I've only read the first few pages of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. It's really good. For anyone who struggles with basic theory, Freire writes with a pretty incredible clarity and succinctness. To me it reads almost like a rehashing of The Communist Manifesto, just without the words "proletariat," "bourgeoisie," "workers," etc.: oppressed people around the world must organize to overthrow their oppressors. All Freire seems to add is that they shouldn't be dickheads when they finally succeed. (He also throws some shade at philanthropy.) In contrast to modern Hegelians like Todd McGowan, Freire believes that contradiction can be overcome, that we can really build a fucking sweet new world free of oppression and dehumanization.
Anyway, this is my question. I've worked for many years as a teacher although I've actually never received any formal training or gone to teacher's college or anything like that. (I worked as an ESL teacher abroad and as a sub in Amerikkka.) I've heard that Pedagogy of the Oppressed is basically required reading if you intend to become a professional teacher in the USA. Yet we all know that nearly all American teachers are either libs or chuds. (I will say however in their defense that the average American teacher is probably way more open to human liberation than the average American.) But still: how the fuck can you read this shit and then basically lick the boots of the pigs on patrol in the hallways of the school you work at? How do you read Pedagogy of the Oppressed and then teach an American history class where you say that the founding fathers were guided by the ideal of liberty rather than their thirst for human blood?i
Edit: lol okay as it turns out I am completely wrong about this book being assigned reading in the USA.
I adore Pedagogy of the Oppresed.
But if it’s not the most bland high concept read. I had to go over stuff multiple times AND have an overview to figure it out the last time I read it. And that was my third read through.
Edit: Also going to add that Pedagogy places a huge emphasis on Marxist class analysis and Americans are NOT prepared for that or know how tarp interpret it.
For sure. I read theory aloud to myself in order to focus and keep from breezing through it too quickly.
The jesuit who first introduced me to Freire called his work “the most important text for the downtrodden that no one can understand due to it being far too high concept for the average person to read” which is pretty spot on.
I personally don’t find it too high concept at all. If you want high concept, read Hegel or Lacan.
See I’d argue that Freire wasn’t writing for the same crowd that Hegel and Lacan were. Like Pegasus is for teachers but he also writes sections for students and his other works meant for the common folks in countries are written in the same tone,
The absolute champs of "They're really brilliant, don't read them!" guys.
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