Assignment 1

CHAPTER 1: MAKING OUR LIVES COUNT

[Discussion tip: The next few chapters explore how ordinary and seemingly

powerless individuals can create powerful social change. That's a hard concept for many students to grasp, because it cuts against the grain of our

culture. They may even distance themselves from the people whose stories I present by saying they could never do anything comparable. It helps,

therefore, to focus on the humble beginnings of the individuals I profile, and stress that they started out just as apprehensive as--and perhaps more

powerless than--the students now reading their stories.]

"When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too," writes Loeb. Do you

agree with this quote? Explain. Are there times when you have stayed silent over a public issue? Do you think it’s always better to speak out?

"America’s prevailing culture," Loeb writes, "insists that nothing we do can matter. It teaches us not to get involved in shaping the world we’ll pass on

to our children." Do you agree with Loeb’s characterization of our culture as

teaching resignation and withdrawal? Do you recognize his description in people you know or in yourself?

Discuss the following quote: "We become human only in the company of other human beings." What’s your reaction?

Why does Loeb tell the story of Virginia Ramirez? Why does her husband tell her, "That’s not your role"? Have you ever been told that you shouldn’t do

something because it’s not your role or place? Did it surprise you that someone who started in a situation so seemingly powerless could help create

so much change? Why do you think she said she was more intimidated talking to her neighbors the first time than to a group of U.S. Senators?

Was Derrick Bell foolish to resign his tenured position at Harvard Law School? Were the results worth the cost?

Did it surprise you that a born-again evangelical like Rich Cizik is so involved in climate change? Did it challenge any of your stereotypes about

evangelicals or climate change activists? Cizik says the climate change issue

“shook my theology to its core.” Have you ever felt shaken to the core by something you've learned or a project to which you've committed yourself?

Could you imagine approaching a community of which you're part to engage them in this profoundly challenging issue?

Ask your parents or older people in your community whether they've noticed impacts on the local habitat/ecosystem from climate change, like if they're

hunters or fishermen or spend lots of outdoors. Do plants bloom at different

times? Do wild animals have different patterns? Is there less snow or more or less rain? What do they notice? See this link to some terrific regional

maps from the National Climate Assessment report. And follow this link to see

how hot your city is projected to be by 2100 if we continue on our current

course. What did Martin Luther King mean by saying, about social involvement, "Take the first step in faith? You don’t have to see the whole

staircase, just take the first step”? What would it take for you to "take the

first step?"

CHAPTER 2: WE DON’T HAVE TO BE SAINTS

We "wait our entire lives to find the ideal moment" to get involved, Loeb

writes. What do you think? Has the "perfect standard" discouraged you from getting involved in your community? If so how? Did it surprise you that

Gandhi was literally tongue-tied when he first started out and that Martin Luther King was initially reluctant to act? Why do you think Loeb included

these details?

Consider this quote: "Contrary to expectation, we’re most effective when we

realize that there is no perfect time to get involved in social causes, no ideal

circumstances for voicing our convictions. What each of us faces instead is a lifelong series of imperfect moments in which we must decide what to stand

for." What argument is Loeb making here? Do you agree? Explain. Are we ever too busy to get involved? What do you think the key difference is

between those who find time in busy lives to get involved in their communities and those who have no more free time but do not?

Loeb states that "change is the product of deliberate, incremental action whereby we join together to try to shape a better world." Have you ever

considered yourself to be a social activist? Have you ever taken a stand on an issue or been involved in some sort of social action? Explain. If you

answered no to these questions, what do you think stops you from becoming more involved? (Be sure and include the reasons Loeb gives for why people

are often reluctant to get engaged in their communities or larger issues.)

Can you think of an issue that you believe you should be speaking out on?

What is one small thing you would be willing to do to participate, like writing

a letter to a legislator, to the campus or community paper, going to a meeting of an active student group, or joining a related Facebook group? Try

to do that one small action, and then write about what it felt like. Feel free to do it together with someone else in or outside of the class.

Former Emory student Sonya Tinsley created a powerful project to bring

people together across racial lines through music. How much do people from different racial backgrounds mix much at the cultural events that you

attend? Could you imagine yourself creating a similar effort to Sonya's to make this happen more?

According to Loeb, does social change come about by the single act of a great person? If not, how? Please elaborate and give examples. How could

ordinary citizens work on the problems you've seen in your experience with community involvement?

Do you have "a willingness to live with ambiguity"? What might this mean? How important is it to be consistent as a citizen? How much are you deterred

from involving yourself in important issues because of the ambiguities?