This episode is dedicated to George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who have been killed or suffered from the ills of racism in the U.S. and around the world. In this episode, I reflect on the concept of race and how it impacts every level of society from the individual to communities and institutions.
I argue that while we must take immediate and long-overdue action to improve and transform society and culture in key and multiple areas, including law enforcement, healthcare, housing, food and nutrition, economics, and education, we must also redefine, embrace, embody, and implement a truer understanding of the very concept of race in our hearts and minds, brains and beings, emotions and behaviors, and in our societies and cultures if we will ever create a world free of racism. This is not the only piece of the puzzle, but it is an essential one for long-term global healing and transformation.
Building from the book A Hideous Monster of the Mind: American Race Theory in the Early Republic by Bruce Dain (2002, Harvard University Press), I show how the title presents three premises and leads to the conclusion that humanity is indeed one race, and while that does not solve the problems of racism, it is essential to incorporate this truth into our world, individually and socially.
A Hideous Monster of the Mind: American Race Theory in the Early Republic
The title itself begs three questions:
1. What is race? Answer: Race is a theory
2. What is that theory? Answer: Race theory is A Hideous Monster
3. Where is that Monster? Answer: That Hideous Monster is in and of the Mind
All three points are key, first, that “race” is a “theory”, not some absolute reality or truth; second, that this “theory” is a “hideous monster”; and third, that this “hideous monster” is in and of “the mind.” In a similar characterization, psychiatrist John Woodall, makes a strong case of “racism as a disease”—a disease of the mind, with myriad symptoms that continue to afflict society.
As humans, we create our world based on our beliefs, culture, thoughts, opinions, understandings, science, and knowledge. While understanding and accepting that humanity is one race does not solve the problems of racism, to continue to believe in the false and monstrous notion of race is untenable and until it is released from our unconscious and conscious minds, our neurology and biochemistry, our emotions, thoughts, and actions, how can we truly be free?
One caveat is: considering that humans, overwhelmingly, have organized ourselves along lines of race, we can say that socially, there are different races, even though this is based on the false notion of race. The key point here is that society is a manifestation of the thoughts and beliefs of individuals and groups; and that our thoughts and beliefs can change. So, the more our thoughts and beliefs are aligned with a truer reflection of reality, i.e. humanity does not consist of many races, but rather is one race, the more rapidly and peacefully we can move forward towards a world free of racism and one based on human solidarity, compassion, love, unity, and friendship.
This is not a cure-all, nor an oversimplification of the complexity of the problem of racism, rather it is an essential piece of the puzzle to incorporate into our discourse and lives to reach the long-awaited day of a world free of racism.
I hope this serves you well and I'd love to hear your feedback: [email protected]
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