Luke Stonehocker

History 1700
Eportfolio Signature Assignment

Is it better to work inside or outside the system to affect change?

The issue of this week was about if its better to work inside or outside the system to
affect change during the civil rights movements in the 1960s. During the 1960s black people
chose to work inside the system to change the way they were being treated. They did this by
boycotting, taking part in nonviolent sit-ins, marching, ect. This shows that you dont always
have to go against the system in order to change things, and that peaceful demonstrations can
make a huge impact on making a difference.
Last semester I took a course called Essentials of College Study where we learned to
take advantage of the system, and to use it in order to better fit our needs. Doing this may lead to
less resistance, and a more desirable outcome. There are still times where going outside the
system is necessary and although this can lead to more negative repercussions, it can produce
great results. So in my opinion, there isnt one better way. It really depends on the specific
situation and how drastic of a problem it is that youre trying to resolve.
Learning about these different ways to resolve your problems has really taught me a lot. I
used to always resort to going outside the system to get what I wanted, and that wasnt always
the best decision. It really helped me to learn that I can get what I want just by taking advantage
of what's already there in front of me.