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This is, in fact, quite relevant. The poem "If" is, largely, an endorsement of traditional norms of masculinity, and the same sort of far-right conservatism is

This is, in fact, quite relevant. The poem "If" is, largely, an endorsement of traditional norms of masculinity, and the same sort of far-right conservatism is the source of the racist prejudices in The White Man's Burden--and in his other famous work, The Jungle Book. In fact, the connection between the poem "If" and colonialism is even more direct: > To take one example, Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If…’ (1895), which acts as a guide to manhood for his son, takes inspiration from colonial administrator Leander Starr Jameson, presenting him as the ideal man. Source: https://projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/thehistorian/2017/05/12/man-up-the-victorian-origins-of-toxic-masculinity/ https://projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/thehistorian/2017/05/12/... Edit: the point is, it is very unsurprising that the author of The White Man's Burden would also have written this particular poem.

slibhb 5y ago
The Jungle Book is the best children's book ever written. I'd like to see a study of adult life outcomes based on whether their parents read them The Jungle Book. I think it would be revealing.
Veen 5y ago
> The poem "If" is, largely, an endorsement of traditional norms of masculinity Yes, and all the better for it.
rntksi 5y ago
Thank you. I think this idea that there's a perfect ideal to strive for is present in all culture. From someone educated in "Western" values but living with "Eastern" tradition (simplifying a lot here), I've (personally) always read Kipling as very pretentious, and a relic of an older time. However seeing how often it comes up in forums and how people always laud it when it does, I think it strikes a chord with a certain mindset (that flies past my head unfortunately), and by that it will be a poem that continues to be a guiding light. My belief is that people however should understand the context of something, even more so if it is a text that they treasure.

slibhb 5y ago

The Jungle Book is the best children's book ever written. I'd like to see a study of adult life outcomes based on whether their parents read them The Jungle Book. I think it would be revealing.

Veen 5y ago

> The poem "If" is, largely, an endorsement of traditional norms of masculinity Yes, and all the better for it.

rntksi 5y ago

Thank you. I think this idea that there's a perfect ideal to strive for is present in all culture. From someone educated in "Western" values but living with "Eastern" tradition (simplifying a lot here), I've (personally) always read Kipling as very pretentious, and a relic of an older time. However seeing how often it comes up in forums and how people always laud it when it does, I think it strikes a chord with a certain mindset (that flies past my head unfortunately), and by that it will be a poem that continues to be a guiding light. My belief is that people however should understand the context of something, even more so if it is a text that they treasure.