Oppression's Effect on “The Self”, Others, and the World of an Individual

	Oppression comes in many flavors whether it stems from social, economic, political, or internal causes is irrelevant, the effect on the individual is still the same. Oppression will be defined as, from an egocentric point of view, as any force that restricts the freedoms or agendas of an individual. Alternations in the perception of ourselves and how we perceive others will often occur if the duration of the oppression continues for an extended period of time. Our perception, or sense of self, is the most important and rudimentary quality we possess. It is plastic in nature and allows us to reshape ourselves to the type of person the world demands. It is a resource that is consulted before every action, serving as a reference book ensuring that every action adheres to the guidelines of our morals, goals, and other core values. We look for the elements of these guidelines, among other characteristics,  while sieving through the mass of others looking for potential companionship. The reorganization of “the self” can be triggered by a multitude of ways and have a profound impact on our perceptions of our world. The works of Barbara Ehrenreich and Malcolm X illustrate the affects oppression can have on how we view our world.
	The negative psychological effects of oppression can be seen in Serving in Florida. Before Ehrenreich's “plunge into poverty” we can summize that she lived a comfortable middle-class life

	In Learning to Read we learn that Malcolm X was not only oppressed by external factors, growing up on the streets and then landing in prison, but by his mental mindset keeping him isolated from the world that existed outside his nonporous box. Malcolm's oppressor, unseen, but felt played a huge role in his early development. The Streets had its own set of rules and these intangible, yet controlling, forces controlled his life. They controlled his education, job, language, leisure activities, and social life. A world where the highest rank is that of Hustler status was not a world where Malcolm belonged but it was the only world he knew. The only “others” Malcolm knew were fellow street hustlers and people of the sort. The only strong connection he had with others was through their shared association with the street life. Malcolm never had, or listened to, any influences from non-street people. Malcolm's strong identification with other street hustlers and the street life extinguished his desire to learn, he dropped out in the eight grade. All of this negative identification kept him blinded from the world. If we are truly defined through others, then Malcolm was a living embodiment of the Streets.
	It was only until his external oppressor and savior, the Charleston Prison, was change incited in the youthful mind of young Malcolm. In the confines of the prison Malcolm could escape the oppression of the streets for the sanctity of another, in retrospect it would be the lesser of two evils. The protection and solitude the prison cell offered allowed him to rethink and redesign his world. The dictionary provided a starting point for him to rethink his world and the speck of space his existence consumed on the earth. In Malcolm's case oppression was a positive experience that altered the course of his life.
	Malcolm and Ehrenreich both thrust us into a world different from our own. A world shaped and twisted by oppressive, internal and external, forces. 
	


In the streets Malcolm's cunning and sharp wit allowed him to carve a name for himself. 

Malcolm's lack of education showed in letters written to his idol at the time Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam. Frustration grew as he found himself lacking the vocabul






	We each live in our own exclusive world that is void of any concrete meaning except that which we give it. Our perception of ourselves, the world, and others is greatly influenced by external factors.


is governed by our definition of ourselves. We are defined by the experiences that affect us




People with enough in common often bond, as in friendship, or become apart of a group that share similar sentiments. 






 As we start making sense of the world we give meaniBefore we can make sense of the world we must first make sense of ourselves and our relation to others. Our sense of self is composed of our personality traits, opinions, ethics, prejudices, and attitudes. We, our personalities, are plastic in nature and change with circumstance. A life altering event or change in lifestyle can open us up a world of change or cast us into a world of solitude. Our definition of ourselves affects our perceptions and attitudes torwards others.

If we don't know ourselves how can we possibly expect to know others

Without a clear definition of ourselves we without it we would not be able to relate or distance ourselves from others. A strong sense of one's self is imperative as it plays a crucial role in deciding who we identify with and who we do not. In the story of Malcolm X and Serving in Florida the effects of oppression alter the lives of these two individuals living different lives but are both changed by the power of oppression.