Maybe the most inspiring essay I have ever read about the value of perspective for finding opportunity and the importance of responsibility and work for success in the world today.
Your article brought two strange things in the history of SA to mind. First, that in its opposition to apartheid the ANC had a deliberate policy of "breaking" traditional culture through "liberation before education" etc. - selling a story of dependence on the ANC as provider. But even more weird thing is - apartheid was a precursor in which Afrikaner victimhood as an essential part of the story, and support for the National Party was sold as the only way out (much of high school history in the late 1970s was a recital of how everyone was mean to the Afrikaners). So I try to point to apartheid as identity/victim politics taken to its logical conclusion (no, I haven't persuaded anyone yet).
This is very beautifully written and celebrates hope. One of the worst aspects of elevating victimhood is that it traps people by having them look to others to redeem them rather than working to improve themselves.
It's a continuum. Neither the right nor left is entirely correct or entirely wrong. Billionaires aren't bad because they are wealthy. It is the power they wield with that wealth which is the problem, warping democratic institutions and imposing their will as if their ability to build wealth in some field makes them experts at everything (Trump is the ultimate example of this, but hubris and great wealth often go hand-in-hand).
The left's endless desire to litigate past injustices is a pathology, as is the right's repeated decent into conspiracy to explain their failures.
Immigrants need to assimilate while also having a connection to who they are and where they come from so that they have identities (which people need). The US is much better at this than Europe has ever been.
Moderation. That's always been the secret. Aristotle wrote about it thousands of years ago, and we still haven't learned the lesson.
Brilliantly and eloquently written - highlighting hometruths we all need to imbue in ourselves and in our fellow human beings, whatever their perceived place in society.
I pulled this out as the best quotable passage in the whole, fine essay:
“It’s the possibility that people might spend their entire lives waiting for someone else to give them the future they could have spent their lives building.”
As a lifelong American (and Texan) with substantial concern for the residual costs of Slavery and Jim Crow, I remain concerned for—and sympathetic to—the residual legacy of those key tragedies on a substantial amount of Black American families, to this day.
Few of us manage to escape the full burden of familial dysfunctions we grow up with, and certainly the whole range of Black mistreatment—with the Civil Rights Act just 62 years past, and Jim Crow remaining slow as molasses in getting taken out of the way.
Thus, I believe that Black Americans, to an appropriate extent, deserve consideration—for how slavery ripped up biological families and left Black America with strong matriarchy, and discouraging, gender-characterized views of Black women and Black men.
Also, Black America has been slow to work its way into the “Good Ole Boy” network that, here in Texas, still holds substantial power.
But:
That said, these constricting aspects of American culture are best—and most-fairly—addressed only on a systemic basis; not focused on individuals.
At the same time—as Chico Maya describes in his fine essay, here—each individual of us has a good amount of power, to take our own circumstances into our own hands, and to rise above whatever dysfunctions in our background work to hold us down.
Xcellent article. V well thought out and weitten .Thank you and fascunating tohear of Finlands philisophy for living happily together .MAKES SUCH SENSE!!!!! “Nihilism Never Works!”
Thanks so much for sharing your very beautiful story, Chico!
Maybe the most inspiring essay I have ever read about the value of perspective for finding opportunity and the importance of responsibility and work for success in the world today.
Your article brought two strange things in the history of SA to mind. First, that in its opposition to apartheid the ANC had a deliberate policy of "breaking" traditional culture through "liberation before education" etc. - selling a story of dependence on the ANC as provider. But even more weird thing is - apartheid was a precursor in which Afrikaner victimhood as an essential part of the story, and support for the National Party was sold as the only way out (much of high school history in the late 1970s was a recital of how everyone was mean to the Afrikaners). So I try to point to apartheid as identity/victim politics taken to its logical conclusion (no, I haven't persuaded anyone yet).
Well thought out ! Thank you for sharing.
I've been enjoying your videos on YouTube. I'm so glad you popped up in my Algorithm.
This is very beautifully written and celebrates hope. One of the worst aspects of elevating victimhood is that it traps people by having them look to others to redeem them rather than working to improve themselves.
It's a continuum. Neither the right nor left is entirely correct or entirely wrong. Billionaires aren't bad because they are wealthy. It is the power they wield with that wealth which is the problem, warping democratic institutions and imposing their will as if their ability to build wealth in some field makes them experts at everything (Trump is the ultimate example of this, but hubris and great wealth often go hand-in-hand).
The left's endless desire to litigate past injustices is a pathology, as is the right's repeated decent into conspiracy to explain their failures.
Immigrants need to assimilate while also having a connection to who they are and where they come from so that they have identities (which people need). The US is much better at this than Europe has ever been.
Moderation. That's always been the secret. Aristotle wrote about it thousands of years ago, and we still haven't learned the lesson.
You have an important message to share. I wish you much success.
Brilliantly and eloquently written - highlighting hometruths we all need to imbue in ourselves and in our fellow human beings, whatever their perceived place in society.
Lovely story thank you Chico
I pulled this out as the best quotable passage in the whole, fine essay:
“It’s the possibility that people might spend their entire lives waiting for someone else to give them the future they could have spent their lives building.”
As a lifelong American (and Texan) with substantial concern for the residual costs of Slavery and Jim Crow, I remain concerned for—and sympathetic to—the residual legacy of those key tragedies on a substantial amount of Black American families, to this day.
Few of us manage to escape the full burden of familial dysfunctions we grow up with, and certainly the whole range of Black mistreatment—with the Civil Rights Act just 62 years past, and Jim Crow remaining slow as molasses in getting taken out of the way.
Thus, I believe that Black Americans, to an appropriate extent, deserve consideration—for how slavery ripped up biological families and left Black America with strong matriarchy, and discouraging, gender-characterized views of Black women and Black men.
Also, Black America has been slow to work its way into the “Good Ole Boy” network that, here in Texas, still holds substantial power.
But:
That said, these constricting aspects of American culture are best—and most-fairly—addressed only on a systemic basis; not focused on individuals.
At the same time—as Chico Maya describes in his fine essay, here—each individual of us has a good amount of power, to take our own circumstances into our own hands, and to rise above whatever dysfunctions in our background work to hold us down.
Xcellent article. V well thought out and weitten .Thank you and fascunating tohear of Finlands philisophy for living happily together .MAKES SUCH SENSE!!!!! “Nihilism Never Works!”