Humans are molded by their environment. From a young age humans are able to interpret different situations and decide the best way to handle them, based off of human nature as well as instinct. The power of self identification is that of major significance in discovering who one is as an individual. Over time people go through many phases, obstacles, and challenges which help mold them into the people that they wish to be or to become. A force, completely created by the mind as a response to change itself and the threat of change, tends to shape minorities as well as society as a whole in America. That force being racism. Self-identification is a difficult concept to grasp when people are telling you that your completely normal and civil way of life is incorrect and that you should be murdered for it. It’s very difficult to discover who you are as a person when you have no idea how the other person is going to interpret you at first glance. However it is identifying who you are as an individual which is most important when resisting all of this hate. Rankine identifies , “You are you even before you grow into understanding you are not anyone, worthless, not worth you” (311). Although racists may try to break someone down and make them believe that they are useless, they must remember their roots and who they are as a PERSON.
Racism is a concept which is primarily learned from generation to generation both intentionally and unintentionally. The true strength of racism is so strong that it tends to linger on within those who are impacted negatively by it. According to Rankine, this lingering often can lead to many of the feelings of frustration and feelings described before as being worthless. The frustration of racism doesn’t only come with the nasty treatment being perpetuated, but also the fact that often it is impossible to change a racists views of someone, “All our fevered history won’t instill insight, won’t turn a body conscious, won’t make that look in the eyes say yes, though there is nothing to solve even as each moment is an answer” (322).
Throughout Citizen, Rankine often refers to racism effecting people as “injuries”. She does this in part to show the significance it has in damaging the mental state of those affected, but it also draws some insight in how injuries are usually unwanted and linger as well. Just like racism, injuries are a form of adversity which one can learn from and it could help their character. These “injuries” are so harmful that they often can leave one questioning their own being, “the worst injury is feeling
you don’t belong so much-to you” (Rankine 334). Rankine also highlights the constant fear of the justice system that many people of color live in and then follows it up with the far too common response that is given when a tragedy happens to someone of color, “Yes, and this is how you are a
citizen: Come on. Let it go.Move on.” (342). Perhaps this instance is one of the major factors into the problem with self identification. Being told that you need to move on from your justified feelings of angst, hate, and fear. Being told that the way that you are feeling is incorrect. Often when a racist microaggression happens, it is either left unidentified by those unaffected or it numbed by some sort of coping mechanism such as “close-the-gap laughter”. Instead of finding a solution to the problem, society as a whole tends to ignore it and pretend as if it doesn’t exist. In a world filled with people telling you who you are having never met you, it is almost impossible to find out who you are yourself. Who you would be without the injuries.
1: Can you think of any examples from either Citizen or personal experience where a racist event/microaggression was silenced by a coping mechanism such as an awkward laugh or ignorance? What was the overall feeling of the situation afterwards between both parties?
2: Do you believe that self-identification is equally as harmful as it is beneficial to ones mental state? Why or why not?
P.S. my page numbers refer to the PDF copy I used. (http://1.droppdf.com/files/zBFF0/citizen-an-american-lyric-claudia-rankine.pdf)
Ryan,
I love your connection of Citizen to the real world. I especially agree with your explanation that an individuals experiences and interactions with others shape the way they see the world. These previous experiences can also shape the way in which others will behave in the future.
An example of an experience that would shape an individuals future actions can be found on page 159 of Citizen. Ranking states, “A woman pulled in and started to park her car facing mine. Our eyes met and what passed passed as quickly as the look away” (159). The woman that the speaker describes practices ignorance to escape a situation of racism. Sometimes situations of ignorance can be even more harmful than situations of direct confrontation. It can be concluded that the speaker would be negatively affected by this awkward situation and therefore expect something similar to happen in the future.
I believe that self-identification can be even more harmful than beneficial to one’s mental state. The way others view us and their interactions with us often lead to feelings of self-consciousness and questioning of the self. Not only race but other physical attributes including beauty, weight, height, etc. can make people question their own identity and make them feel uncomfortable. However, race is the most prominent of these because its history and institutionalism are so secure.
