Discussion
Today in class we discussed the movie black panther and how the movie correlates with everything we have been learning through this course. We compared multiple characters from Black panthers with characters we have already learned and discussed. Two Characters we discussed in class were T’ Chaka and killmonger. We compared these characters’ relationships to Odysseus and Philoctetes. T’Chaka abandons Killmonger after killing his own brother/father. This is similar to Odysseus abandoning Philoctetes. We also discussed the similarities between Killmonger and Ned. Ned also faces a conflict within his community, but his execution makes him seem against his people, just like Killmonger. These two characters are also considered outsiders because they feel as though they are alone and have no one to relate to when in reality there are people that care about them. We also discussed Killmonger’s experience being a black man in America. He has to experience depression from being black in America. He is in search of inclusivity and understanding amongst his people as well as for the people outside of Wakanda. All he wants to do is share the resources of Wakanda with those who need it. I feel like Killmonger is a misunderstood character, he comes off as the bad guy but in reality, he does care about the lives of others. This is why he believes that Wakanda’s resources deserve to be shared with other black people. Kill monger grew up with oppression and knows the struggle of life in America coming to Wakanda was always a dream of his.
Assignment
T’Challa and N’Jadaka are both essential characters in the movie black panther. T’Challa is the king of Wakanda but is challenged and overthrown by N’Jadaka. T’Challa being challenged and over the throne as king is important to his leadership development. When T’challa is no longer king he has to realize for himself who he is and what type of leader he needs to be to lead the people of Wakanda. It is only a matter of time before killmonger does as much damage as possible to Wakanda and the people of Wakanda as well. When T’challa is wounded, he visits his father on the ancestral plain once again. This scene is a complete turn around from the other scene where T’challa is asking his father how to be a good kind and what he should do to protect the people of Wakanda. T’Challa instead of this scene greets his father with anger and repeatedly asks him how he could abandon his own family. How he could do that to his brother and killmonger. This scene is pivotal for T’challa’s leadership because it shows just how much of a leader he truly is. Unlike his father who was also a leader, T’challa can show love for humanity in this scene. Even though killmonger over the T’challa, T’challa still is aware of the life killmonger had to live because of T’challa’s father. In this scene, T’challa meets his father with tears, which shows his passion and care for others. T’challa is empathetic and knows what his father did was wrong. In the movie, Kill monger is also a character that leads Wakanda for a short period. Compared to T’Challa, Kill monger leads the only way he knows how through violence and fear. The way Kill Monger grew up as a child was very different from T’Challa, he went without his father and ultimately no guidance in his life. Yes, Kill Monger was not a good leader but he led the only way he knew how. By the end of the movie, Kill Monger still stayed himself, I almost felt bad that he had to die and couldn’t become a better person. Kill Monger was proud to die in Wakanda and was proud of who he was. Both characters T’challa and Kill Monger show who they are by the end.
Going back to the ancestral scene, when T’challa first visits his father I could relate to the confusion and frustration that T’challa was facing. In that scene, T’challa is telling his father that he can not be King and that he is scared that he will not be a good king and cannot lead the people of Wakanda. He asks his father what he should do and if he will be a good king. I can relate to this scene in some ways. I often doubt myself too when it comes to certain situations and new changes in my life, I look to other people who are mentors to help me with whatever doubts I may face. I often seek answers from others in situations I cannot decide on or I am too scared to decide on. Like T’challa’s father did, they often tell me that I know what I need to do and that being scared of change or being scared to fail only means I care. In life someone is not always going to be there to hold your hand or give you the right answer, Often we are faced with many challenging decisions, and situations that must be dealt with on our own. Like T’challa’s father also said, T’challa is a good person with a good heart, and that’s all he needed to know how to lead. As long as you stay pure to who you are, you stay true to your morals then making hard decisions being in hard situations, finding those answers will not be difficult. I often have to remind myself to figure things out on my own, and even if I am scared it is ok and normal. I used to hate change and hate making hard decisions, but as I get older and know more about who I am, decisions and situations become easier to handle.
Plotting Your Leadership Development
Envisioning a Better Future
describe your vision for what a better world than the one we live in now might look and feel like. Consider specifically the political (what kind of government do you envision? who would serve in it?
If I could create a better world, the first thing I would change is the government. I would have it that there would be no president or leader, everything we needed to decide on would take place through voting. There would only be popular votes by the people. Also only people 50 and under could vote. If you are under the age of 50 you can not vote. I would also want a more laissez-faire government in this new world. A hands-off government. Education, health care, food, and shelter would all be free. We would live in a world where everyone would know that they are just a soul living a human experience. Meaning that the human experience is supposed to be equal for everyone. We are all supposed to be happy and ultimately do whatever makes us happy. Someone how in this new world everyone would be equal financially, and socially there would be no one better than another because of money or stature. If we were to have a leader it would be based on a series of tests that would determine how good you are as a human being. For example, are you empathetic, would you risk your life for others? things of that nature. In this world, there would be no prejudice, no racist, no hatred for others. White privilege would not exist because everyone would be born equal therefore everyone would be born with privilege. People would be compensated for work based on their talents, so whatever talents or passions you wanted to pursue you would be paid based on those talents no matter what it was. When it comes to neighborhoods, and schools and such people would live in neighborhoods that would be broken down with diversity. So there would be no all white, or all black or all Asian neighborhoods. People would live in neighborhoods that have a certain amount of each race. The same would go for schools. Each school would be made up of all different races. I believe in a perfect world it is essential to be exposed to different backgrounds which are why in my mind, diversity would be number one. Religion would stay the same in the sense that everyone is entitled to practice whatever religion they please. My perfect would be all about the human experience. It would be about making the most of your life and truly fulfilling whatever dreams or goals you have. Whatever your talents are, whatever you are passionate about my world would be about you pursuing that. When it comes to the education system we would be taught more valuable things. We would learn about the stock market, how to do taxes. How to cook, and how to invest. My world would be about learning necessary life skills as well as living the way you chose. Although this is all made up, of course, I wish all people could use their talents and passions to be compensated for their work. I wish that all people were able to make a life for themselves doing whatever made them truly happy. In the end, happiness is all that matters, and if you lived your life to the fullest.
