I struggled with the antisemitism in 'Down and out in Paris and London' as it was hard to brush it off as a product of the time. Especially as it's still here as a product of our time.
I know everyone has irrational dislikes and embedded hatred of things. Some have them against people. Thankfully our understanding of what is morally wrong can evolve. Even if it fails to do so in some who never outgrow their prejudices.
His 'Antisemitism in Britain' is a tough read containing a lot of thinking out loud like. Like when he says... “the starting point for any investigation of antisemitism should not be ‘Why does this obviously irrational belief appeal to other people?’ but ‘Why does antisemitism appeal to me? What is there about it that I feel to be true?’ If one asks this question one at least discovers one’s own rationalisations, and it may be possible to find out what lies beneath them. Antisemitism should be investigated and I will not say by antisemites, but at any rate by people who know that they are not immune to that kind of emotion.”
I'm glad that Orwell owned, discussed and questioned his prejudices in the open. Although I doubt he would have survived very long on Twitter.
I feel we can grow from this kind of conversation with the self. All we need to do is define the irrational.
Thanks for making the trip to the 15th get-together. I could have chatted into the night. Next year the 25th of June falls on a Saturday, perhaps we should. :-)
Hi, thanks for this.
I struggled with the antisemitism in 'Down and out in Paris and London' as it was hard to brush it off as a product of the time. Especially as it's still here as a product of our time.
I know everyone has irrational dislikes and embedded hatred of things. Some have them against people. Thankfully our understanding of what is morally wrong can evolve. Even if it fails to do so in some who never outgrow their prejudices.
His 'Antisemitism in Britain' is a tough read containing a lot of thinking out loud like. Like when he says... “the starting point for any investigation of antisemitism should not be ‘Why does this obviously irrational belief appeal to other people?’ but ‘Why does antisemitism appeal to me? What is there about it that I feel to be true?’ If one asks this question one at least discovers one’s own rationalisations, and it may be possible to find out what lies beneath them. Antisemitism should be investigated and I will not say by antisemites, but at any rate by people who know that they are not immune to that kind of emotion.”
I'm glad that Orwell owned, discussed and questioned his prejudices in the open. Although I doubt he would have survived very long on Twitter.
I feel we can grow from this kind of conversation with the self. All we need to do is define the irrational.
Thanks for making the trip to the 15th get-together. I could have chatted into the night. Next year the 25th of June falls on a Saturday, perhaps we should. :-)