Patricia Collins made some very interesting and important arguments in her article. The one quote from Matrix of Domination that stuck out to me was the one about community related to Capitalism and oppression. She said, "The definition of community implicit in the market model sees community as arbitrary and fragile, structured fundamentally by competition and domination."
This is a very powerful quote that I think relates to all forms of community. In this context of capitalism and in the book Beloved, I believe her argument is valid. In a capitalist world, trading, investments, and all other types of interactions in business are either confidential or competitive. People often want to have one on one structured battles and this leads to an oppressor and the oppressed. For me, this is where community is so important.
In a world where there is inequality and discrimination in all forms, community is vital. A group or individual on the top don't see community as important. However, for a diminished or lower group in society, the idea of coming together and uniting is essential. I think we see this in Beloved. The slaves and ex-slaves constantly look for that sense of belonging and equality but are denied by the white population. Collins is right when she says this applies to the market model. All in all, whether it's in slavery, a school, in the business world, or anywhere else, there needs to be a strong foundation of community in a society where we strive to be on the top and dominate.
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