My Relationship to the Culture of Power

In The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children, Lisa Delpit identifies how significant miscommunication occurs when dialoguing on the topic of "how best to educate children of color." She asks "how can such complete communication blocks exist when both nonwhites and whites truly believe they have the same aims?" In examining and reflecting on these issues, Delpit has found a connecting and complicated theme she calls "the culture of power" (p.24-26):
1. Issues of power are enacted in classrooms
2. There are codes or rules for participating in power; "that is there is a culture of power."
3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power.
4. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power, being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power easier.
5. Those with power are frequently least aware of - or least willing to acknowledge - its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence.

What is the culture of power like, what does it mean?

On page 25 Delpit says that "this means that success in institutions -- schools, workplaces and so on - is predicated upon acquisition of the culture of those who are in power. Children from middle-class homes tend to do better in school than those from non-middle-class homes because the culture of the school is based on the culture of the upper and middle classes - of those in power....children from other kinds of families operate within perfectly wonderful and viable cultures but not cultures that carry the codes or rules of power."

So what is my relationship to this culture of power? As a middle class American, I have had the benefits of access to the codes and rules of power. I don't normally think of myself as having personal power. However, each of the letters in the acronym SCWAAMP represents a characteristic true of me. I can also see some of the ways that society bestows on me certain privilege and benefits which others lack who are not as well connected to the culture of power. There are certainly others who have more economic and social capital than I do but I still benefit from significant privilege that I did nothing to earn.

I was raised in a middle class family, where I learned many of the codes and rules for participating in power. I also received the benefit of attending a good high school, good success in high school and college. As a white male, whose family had a middle - class lifestyle I have had many options to choose from for pursuing both higher education and employment. At times I have put in a great deal of work and effort to attain what I have, but I still benefit from significant privilege. I rarely fear for my safety. I don't need to worry myself with whether or not my landlord will renew my lease. I don't need to learn a second language in order to communicate or buy groceries, etc.

It is clear that there are people who have more property and/or economic and social capital than I do but I still benefit from many privileges that others lack. This isn't fair for the many people who need to work harder to achieve similar or lesser results.

Now what can I do as one who benefits from the culture of power? The more power we have the greater our ability and responsibility to help bring social justice and fairness to those who operate within cultures that lack the codes and rules of power. Since, I lack political power and have only limited social and economic capital, I am limited in my ability to bring change to our culture.

Since I plan to pursue a career as an educator serving in inner city schools there are several things I may be able to do. If I am able to find employment in a city school, then I need to follow through with Delpit's suggestion to consult with other adults who share the cultures of my students when deciding how to educate my students. I will need to listen well, especially when it is painful to do so and then learn from my mistakes. I would also like to help others grow in their awareness of the racial injustice that is happening all around us. When we become aware of the social injustice around us then we can help advocate for positive change and take appropriate steps to level the "playing field" for those who experience oppression in our society.

When I have traveled in Europe and Mexico, it has been helpful to read guidebooks and study the language and customs of the countries I visited. When I went to Mexico and Germany, I actually received the benefits of specific cross-cultural training. This helped me to have a more successful experience during my time in these countries. Without learning some of the codes and rules of these cultures, I would have risked miscommunications, offending others and my personal safety.

In a similar way, our students who are not part of the culture of power need to learn the rules that will enable them to have success in this culture. When educating my students I would like to help them learn the codes and rules they need to know, while also validating and appreciating their cultural backgrounds. They will still have significant barriers to overcome in our society but if they know the rules it will be possible for them to achieve success and to potentially help bring change to the culture of power. They can help cause change when they get opportunities to "tap the glass" of our society's most valued ideologies.