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mmoa_writes at 07:57pm on 29/11/2009 under aid, blah, colonialism, international issues, serious, third world problems, white privilege
mmoa_writes at 07:57pm on 29/11/2009 under aid, blah, colonialism, international issues, serious, third world problems, white privilege... I am not excusing the failure of the typical Third World state. For me, colonialism is a narrative necessary to help explain what on the surface can seem inexplicable and a way to overcome the apparently inexplicable nature of the problems the Third World faces. I don't see the point of encouraging the modern westerner to feel guilty about our heritage (and I say our because it is a heritage as much the diasporans as it is the upper class Eton-attending 'toff's) so my fashionable harping on about colonialism and white privilege and so on isn't with that intent in mind. Rather, I find discussing the phenomena to be a necessity as something we who are worst affected by them should be aware of, if only because knowledge is the surest defense against the dilemmas we face.
So, if I mention colonialism in a hypothetical discussion about foreign aid, for example, it certainly isn't code for 'The mostly-White West Must Do Moar'. It is a working theory, a centuries old narrative, as to why the billions of foreign aid is useless and why the driving ideal behind it is at best mistaken and at worst, dangerous. Likewise, when I talk about white privilege, I do not expect the average white person to flagellate themselves for my benefit*. To be frank, what you are hearing is me rebuking myself, informing myself about the realities of the society I live in so that I don't find myself crushed beneath the wheel or left futilely internalising my disappointments with society. In fact, generally speaking, when I talk about colonialism or white privilege, it is not with the average white person in mind, in the same way when a feminist/womanist talks about patriarchy, she is not neccessarily talking about each individual human male. The discussion is not me wondering how the 'White Man'TM or the 'patronizing Westerner' could be improved and enlightened; it is me wondering how we the ethnic miniority, the disaporan and the Third World citizen can be improved, how we can succeed. How we can work out our own solution without requiring - which to some it seems we are paradoxically demanding - the assistance of those we might hold most accountable.
It has been said before, but the fact is that if you say it has nothing to do with you, then chances are it genuinely doesn't. It isn't about you, for all the references that might be made to people who may or may not have been your ancestors who in turn may or may not have been the original perpetrators of the colonial dogma. It is all the difference between me bitterly blaming my mother for my personality dysfunctions and me simply acknowledging the origin of such dysfunctions. I do not require your pound of flesh and what is more, I don't even want it. It's difficult enough figuring out what the hell I'd do with it in the first place.
*Though tbh, I don't know what it is about my luck, but I don't seem to know any white liberal types who would. Unless I asked them to. But then they'd probaby enjoy it, which would defeat the point. Get with it, guys.
Oh yeah and to all you guys in London, please go and check out the Acme Project Space. My good friend Christian has his own exhibition going on and it's fabulous stuff, I assure you. I myself will be going down there on the 12th but I know some of you would be able to get there earlier. He's an awesome guy and he's come all the way from Quebec so go on and make it worthwhile!
So, if I mention colonialism in a hypothetical discussion about foreign aid, for example, it certainly isn't code for 'The mostly-White West Must Do Moar'. It is a working theory, a centuries old narrative, as to why the billions of foreign aid is useless and why the driving ideal behind it is at best mistaken and at worst, dangerous. Likewise, when I talk about white privilege, I do not expect the average white person to flagellate themselves for my benefit*. To be frank, what you are hearing is me rebuking myself, informing myself about the realities of the society I live in so that I don't find myself crushed beneath the wheel or left futilely internalising my disappointments with society. In fact, generally speaking, when I talk about colonialism or white privilege, it is not with the average white person in mind, in the same way when a feminist/womanist talks about patriarchy, she is not neccessarily talking about each individual human male. The discussion is not me wondering how the 'White Man'TM or the 'patronizing Westerner' could be improved and enlightened; it is me wondering how we the ethnic miniority, the disaporan and the Third World citizen can be improved, how we can succeed. How we can work out our own solution without requiring - which to some it seems we are paradoxically demanding - the assistance of those we might hold most accountable.
It has been said before, but the fact is that if you say it has nothing to do with you, then chances are it genuinely doesn't. It isn't about you, for all the references that might be made to people who may or may not have been your ancestors who in turn may or may not have been the original perpetrators of the colonial dogma. It is all the difference between me bitterly blaming my mother for my personality dysfunctions and me simply acknowledging the origin of such dysfunctions. I do not require your pound of flesh and what is more, I don't even want it. It's difficult enough figuring out what the hell I'd do with it in the first place.
*Though tbh, I don't know what it is about my luck, but I don't seem to know any white liberal types who would. Unless I asked them to. But then they'd probaby enjoy it, which would defeat the point. Get with it, guys.
Oh yeah and to all you guys in London, please go and check out the Acme Project Space. My good friend Christian has his own exhibition going on and it's fabulous stuff, I assure you. I myself will be going down there on the 12th but I know some of you would be able to get there earlier. He's an awesome guy and he's come all the way from Quebec so go on and make it worthwhile!
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