Michael Brownstein took the floor at the weekly Monadnock Summer Lyceum on Sunday to change the way people think about individual action for social change.
Brownstein, professor and chair of philosophy at John Jay College in New York City, pushed the crowd to think about their own role in society and how they can make structural change. The discussion was based on his recently published book, “Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change.” He co-wrote the book with Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly.
To start the discussion, Brownstein cited multiple examples of how social change has been placed on the individual by movements and corporations.
One of his examples was the campaign “People start pollution. People can stop it,” created by energy company BP to deflect government regulation of carbon emissions.
For decades, the debate over social change has centered on a conflict between “changing systems or changing individuals,” according to Brownstein.
Countering this idea, he said there are three problems with that line of thinking: vagueness, the fact that structural change requires the most effort but doesn’t always work, and the motivational dilemma.
The dilemma addresses the feeling of being stuck.
“The things that matter, you can’t control. The things that you control don’t really matter,” he said.
Brownstein argued this isn’t true. People should try to avoid choosing one or the other and find ways to be “both/and” in identifying their personal role in societal change.
Outlining six ways to overcome social injustice, Brownstein said each person has to see the structures, understand them, see them as changeable, have a willingness to challenge the status quo, signal their intentions and find their role for social change.
Individual action leads to community response. “Most creatures learn about the world by looking out and observing. [Humans] look at each other,” he said.
With a list of professional and personal roles on the screen, including parents, friends, teachers and more, Brownstein said everyone can find their role.
“Find yours, and think about it as an opportunity for changing unjust systems, unjust institutions and unjust structures,” he said.
Asked by Lundy Lewis, the moderator of the event, about the classic statement “Think globally, act locally,” Brownstein offered his own version: “Think structurally, act individually.”
“Individual action can still be turned toward systems of injustice and inequality that are local, national and international,” he said.
To view the full discussion, go to the Monadnock Lyceum website at monadnocklyceum.org/speaker/michael-brownstein.
The next Monadnock Lyceum speakers will be recent ConVal High School graduates Hadley Bates, Ava Cronin and Clara Wilsher on Aug. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church. They will address what life as an adolescent is like today.
Melissa and Emily Goodrich will be the musical guests, with Eric Bowman moderating the discussion. The conversation will be followed by a question-and-answer session and reception.