While reading the passage, I was able to think of a personal connection I have with it, mainly the class part. I constantly try to tell friends, family and others that they aren't their environment and that they have the opportunities to do better for themselves. For example, a coworker feels like since they grew up in an environment where all they constantly saw growing up was drama, fights and such and now as an adult they think they have to be drama-fueled in order to function/ feel "normal". I would let the coworker know that even though that is how they may have grew up that it doesn't have to be the way they go about living their life and that if they put their best foot forward and try hard then they can surpass they and be better, however that may look like for them! I sometimes need to remind myself as well that even though I may not have had the best influences around me as I was growing up that I tell myself that I don't need to be like they are. Although it may be a hard battle for some I truly just try to remind them (and myself) that it's not a linear process and that bumps in the road are okay!
Something I would like to end with is a phrase from the passage that really stuck me which is, " We are not some prisoners to some natural order that pits us hopelessly and endlessly against one an
other. We are prisoners to something, but it's closer to our own making than we realize." (Chapter 1. pg 4)
(image credits here: Photo -The Line)I couldn't agree more with this because I feel like we are our own worst enemy at times and we can sometimes get lost in this cycle of feeling like you can't be/do better for yourself for a fear of whatever. Essentially being held "captive" by fear is what I think some people are prisoners to.
