Saturday, August 22, 2009

Universalism for us, tribalism for them: There seems to be a subtle way in which whites folks think they are better than blacks. Most whites feel that tribalism is for losers. Blood-love is primitive, atavistic. But then they think there is something wrong with blacks when they aren't loyal to each other.

The recent example that comes to mind is Bill O'Reilly on his show berating Al Sharpton's defense of Michael Jackson as a black icon. Bill said, how can blacks admire Jackson when he chose a white man to be the father of his kids? The implication is that it was an act of race betrayal, and betrayal of this sort is beyond the pale for anyone to be considered a black hero. A good black has to be a tribalist, according to O'Reilly. He seems to be saying that race loyalty is just what blacks do, and good for them.

I imagine he doesn't see the problem, but he simultaneously believes, I'm sure, what I described before: as a general principle, tribalists are inferior people. It sounds like a form of "the soft racism of low expectations." Racial universalism is a standard only whites can rise to. "True, many blacks are tribalists, but what can you expect from them?"

6 comments:

  1. O'Reilly may not be the best example here, he pretty much just hates black people, or don't you recall when he visited a harlem restaurant and was surprised it was no different than any other NYC restaurant?

    "I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." O'Reilly added: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' "

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  2. "Look at my immune system... it can take more virulence than yours!"

    Extended phenotypes.

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  3. Anonymous6:57 PM

    Attention editor

    SUPRMACY above should be SUPREMACY

    Thank you,

    anon 6:53 pm

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  4. "Most whites feel that tribalism is for losers. Blood-love is primitive, atavistic."

    What's your opinion? IS racialism and tribalism primarily for losers who have no individual success?

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  5. O'Reilly is a white tribalist, so obviously he's going to think blacks should be tribalists as well.

    Watch him speak longingly of the White Christian Power Structure.

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  6. Anonymous10:29 AM

    One

    "What's your opinion? IS racialism and tribalism primarily for losers who have no individual success?"

    Get over it. You flirt with White Advocacy, but are unwilling to commit. You are caught between the sense of 'being apart of the movement' and the white status game....Sounds needy. Your trying to seek alpha either way, and needing to try is a bad start.
    Safest to just toss your lot with the later, and hope you can swim.

    Regardless, the question isn't 'is it?' -- obviously so, since most of the more successful pursue their egalitarian status game, which defines success this way.
    The question you have to ask is 'will it? I guess that depends on how many OneSTDV's decide to hop aboard in the end or if the ship ever leaves port.

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