“When something is filthy, you either clean it up or throw it out. You clean it up if it is something of value to you, and it is not irreparable.”
Yes. An apt metaphor. Why do we keep eating this vomit?
I think of men like Idi Amin, whose Asian victims Canada received when he expelled them. Americans see one brand of racial essentialism and the world is filled with them, many brands, as we both know.
Race is a terrible terrible idea.
I am mixed race, a liminal creature racially speaking, and I’m glad because I’m excluded from this cultish identitarianism seemingly predicated on some perceived essentialism linked to melanin levels.
Has this devolved into a cult? A social contagion? Sometimes I wonder.
Am I wrong in thinking cultural ghettos rather than genes feeds into racism. Short step from that to saying the West experienced the enlightenment, and are more advanced / progressive compared to cultures that believe still believe in genital mutilation, arranged marriages or give religious leaders political power - but some of that happens in 'the west'. Also, we talk about 'the south' , 'the west', 'developing countries'. Is that building barriers and stereotypes too? I think the cultural side is complex - we distrust those who are not like us, even if they live over the road.
YES...thank you for saying this so clearly.
“When something is filthy, you either clean it up or throw it out. You clean it up if it is something of value to you, and it is not irreparable.”
Yes. An apt metaphor. Why do we keep eating this vomit?
I think of men like Idi Amin, whose Asian victims Canada received when he expelled them. Americans see one brand of racial essentialism and the world is filled with them, many brands, as we both know.
Race is a terrible terrible idea.
I am mixed race, a liminal creature racially speaking, and I’m glad because I’m excluded from this cultish identitarianism seemingly predicated on some perceived essentialism linked to melanin levels.
Has this devolved into a cult? A social contagion? Sometimes I wonder.
Yes. I love this idea.
Looking forward to reaching this article next time I teach Philosophy of Gender and Race!
Am I wrong in thinking cultural ghettos rather than genes feeds into racism. Short step from that to saying the West experienced the enlightenment, and are more advanced / progressive compared to cultures that believe still believe in genital mutilation, arranged marriages or give religious leaders political power - but some of that happens in 'the west'. Also, we talk about 'the south' , 'the west', 'developing countries'. Is that building barriers and stereotypes too? I think the cultural side is complex - we distrust those who are not like us, even if they live over the road.