When an individual experiences conflict, their existing opinions, viewpoints and stereotypes are challenged. This is demonstrated in both Dalia Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech and Ronan Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’ using a variety of techniques to encourage viewers to reconsider their current ways of thinking and to challenge any stereotypes and judgments they have. Individuals experiencing conflict can lead them to rethink their current world view. Expanding your knowledge can help to breakdown the predisposition of stereotypes and judgments. Sharing stories can help develop a connection and understanding between two individuals.
Encountering conflict can bring on change and challenging a person’s current world view. Shown in Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, when the participants are confronted with something that conflicts what they believe in, they are encouraged to change how they think and view the world. A great example of this was when the group visited Elcho island and immersed themselves in the lives of the aboriginal inhabitants there. While on the island they were witness to the indigenous Australians killing a turtle. Many from the group found this experience very confronting and some found it disturbing. When Jasmine found out that the turtle they had caught was going to be killed she was immediately put in a state of distress. She thought that it was cruel and unjust that they were killing the turtle. After she had a conversation with Marcus however, she accepted that their culture was different from her own joined the rest of the group. While there she stated ‘I’m still here’. By pointing out that she was still there, she was telling the group that, even though she did not agree with it, she accepted that it is the Aboriginal culture. In Mogahead’s speech, she recounted the events of 9/11 from her perspective. She explained the dread and fear about what had happened and said that ‘one person’s actions turned me from a citizen to a suspect’. This quote highlights how the actions of a few can influence the perception of many. She told the audience how she had ‘never feared anyone knowing she was a Muslim before’, she felt like she was now a suspect of the general public instead of a regular person. Coming from this situation she grew and adapt to the new world and her identity became stronger because of the challenges she experienced.
Knowledge and understanding is a key factor in the breakdown of prepossessed ideas. In both Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech and Sharkey’s First Contact,’ the viewer is introduced to facts that can challenge what they know and believe. In Mogahed’s speech, she points out that ‘80% of news coverage involving Muslims and Islam is negative’. This knowledge alone goes to show how the media can change what we think and how we view others. Whether this change is positive or negative, we can subconsciously be influenced to view and treat other people differently. In addition to this, Mogahed pointed out that ‘most Americans don’t know a Muslim’. This further highlights how judgments can be made before we even know someone. In Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, the individuals are put through many challenges and new experiences that cause them to reconsider how they view Aboriginal Australians. Due to the fact that they had these experiences many of the contestants changed their views about Indigenous people by the end of the season.
Sharing stories and personal experiences can help to create mutual understanding between individuals. In Mogahed’s speech, she shares the story about how she ‘came out’ as a Muslim and why she did it. By doing this she made it easier for the audience to understand and relate to her story. She described how she ‘did not passively accept the faith of her parents’ she ‘wrestled with the Quoran’ until she ultimately accepted the Islam culture. In Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, the participants visited and stayed overnight in jail. While there, they had many chances to talk to the inmates there. Over the two days, they stayed there, most of the participants had a drastic shift in perspective. The aboriginal inmates sharing their challenges and struggles that ultimately lead them to where they are now, personified the stereotypes of a ‘criminal’ or ‘bludger’. The participants were shown that behind the statistics on a screen, there are personal stories that reach much deeper than surface level.
In both Dalia Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech, and Ronan Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’ The viewers are strongly encouraged to challenge and reconsider what they think and how they stereotype others around them. Each source shows the journey of people and society and invites the viewer to rethink how they view others and what they believe in. When confronted with conflicting situations or world views, and individual is encouraged to change.
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When an individual experiences conflict, their existing opinions, viewpoints and stereotypes are challenged. This is demonstrated in both Dalia Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech and Ronan Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’ using a variety of techniques to encourage viewers to reconsider their current ways of thinking and to challenge any stereotypes and judgments they have. Individuals experiencing conflict can lead them to rethink their current world view. Expanding your knowledge can help to breakdown the predisposition of stereotypes and judgments. Sharing stories can help develop a connection and understanding between two individuals.
Encountering conflict can bring on change and challenging a person’s current world view. Shown in Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, when the participants are confronted with something that conflicts what they believe in, they are encouraged to change how they think and view the world. A great example of this was when the group visited Elcho island and immersed themselves in the lives of the aboriginal inhabitants there. While on the island they were witness to the indigenous Australians killing a turtle. Many from the group found this experience very confronting and some found it disturbing. When Jasmine found out that the turtle they had caught was going to be killed she was immediately put in a state of distress. She thought that it was cruel and unjust that they were killing the turtle. After she had a conversation with Marcus however, she accepted that their culture was different from her own joined the rest of the group. While there she stated ‘I’m still here’. By pointing out that she was still there, she was telling the group that, even though she did not agree with it, she accepted that it is the Aboriginal culture. In Mogahead’s speech, she recounted the events of 9/11 from her perspective. She explained the dread and fear about what had happened and said that ‘one person’s actions turned me from a citizen to a suspect’. This quote highlights how the actions of a few can influence the perception of many. She told the audience how she had ‘never feared anyone knowing she was a Muslim before’, she felt like she was now a suspect of the general public instead of a regular person. Coming from this situation she grew and adapt to the new world and her identity became stronger because of the challenges she experienced.
Knowledge and understanding is a key factor in the breakdown of prepossessed ideas. In both Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech and Sharkey’s First Contact,’ the viewer is introduced to facts that can challenge what they know and believe. In Mogahed’s speech, she points out that ‘80% of news coverage involving Muslims and Islam is negative’. This knowledge alone goes to show how the media can change what we think and how we view others. Whether this change is positive or negative, we can subconsciously be influenced to view and treat other people differently. In addition to this, Mogahed pointed out that ‘most Americans don’t know a Muslim’. This further highlights how judgments can be made before we even know someone. In Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, the individuals are put through many challenges and new experiences that cause them to reconsider how they view Aboriginal Australians. Due to the fact that they had these experiences many of the contestants changed their views about Indigenous people by the end of the season.
Sharing stories and personal experiences can help to create mutual understanding between individuals. In Mogahed’s speech, she shares the story about how she ‘came out’ as a Muslim and why she did it. By doing this she made it easier for the audience to understand and relate to her story. She described how she ‘did not passively accept the faith of her parents’ she ‘wrestled with the Quoran’ until she ultimately accepted the Islam culture. In Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’, the participants visited and stayed overnight in jail. While there, they had many chances to talk to the inmates there. Over the two days, they stayed there, most of the participants had a drastic shift in perspective. The aboriginal inmates sharing their challenges and struggles that ultimately lead them to where they are now, personified the stereotypes of a ‘criminal’ or ‘bludger’. The participants were shown that behind the statistics on a screen, there are personal stories that reach much deeper than surface level.
In both Dalia Mogahed’s ‘Being Muslim in America’ speech, and Ronan Sharkey’s ‘First Contact’ The viewers are strongly encouraged to challenge and reconsider what they think and how they stereotype others around them. Each source shows the journey of people and society and invites the viewer to rethink how they view others and what they believe in. When confronted with conflicting situations or world views, and individual is encouraged to change.
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