Ryan,
Your point regarding how people respond to an instance of microaggression stood out to me. I also noticed this idea throughout the text, and specifically in Section 7. I think Rankine is trying to make note of avoidance in addressing the issue of racism. I noticed in this section that Rankine wants us to recognize the use of laughter to fill the silence following an example of microaggression. Rankine writes, “You know feelings destabilize since everyone you ask is laughing that kind of close-the-gap laughter: all the ha-ha’s wanting uninterrupted views” (152). Rankine wants the reader to see that in a world where people are trying to find their own identities, and are followed with hate and judgment. The feeling they begin to acquire over this injustice goes ignored. The feelings of the aggressed are minimized by the laughter that fills the silence between the aggressor and their target.
2: Do you believe that self-identification is equally as harmful as it is beneficial to ones mental state? Why or why not?
Self-Identification I believe is a powerful component of ones life. However, I also believe that in order to properly build an identity for yourself, you believing you could be or are something must be backed up by your actions. Your self-identify as a good person who does good things should be reinforced by the evidence you bring to the table. I do not endorse the idea however that an aggressive and extremely damaging action or prolonged mental degrading should be abled in any way to force an identity onto any one person or group of people. Grouping people unjustly and illogically leads to a great unreliance in a public opinion because one group of individuals is degrading another group of individuals without a basic foundation of reasoning. The text displays these mental abuses and how they affect the person. They force the speaker to think and question themselves at points. This action forces an individual’s self-identity.
Can you think of any examples from either Citizen or personal experience where a racist event/microaggression was silenced by a coping mechanism such as an awkward laugh or ignorance? What was the overall feeling of the situation afterwards between both parties?
The book finishes with a story about microaggression that is worth mentioning. Although it is not covered up by a moment of awkward laughter, both parties did silence the situation. The narrator explains a moment that happened to them in a parking lot, saying, “I was waiting in the car for time to pass. A woman pulled in and started to park her car facing mine. Our eyes met and what passed passed as quickly as the look away. She backed up and parked on the other side of the lot.” (159) This moment shows how the woman in the opposite car is filled with ignorance and has been taught to fear African Americans. She is too afraid to get out of her car while the narrator sits in theirs, so she moves to the other side of the lot in order to feel “safer”. She judged the narrator solely on the color of their skin, which can cause the narrator to feel as though they give off the wrong message to other people while doing absolutely nothing at all other than sitting in their own car. The narrator ignored the situation by going into court without confronting the woman, as they stated was what they considered doing. Both parties avoiding confrontation with each other, which never solves anything. The woman who runs from fear will never learn that not every African American is dangerous, and the narrator won’t discover why they are perceived in the way that they are.
1) My own personal examples of a microaggressions that was silenced by a awkward laugh was when someone asked me, “You don’t sound like you’re Chinese” or “You’re Asian, do you speak Asian?” or “Are you from Asia or China?”. It is bewildering that some people even asked these questions or said these statements that they only thing you can really do is laugh. The people saying these things thought they were right and would not admit that they were wrong or insulting me.
2) Self-identification can be harmful to one’s mental state because it places a person in a certain box, that they are labelled only as that.
Ryan,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post and how you connected this story to the reality that we live in today. The point that really stood out to me the most in your blog post was when you stated, “Rankine identifies , “You are you even before you grow into understanding you are not anyone, worthless, not worth you” (311). Although racists may try to break someone down and make them believe that they are useless, they must remember their roots and who they are as a PERSON”. When I read this quote from the book, I wasn’t sure what it meant. But when I read your interpretation, it makes sense to me now.
As far as answering your second question, I believe that self-identification is equally as harmful as it is beneficial to ones mental state. I believe this because people may identify themselves as someone who friends, family, and even society doesn’t believe is right which leads them to judge. Self- consciousness and questioning themselves takes a big toll on the mind which can lead to many mental health issues. These could include low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, and unfortunately self-harm. As Emily stated in her comment above, race is probably the most prominent because of the history behind it.
