Validate this
Dr. Jackson gave me food for thought last week. This makes much more sense in context of the framework of his work: Islam and the BlackAmerican, but in short - his theory, as I understood it - and crudely pose it here - divides the world into "white" and "black" - not neccessarily in terms of a white race or a black race, but in terms of percieved superiority.
He addressed the issue of the Danish Cartoon. He addressed the reaction the cartoons in Europe and posed this scenario: what if the cartoons were sketched in the Congo, and printed in newspapers around the African sub-continent. Would it really have created the hue-and-cry that it did? He posited that such an action would have resulted in a tame sortof - "Eh, those silly Africans." His theory is that the reason that the cartoon-controversy became such an issue, in part, was the fact of WHO was propogating this message - the Europeans, the "white" Europeans - again posed in terms of a percieved superiority. His point was - we cared more about the Europeans cartoons because we care about what the Europeans think - we care more about the validation or approval of Europe, than we do about the validation or approval of other communities.
To be validated by those who we percieve as "superior,"* is the very validation that we seek.
I've transferred this idea of validation to the personal context. Actions or remarks by those whom we wish to be validated or approved by, are much more intensely recieved than actions by those whom we don't need (or want) validation from.
In other words - there are two kinds of people; one group is comprised of those with whom we know where we stand - and I (as most would be) am incredibly comfortable in this group. The other is the group comprised of those with whom we do not know where we stand - we are unsure of our place - and while there are moments of eureaka-duh-how-did-i-miss-that, there are also alot of moments where we're left dumbfounded - and unsure of how to behave/react. Those situations are incredibly awkward. So when you recieve validation or approval from the group amongst whom you're unsure of your place - it is sweeter than it would be otherwise. And criticism, from this group - is incredibly bitter and hard to swallow.
This is a bit pointless - but I felt the need to touch upon this analogy. Yes, at 1.30am, the night before a conference.
* perhaps "superior" has a negative connotation to it - a better description is those whom we feel are better than we are, more advanced, more ... solid?
He addressed the issue of the Danish Cartoon. He addressed the reaction the cartoons in Europe and posed this scenario: what if the cartoons were sketched in the Congo, and printed in newspapers around the African sub-continent. Would it really have created the hue-and-cry that it did? He posited that such an action would have resulted in a tame sortof - "Eh, those silly Africans." His theory is that the reason that the cartoon-controversy became such an issue, in part, was the fact of WHO was propogating this message - the Europeans, the "white" Europeans - again posed in terms of a percieved superiority. His point was - we cared more about the Europeans cartoons because we care about what the Europeans think - we care more about the validation or approval of Europe, than we do about the validation or approval of other communities.
To be validated by those who we percieve as "superior,"* is the very validation that we seek.
I've transferred this idea of validation to the personal context. Actions or remarks by those whom we wish to be validated or approved by, are much more intensely recieved than actions by those whom we don't need (or want) validation from.
In other words - there are two kinds of people; one group is comprised of those with whom we know where we stand - and I (as most would be) am incredibly comfortable in this group. The other is the group comprised of those with whom we do not know where we stand - we are unsure of our place - and while there are moments of eureaka-duh-how-did-i-miss-that, there are also alot of moments where we're left dumbfounded - and unsure of how to behave/react. Those situations are incredibly awkward. So when you recieve validation or approval from the group amongst whom you're unsure of your place - it is sweeter than it would be otherwise. And criticism, from this group - is incredibly bitter and hard to swallow.
This is a bit pointless - but I felt the need to touch upon this analogy. Yes, at 1.30am, the night before a conference.
* perhaps "superior" has a negative connotation to it - a better description is those whom we feel are better than we are, more advanced, more ... solid?
posted by zai5h at Saturday, February 03, 2007
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