Questioning the Oppressive Regime

Paulo Friere says that "[no] oppressive order could permit the oppressed to begin to question: Why?" (Pedagogy of the Oppressed 86). That is, a problem-posing method will always be liberating.

I'm not sure this is true. I'm not sure that we can't encourage students to question according to a particular philosophy. I mean, doesn't it matter a whole lot what questions you ask? Couldn't you pose leading questions?

And, really, is problem-posing universal? Couldn't we be imposing this method on students? Friere dismisses this idea easily. I think he's naive here. I'm just not convinced that this process can't be inauthentic, can't be forcing students into a particular way of thinking.

If I smell that my teacher is trying to liberate me, I resist them. Is it fair of them to be working from the mindset that I need to be liberated? Sure, Friere doesn't want them to force me. But I'm not talking about forcing me, I'm talking about being preoccupied with me supposedly being blind to the culture that oppresses me. Acting like I can't take responsibility for myself.

Here's what I don't like about this philsophy. It assumes that what the teacher has to offer is an enlightened perspective. That I, a grad student, owe to my students not my knowledge of how to construct an effective essay, not my knowledge even of MLA formatting. What I owe to them is the fact that I can help them break free of the culture bonds that hold them back.

Sure, Friere. That's better than thinking I actually know more about writing than they do.