Hegemony

To be frank, I cannot think of any personal experiences that I can hold as an strong example in regards to the question.  My mind wanders over to conversations I have overheard from other people.  Mostly minorities who feel the dominant class have resorted to social pressures which are near undetectable to reinstate the discriminations laws now undo.  At work or school are where the largest amount instances occur.   We love to believe all classes are fully capable of besting adversity through sheer will and perseverance.  Nevertheless, they claim this is not the case.  They claim the fight is almost never-ending.  I presume it is not all people in position of power but it really only takes one.  The anticipatory actions invoked tend to be subtle and guised discreetly among normal supervisor/employee interaction.  I imagine the discrimination operates in general behavior, the mood, the body language, the meanings in-between the lines.  I say imagined because for as often as I have heard these conversations I cannot actually say I have felt the same way.  That is not to say it does not exist, that would be immature but it makes me wonder when I will encounter these situations.  

Truthfully, I wonder will it ever happen at all? Interestingly enough, I feel that last statement was born and bred in my acceptance of the “American Dream.”  No, I am not interested in a white picket fence.  The dream I am referring to leaves me free to pursue any profession I please without  a constant miasma of dissention pertaining my lifestyle choice from the people I meet. (And  don’t meet.)  My mother always says she will do anything it takes make sure I get what I want. (And no one will stop me if she has anything to say about it.) I always think, “who the hell is going to stop me, but ok.” I will be working soon enough and really I want to see this phenomenon for myself.  I am sure it’s real but to what extent is what truly concerns me.  Then I will know what is the “anticipatory actions” of a dominant class trying to remain in power are.

The best example of this in Amigo, the general’s anger when he returned to find his soldiers partying with the locals. He quickly disbanded with the cohesive atmosphere the soldiers had developed with the locals.  He thought coexistence without fear was a betrayal to their duty as American Soldiers.