with that for a while.
Emotions can be a powerful driving force behind social change. They motivate individuals to take action and advocate for change. However, emotions alone are not enough. Emotions must be accompanied by strategic planning, effective communication, and concrete actions to achieve meaningful and sustainable change.
Personalizing social issues can make them more tangible and compelling for individuals. The Lego set analogy used to illustrate this idea is compelling. It conveys that highlighting social issues’ personal impact can encourage empathy and drive action.
Social workers are crucial in advocating for social change, especially for vulnerable populations. They must understand their needs and experiences and advocate for their rights and well-being. Emotions and personal connections can enhance advocacy efforts, but social workers must also approach their work with professionalism, ethical considerations, and a commitment to systemic change. Balancing empathy with strategic action and ethical practice is key to being catalysts for positive social change.
Hi Ana.
What really drew me to read your blog was the featured photo you chose. As I opened your blog post, I really appreciated how colorful and informative it is. I really admire how you were able to use different and small life options to help us understand the material you are covering. “When it becomes personal, it is hard to ignore.” I feel like this is a very big thing to look at when you do look at justices and injustices in our lives. As your example stated, the difference between a lego set finished and a lego set that is constantly in shambles all over the house. I also think with this generation, the power of the app is very crucial to making change around us. I had an assignment earlier this semester that had given me the choice of making a difference, and one of those options were social media. I think social media has a lot of power in this day. Great sharing!
Ana, I really like this blog. Emotions are the biggest fuelers of social change, as nothing changes if everyone is complacent and okay with what is going on. There has to be at least one person who feels wronged in some form in order for something to happen.
Emotions are what make us human. From the time we enter the world we are showing our emotions to survive. As time goes on, we are taught that we can’t always let our emotions take over us. We are taught how to communicate, socialize appropriately, and in hindsight adjust to social norms. For example, not yelling at your teacher or boss when they frustrate us. However, not all social norms are good. The ideology that men should not cry is harmful. There are people in the world who believe people’s passion and drive to advocate outwardly is crazy or maybe they are afraid of protentional consequences. The government wants us to be afraid and feel as if nothing can be done, but if we all really took a step back, we’d realize we have more power than it feels like we do.
I appreciated your approach when writing this blog. Rarely, if ever, have I noticed that people put two and two together when it comes to social movements and emotions. Emotions are driving forces when it comes to enacting change, whatever change that might be. Be it good, or bad, we as a society have come to be where we are to this very day as a result of emotions. This is why I believe that it is imperative to not solely rely on lived experience especially in this field, to be able to help people. Our worldview and how we experience different things in life differ, more so than I think any of us realize. Many of the driving forces behind any given social movement certainly were that of emotion. Think of basic human rights. Regardless of where we live in the world, our political views, and our religions; all humans have rights. The Universal Declaration of Rights indicates that every and all individuals have the right to be recognized as a person before the law (#6), no one shall be subjected to torture or inhumane cruelty (#5), and Human rights can never be taken away (#30). Those were just 3 out of the entire 30 that have been applied and adapted to the WHO. Disturbingly, we are seeing more attempts to conquer and control at whatever cost. Look at the news and politics. You mentioned protest. It seems like ever since the murder of George Floyd, no one is taking crap anymore, especially minority groups, and being treated like dog shit by the police. I remember being treated horribly by the cops when I lived in New York. While I am glad that the police are becoming more cognizant of the fact that they can’t be bullies anymore, I do believe that treatment towards law enforcement is completely unnecessary at times. Over a couple of “bad eggs” in the group.
Ana,
Excellent job on your blog! First, I love how you used Legos as an example of making a situation relatable to everyone. Secondly, I completely agree that emotions are the driving force when it comes to social movements and changes.
I think it’s amazing how much good can come from technology, such as organizing large social movements. As you addressed, the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movement all started on social media. Recently in my community (Juneau, AK), there was a rally calling for a ceasefire – the whole event was organized via Instagram. I’m sure we will be seeing more and more powerful social movements with the use of apps!
As I was reading your blog, it reminded me of my first protest that I participated in. Hundreds of women protested (peacefully) with signs downtown and in front of the capitol building regarding women’s rights and pro-choice after Trump was elected. It was an emotional experience and powerful. But as you addressed in your blog, I also got pushback from people who didn’t agree with me. Participating in social movements leaves you vulnerable for others to attack you verbally, physically, and emotionally – sometimes from friends and families. Like you, I’ve decided to pause participating in physical rallies due to having young kiddos, however, I participate in other ways, like calling and writing to my senators.
Do you currently have any social issue that you’re passionate about?
Hi Ana, I enjoyed how your blog grabs how emotions are the fuel behind social change, showing us the power of making issues personal to create action. It’s a reminder that finding common ground in our shared feelings can be the most effective way to motivate and drive real change. As someone learning and becoming passionate about advocating for positive shifts in our society, I want to see a more favorable emotion drive things. Anger often leads to violence, and that is one thing that can be a difficult thing to change.