In her book, Outlaw Culture, bell hooks expressed puzzlement with folks who authentically confront one “domination” while often passively supporting or ignoring another. She pointed specifically to black men who fought against racial discrimination but ignored the plight of women, and to white women who were on the front lines of gender discrimination but ignored the racial discrimination against their black sisters. hooks observed that many activists act on behalf of self-interest, attempting to end “what we feel is hurting us,” rather than on behalf of “a collective transformation of society, an end to politics of dominations.”
Recommendation: Read bell hooks’ Outlaw Culture or All About Love…or listen to her talk about love. Read Carol Gilligan’s In a Human Voice or listen to her talk about it and the ethics of care (that link gives you access to the book’s Epilogue).
Something to Consider: Why is it that many Americans who self-identify as Christian choose to support a man and a movement that embodies and endorses insult, lies, authoritarianism, exclusion, and dehumanization of perceived opponents—in a virtually complete absence of any manifestation of love or care? Here’s a quick inquiry (6 minutes) into that question:
Share this post