Framework Essay: Dichotomizing

Framework Essay”: Dichotomizing

After reading the section on dichotomizing I believe that the author did a great job in explain the background of the two parts our society has created. He concludes that not only are these two mutually exclusive classes present but also that there is a gap in the views between different generations of people.

He spent majority of this section not necessarily arguing but making sure that the reader fully understood this concept and how it is present in our society today, as well as, the past actions which have shaped today’s views. The authors views are expressed when he states, “from the essentialist position, race is assumed to exist independently of our perception of it; it is assumed to significantly distinguish one group of people from another. From the constructionist perspective, race exists because we have created it as a meaningful category of difference among people” Even after this statement he never takes a stance on he feels. He only further elaborates on the theory’s that he believes shape the way we view the issue of race and how we dichotomize people.

The one issue that I would have liked if he had addresses further is the difference of opinions between the age gaps. I find this very interested and even more important if analyzing how future generations are going to act toward the current issues of race and dichotomy. How are future generations going to improve the current situation? I believe that the issues of race and dichotomy are slowly improving with each decade but will take tremendous strides to improvement with the new generation. In the essay it discusses how today’s youth of different religions and historical periods are producing other distinctions other than the traditional black and white.

After reading my assigned section I feel better educated on dichotomizing, as well as, past believes and values that have shaped this concept. I also feel that this issue will continue to improve but may never be completely nonexistent. Our society will always see differences whether its race, religion, education, sexuality etc. but how we react to those visible differences will be forever changing.