Ryan,
A really great point you brought up was how the book states that racism is like an injury. I believe they state this because an injury may only happen once but it will always linger inside of you and you will never forget it. Personal experiences of accidental or purpose awkward racism happens to everyone in everyday life. Majority of my family is white and I have one cousin that is half black so family occasions get pretty interesting. No one in my family is particularly racist but jokes are cracked at him all the time in good fun, sometimes awkward but he knows its all out of love. The overall feeling after moments like these were usually still normal and everyone has a light mood. Luckily it is family but not everyone has the same feelings after situations like this. “Can feelings be a waring sign, a disturbance, distaste, the disgrace?” This quote shows how this reaction would have been different if the same comments were made towards a non family member. Feelings can be dangerous but they can also be right and might save your life in different ways.
Ryan,
I think your post was insightful and highlighted ideas about self-identification in ways I had not thought of while reading. You made a good point when you described racism as learned intentionally and unintentionally; that made me think of when we were making community guidelines in class and addressed that we may unintentionally offend another person because we do not have the vocabulary to discuss race sufficiently. Racism is present throughout the world in ways that are not obvious and must be interpreted to truly understand. To answer your first question, I quickly thought of Caroline Wozniacki’s imitation of Serena Williams after being beaten on pages 36-37. This event distracted people from the micro aggressions targeted towards Serena and directed the focus to humor instead. Making fun of Serena’s attributes was an escape for Wozniacki to ignore the real meaning of her actions.
Ryan,
You made some great points, but I especially resonated with the fact that its hard to have a solid sense of self when you never know how anyone is going to interpret you. You see, growing up on Long Island, my life has been a series of unfortunate microaggressions. My mother taught me from the time I could speak to always be careful. Simple tasks like going to the mall with friends were complicated because I felt that I couldn’t linger in a store too long, for it was only so long before I’d be followed or accused of stealing. I couldn’t dress the same as my other friends, because something that was considered to be cute on my friends would be seen in a provocative way on me. Little things that chip away at you piece by piece until all thats left is what everyone else wants you to be. I push back, making every effort I can to be myself in every sense of the word, but it never ends, even to this very day. The first thing my first college roommate said to me on move in day was “Hi, do you know how to cornrow hair?” followed by “Wow you’re so lucky, you’re so dark that you’ll never have to get a tan” Situations such as these rarely have a mutual response, the party asking is always left giggling, and I am always left wondering why I have to fall victim to these preconceived notions of who I am. Has anyone else had similar experiences? How did they make you feel?
Hi Ryan,
I really like your analysis of this section on the book. I like that you focused on word choice with the use of the word “injuries” directly quoted to describe racism’s effect. In terms of your discussion questions I really like number two. In my opinion self identification can make or break one’s mental state. If an individual feels they belong with a specific group, whether it be an ethnic or peer group, it can help with their sense of belonging. This feeling of belonging would create a good/happier mental state than if one did not align themselves with a particular group. One who does not belong would feel excluded and stuck on the outside of society. These feelings of alienation will cause one to have a negative mental state whether it be from sadness, anger or loneliness. If one cannot identify themselves as belonging it will cause “injuries” to one’s mental state.
Ryan,
I really enjoyed your commentary on Citizen, and I thought that your analysis was thorough and insightful. As for your first question, one of the more memorable examples of the narrator feigning ignorance in order to not cause any problems was in the third section, in which Rankine writes, “Standing outside of the conference room, unseen by the two men waiting for the others to arrive, you hear one remark to the other that being around black people is like watching a foreign film without translation. Because you will spend the next few hours around the round table that makes conversing easier, you consider waiting a few minutes before entering the room.,” (50). This quote exemplifies how sometimes, pretending that something didn’t happen can be about protecting yourself just as much as it is about helping the other person save face. It’s implied here that part of the reason the narrator doesn’t confront these men is because she wants to save herself from the embarrassment and awkwardness of sitting across from the men she reprimanded for two hours. Sometimes, the silence brought on in the face of microaggressions is simply about protecting oneself rather than simply not being able to stand up against discrimination.