Are we trying to assign blame and guilt, or are we trying to observe and then create a change in the systems, the systems where most behavior naturally flows from.
Here let me borrow a quote to illustrate the point.
Given my focus on the origin and history of the figure of the devil in pre-modern thought, my claims about modernity operated at a very high level of generality. This book represents an effort to provide a more detailed warrant for my account of the devil’s legacy through a concentrated study of one particular paradigm of modern secular governance, namely neoliberalism, which I put forward as the paradigm in which the strategy of moral entrapment that I call demonization has been pushed to its uttermost limits.
Neoliberalism makes demons of us all, confronting us with forced choices that serve to redirect the blame for social problems onto the ostensible poor decision making of individuals. This strategy attempts to delegitimate protest—and ultimately even political debate as such—in advance by claiming that the current state of things is what we have all collectively chosen.
Put another way this is about blame and power. Even a billionaire has limited power for they can not undo the past that existed prior to them, and even with all their wealth a billionaire is merely 1 person in a 100 trillion dollar economy, We are made into demons via this theology of blame for we do not have the power to truly change the world.
All this blame, all this demonization is at the end a poison that prevents solidarity. Model Minority myths is not reality. It was never reality, it was always a mental fiction, a mental ideal that turns human beings that are subjects into objects in order to sustain the idea of the myth. Treating people like objects prevents developing real relationships with them.
Model Minorities Myths is a poison but it is also exhausting for it prevents social bonds that can be restorative in a way that atomized individuals can not restore oneself. Some aspect of life we can never provide for ourselves for Humans are social creatures and as it is written “it is not good to be alone” , social bonds provide certain type of energies that restore us, providing us energy that sparks joy, allowing us to see the beauty in this world, not just the ugliness.
Acknowledging privilege is not about causing action, or assigning blame, it is realizing how empty these false myths that used to bind us are, how there is nothing in that box, it is empty, it was always empty. And then reaching out to others with 4 things.
1) loving-kindness also called benevolence (maitrī/metta)
2) compassion (karuna)
3) empathetic joy (mudita)
4) equanimity (upekṣā/upekkha)
Equanimity is not just even mindness in the face of adversity and stress. It is also treating other people impartiality. Capturing the meaning of Equanimity is hard for it is an abstract that language does not perfectly capture but it is a thing you cultivate, but it also a thing easy to cultivate with the right relationships around you to trigger a gregarious of spirit, a generosity, sometimes called grace as in the Greek word Charis.
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In sum it is not about failure, or privilege, or blame.
It is about relationships and recognizing others needs but also taking delight in their joys and success, while they also do the same to you.
- 30/06/2020 09:49:03 PM
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