Throughout countless history classes, we have read about the countless revolutions, resistances, and protests that has shaped the modern world we live in today, but this article points out the silent, yet persistent, revolutions that have equally, if not more, contributed to shaping our current society. One of the articles is a personal account by Robin D.G. Kelley, who discusses his time working at McDonald’s among those of his background and upbringing. He notes that he hasn’t always noticed how their daily quirks and the small things they fight for everyday, parallel that of the cultural revolution occurring at that time and in a way contributing to it as well. He discussed how he and his coworkers would purposefully make minor mistakes when making food to get something out of it, which is ultimately the idea of resistance through compliance. They are ultimately abiding by the rules everyday, but at the same time chipping slowly away at their subordination that’s suppressing them.
Apparently, Kelley’s experiences have been utilized constantly by “peasants”, slaves, or people who are oppressed by the lower class. Parents even pass down tips for subtle resistance to their
children. The idea of such a subtle resistance reminds of children who are asked to do chores, but
they do it slightly wrong so that their parents won’t rely on them to do it anymore. Of course, this
idea is magnified to a large extent when it comes to cultural revolutions and the stakes are incredibly
higher, for a reward much more subtle, which would hopefully be worth it in the end. This article
amplifies the importance of documentation of events, in order to be able to recall and realize the
history that has shaped our lives today.
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