To ask if anyone has looked into critical race theory?

[Warsawa31]

There are so many terms now which have crept into our language which ten years ago were confined to academic papers - white privilege, intersectionality, people of colour, non binary, woke.
I've done some research into the philosophic basis of this, it stems from something called critical race theory.

I was interested to find out more about it, it seems quite simplistic, and it does seem that the ideas it espouses form the basis of the shift in language and culture we have seen over the last few years.

Please have a look into it and after that tell me if IABU To think it's not a good ideology to base our society on. There's no content of character mentioned, good deeds, forgiveness etc just a pyramid of power based on traits.

If I've missed interpreted it please help me to learn more.

My understanding is that critical race theory is about systematic and institutionalised racism. Which is happening every day to non-white people. And nothing to do with content of character and all that guff, which is relevant to individuals.

Hey thanks for the reply.

Yes it is about that, But it also rejects objective facts as unknowable - I.e. The subjective experience is the only valid perspective.

I'm not saying I disagree with the aims but I don't feel like this is a good way of getting there.

Feels like society is more divided

I read somewhere that critical race theory claims that racism has not reduced over time, just changed. Is that true?

#don'tdivideusnow have a good video about this. (Find them on FB or search for their website)
Also have a look at The Equiano Project

I like their discussions as open-minded, willing to listen to other points of view, not resorting to name-calling.

@Warsawa31

Hey thanks for the reply.

Yes it is about that, But it also rejects objective facts as unknowable - I.e. The subjective experience is the only valid perspective.

I'm not saying I disagree with the aims but I don't feel like this is a good way of getting there.

Feels like society is more divided

Society has always been divided. Just fragile white people don't like that being pointed out to them.

PS sorry to just post links and run but there are hours and hours of material to read/watch, it can't really be explained or simplified in a quick post, and I feel as if people who are really interested in this sort of thing will take the time to watch/read all of the material

The white fragility thing is interesting too because it seems to encompass almost every possible response (including not responding).

It's not an ideology to base society on . It's a theory about racism that should be an acknowledged part of modern civilised society . Any social ideology , Utopia or dream of a better world, involves a myriad of other values,traits & issues: poverty, animal welfare, social responsibility to name just a few: and can't be based around one theory on one subject.

Sounds very US-centric.

Racial relationships are 100% fucked up in the US, but seems rather disingenuous to assume the rest of the world works just the same.

Then again, cultural imperialism from the states is hardly a new trend. And I've noticed it particularly seems to affect English speaking nations.

@gobbynorthernbird

Society has always been divided. Just fragile white people don't like that being pointed out to them.

I take it this is from the White fragility book?

I'm trying to learn more and think critically around this. Society has always been divided in some way but used to have unifying pillars - Christianity for example. We don't have anything like that now

[quote Warsawa31]@gobbynorthernbird

Society has always been divided. Just fragile white people don't like that being pointed out to them.

I take it this is from the White fragility book?

I'm trying to learn more and think critically around this. Society has always been divided in some way but used to have unifying pillars - Christianity for example. We don't have anything like that now[/quote]
It isn't from any book. I'm just not blind. Or goady.

Also, if you think for a second that black Christians were on an equal footing to white Christians, you're fucking deluded.

I didn't say they were equal did I ?

I said there was a unifying pillar in western society that is now largely absent, western society was a lot more homogenous up until after ww2 So the social issues were not the same as we have now.

OK, so there was a unifying pillar of being white Christians.
Are you saying the societal issues that didn't exist then are down to immigration?

would that be the conclusion I am invited to draw based on this theory? It's more of a US centric theory to be honest which has had an very different past with immigration.

Nope. That is the conclusion which you appear to be drawing.

Yes don't we all wish the immigrants would bugger off with their woke words and leave us to enjoy our white christian utopia in peace.

Nope you are wrong, sorry to disappoint you but I think immigration is a good thing. One of my Maternal grandad is Indian and my father is Polish Without immigration I wouldn't exist.

Laying blame anywhere isn't what I'm trying to do - again I am not denying any inequalities my question was specifically about this theory and if it is the best placed one to help us move forward

The OP hasn’t drawn that conclusion.

Christianity is no longer a unifying pillar because of the huge numbers of people leaving the church.

So you're happy with immigrants if they're not black?

@Stripesgalore

The OP hasn’t drawn that conclusion.

Christianity is no longer a unifying pillar because of the huge numbers of people leaving the church.

Christianity was never a unifying pillar. Quite the opposite, in some places.

Feels like society is more divided

More divided than when? When in the past do you think Society was more united and equal than it is now?

I responded to your post in which you said it was a unifying pillar for white Christians, northern bird.

Coming from a mixed Protestant and Catholic family, I never saw this unity.

My point was merely that the OP never suggested a reduction in unity was down to immigration. The decline in Christianity isn’t down to immigration.

You seem determined to straw man every post. Do you actually have any opinion on critical race theory?

Inequality has increased in the U.K. in terms of wealth and social mobility.

We are a more unequal society in those terms.

But OP is perhaps referring to the US culture war in terms of division?

Read some Adolph Reed instead.

CRT is a crock of...well...just read Adolph Reed.

(AR is a black American left-wing Professor, for those about to insist that I'm leading the OP down a path of white supremacy alt-right!)