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Yes - but also no, we clearly have better answers to questions of race and slavery, and we shouldn't doubt that we made mistakes. That's not at all to disagree
by mcfedr 3y ago
Yes - but also no, we clearly have better answers to questions of race and slavery, and we shouldn't doubt that we made mistakes.
That's not at all to disagree with the article, I think changing art of the time is very misleading, if you don't want to read such things, just read newer books.
- hardlianotion 3y agoNot at all clear to me that we have the best attitude toward race now.
- jiwidi 3y agoI did not imply that our answers to questions regarding race and slavery have worsened over time. My argument is that we should not conceal history because our responses have generally improved over the course of history (and will continue to improve in the future). History serves as a reminder that we must remain humble and open to further progress. I agree with you in the changing of art, I would not change them but rather label or restrict to adults, so they serve us as what they are: pieces of history to learn from.
- zacharytelschow 3y ago> we clearly have better answers to questions of race Do we? It seems like racial tensions are higher than they've been during my lifetime because there's a grievance culture explicitly focused on race instead of treating people as individuals based on their merits. By the standards of today, MLK's request to treat people based not on the color of their skin but the content of their character is rejected as racist.
- space_fountain 3y agoRacial tensions being higher doesn’t necessarily mean that we have the wrong answers. Certainly racial tensions went up in the lead up to the civil war. They also went up during the civil rights movement
- zacharytelschow 3y agoCivil War -> end of slavery Civil rights movement -> equality under the law of all Americans (with later protections under affirmative action actually giving minorities a modest advantage in some situtions) What hoped for outcome is being sought now? "Give me money because things aren't fair" isn't a change in law or status, it's grievance politics that has no logical end. Disparate outcomes aren't proof of social injustice; disparate outcomes are proof of disparate behavior.
- flippinburgers 3y agoI don't follow why you are being downvoted because reparations in the form of money paid out will likely never quell the demand for more reparations.
- dudul 3y agoI would argue race was better handled in the antiquity. Rulers could be of any race, slaves could be of any race. Some slaves who were teachers or artists were also probably happier and more respected than a lot of "free" people of today. I'm obviously playing devils advocate here, but as I said in another comment: we always think we've figured things out better than the people before us.
- flippinburgers 3y agoI have to disagree that hyper-focusing on race and carving out "safe spaces", that allow different racial groups to gather exclusively, and teaching kids that people with their same skin color did bad things that are still not fixed - implying that they should carry the sins of the father - is at all a better state of racial understanding. I just don't see bridge building taking place in the current approaches.