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Brian Mowrey's avatar

This was a good read, though it disappointed on the "derangement" front.

Tying critical theory and black nationalism together is a bit of an oversimplification - at least some strains of 20th Century black nationalism were primarily concerned with the cultural erasure observed during mid-century assimilation on its own terms, not in terms of an overarching power structure - these strains were alive and well in mid-90s alt hip hop, for example. And indeed, they raised profoundly interesting questions about the relative value of preserving identity vs prioritizing material advancement that have no easy answers (what is the point of assimilating to advance, if you will no longer be "you" afterward?) - though Irish, Italian, and German immigrants never had the luxury of confronting the same conundrum.

Is the sentence beginning "In essence, there..." meant to employ a double negative?

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Ellie's avatar

It's less so tying critical theory and Black nationalism and more highlighting a real narrative structure taken on by contemporary American progressives. Critical theory inherently orients itself around the idea of "exceptional" historiography around Black identity -- that Black individuals' unique experience entitles them in some way to whatever progressive policies are currently pushed. For example, the false attribution of sexual progressivism (LGBTQ) and the Black minority -- in a survey done many Blacks expressed preferences against Obergefell v. Hodges' decision on same-sex marriage. Liberal values that progressives portray as fundamental to Black voters are not fundamental at all, but rather deft political strategy to further progressive goals and generate liberal rapport.

The cultural identity of being Black is suppressed in favor of a narrative that posits Blacks as a unique demographic in need of progressive aid. It's why many Black nationalists tend to take issue with progressive politics, despite these progressive politics "focusing" themselves on their Black constituency.

Also, there was no intended double negative. Glad you enjoyed the article!

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Brian Mowrey's avatar

Exactly - original black nationalism is either ambivalent or antithetical to critical theory (it would be considered misogynist by post-modern standards, for example). The new form is a hijacked zombie concept where, in the white progressive mind, "Africanism" is basically whatever is the opposite of the modern descendent of Anglo-Protestant norms (in the Black progressive mind, I don't think any attention is paid to the Africanism question unless in the service of creating diversity training materials). In this way the new form is compatible with your description of the exception - the great reversal of Black American progress caused by the War on Poverty can be explained for example by the (*literally* racist) theory of the "incompatibility" of Anglo norms with "Black bodies."

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Michael David Cobb Bowen's avatar

Good lord. My own father was a black nationalist and I can hardly parse this. Nevertheless, it remains interesting to consider the lengths to which it is interesting to scholars to parse what is presumed to be thought by this group or not. The intellectual curiosity of blackness is like an infinite fractal. That is to be expected because there is no 'black experience', there is only the ragtag testimony of those millions of individuals presumed to be 'black' and what gets documented of their obiter dicta. The interpretation marches on.

Still, I think I understand the point of analyzing Progressive thought as it orients itself to its take on blackness versus the self-sustaining reaction of blacks in the process of orienting themselves to their perceptions of white hegemony. It's a battle of lasers in a house of mirrors. A sad little crippled pas de deux.

I hope we never get a handle on it. Then again, some people cannot wait to be objectified.

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Ryan's avatar

This was excellent. I hope part 2 arrives

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Menno's avatar

Well written, articulates much of my own feelings on the matter. Thanks.

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zo's avatar

your political takes are trash. you should just post pictures of your ass with your cashtag next to it

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Ellie's avatar

thanks so much

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