The big problems of our world – such as war, climate change, poverty, racism, and sexism – are pervasive, intertwined, and tied to the very structures of society. Can these problems be addressed from within our society? How can we imagine change when our language and ideas are a product of our culture? Is it possible to develop resistance within hegemony? In this presentation, I address these questions and discuss how my search for answers has led to my masters project: a documentary film about Father Bill “Bix” Bichsel, a Jesuit priest and activist who lived in Tacoma. I begin with a discussion of cultural narratives, explaining that it is necessary to imagine a better world before such a world can be enacted. By changing our perspective, we can begin to see many common activities as resistance to oppressive social structures. I critique the idea that “the ends justify the means,” which is commonly accepted in Western culture, and explain how value-driven action has led to social change through campaigns of non-violence. Finally, I tell the story of Father Bix and describe how my film will frame his life and work as a real-world case study of the effects of value-driven action. I conclude by explaining that the use of film will make Bix’s story accessible to a wide audience, in the hope of inspiring people to create their own value-driven communities
