Paulo Freire 01/24/2022

Brazilian educator and philosopher & leading advocate of critical pedagogy.

Closed Society and Democratic Inexperience, Education as The Practice of Freedom: A critical perspective on power, the importance of dialogue & democracy (his observations on Brazil's society in 1960's).

"...excess of power which has... an almost masochistic desire to submit to that power... [or] to be all powerful" (Freire, 21). Relative to the context as to why an "open area" is necessary for democracy. If this dominant/ submissive power dynamic is governing the society than an "open area" & dialogue (with meaning) cease to exist. I have personal experience in dominant/ submissive relationships and these power plays in personal/ family relationships that keep the relationship from having an "open area" and therefore any dialogue from the submissive party is not meaningful.

The arts can assist in creating an "open area" simply in a gallery space. Art is on display and the viewer get's minor context for each piece and then is allowed to have meaningful internal &/or external dialogue about said piece within the "open area"of the gallery space.

Top paragraph on page 26 by Freire about transitive consciousness gets me thinking deeply.