How easy is it to move up in a social hierarchy?Â
Do those at the top, with the power, really want those on the bottom to be able to move up?Â
Does power change a person?Â
These are some of the questions students in the Exploring Order class are considering during their time at SCATS. Many of the students agreed that power doesn’t necessarily change a person but it does amplify characteristics they already have. If a person is inherently good, they will continue to be good and use their power to do good.Â
They moved on to a discussion of moving between social levels and how can poor people move up and acquire power. An interesting conversation about how to define poverty ensued. One of the students posed the question, “If I have two million dollars but choose to be homeless does that make me poor?” They learned after discussion, that one characteristic of power is the ability to change your situation. If you have two million dollars, you can change your mind about living on the streets. If you don’t have any money, your options are limited.Â
Campers identify elements of dystopian and science fiction from the discussions, demonstrations, and short stories they have read. They are then able to use what they’ve learned to write their own dystopian or sci-fi stories. Â
