Abigail Tetlow on The Four "I"s Of Oppression

 This week I was assigned a reading and a video both by the name "The Four "I"s of Oppression". I was not sure what to expect going into this reading, but I was very interested in this concept. It describes a framework of oppression types that can be observed in society. 

Idealogical oppression is a long standing form that has become accepted and justified over time. The document calls this type of oppression "common sense". By this they mean that it is just the default and unchallenged ideology of a group of people. This type of oppression can only be broken down by long term social and political change, it is more successful on a small scale rather than large. It encompasses the other forms mentioned later in this post.

Internalized oppression is when individuals take in harmful ideas that lead to self doubt or false superiority. Such as white supremacy. The ways to solve this issue lies in demonstrations such as Dr. Martin Luther King's. Internalized oppression is dynamic and takes many forms, and can be just as harmful as any other type. 

Interpersonal oppression stems from internalized oppression. This is where internalized injustices about other groups manifest. This can take form as small comments, hateful acts, violence, and much more. It requires de-escalation and education. Often all members involved will need to take accountability to be able to grow as a person. 

Institutional oppression is the way that oppression is seen in the government, wether it be policies, laws, or mass incarceration. This also includes job discrimination. A change for a systematic issue like this one is not simple or quick. It requires institutional accountability, policy reforms, and community advocacy. Without a combination of all of these elements there will be no change and it is very difficult to make change happen depending on the situation. 

The most we can do as civilians is to be advocates for something we care about. There aren't enough people or time to solve every systemic issue, but if we all play our part and advocate for something, anything, we are 1% better than the day before.