You take in things you don't want all the time. The second you hear or see some ordinary moment, all its intended targets, all the meanings behind the retreating seconds, as far as you are able to see, come into focus. Hold up, did you just hear, did you just say, did you just see, did you just do that? Then the voice in your head silently tells you to take off your foot off your throat because just getting along shouldn't be an ambition.I think this quote highlights the thought process of each parties opposing view of each other, excellently. When something controversial is said, it takes a moment to process what you heard/saw. The way she uses diction to slow down something that happens in a matter of seconds is just amazing. But more importantly how Rankine captures the reaction of either political spectrum. She captures the emotion and disbelief they have and the utter rejection of the others values within the final line. Which is incredible and completely relatable to the political world now.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Election Season and The Citizen
The upcoming election this Tuesday will be one for the ages. The political parties, and views are at polar opposites right now, and anything that is said between the two parties has enough thrust to start a full out physical or verbal altercations. The tensions between the party's can very well be summarized by an excerpt from Claudia Rankine's,Citizen:
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Rankine definitely captures the quick, snap emotions that people feel when they first come across an opposing view point. It is almost sad how much people then rely on these first reactions, for lack of a better term, without thinking about how the other came to that conclusion. It is even more interesting that although Rankine creates these lines to be put in a more racial oriented lens that line stands true for most aspects of life, including politics. How often does a person rely on their first impressions or the mere words (without thinking about their meaning or about a persons past, present and future) do humans make decisions that hurt others. Is it human nature to only acknowledge what we want to acknowledge and to not see other people as people when they differ from us, whether it be skin color or political views? How can people start to see the larger pictures not just the us against them? Why does this happen?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, but I don't necessarily believe that this quote applies to this election. Each party has come to hate the opposing one, and while they have acknowledged the differences, no one has accepted the differences. Rankine is basically saying that the two races should agree to disagree and that will be the end of the argument. In this election, that is not happening. The differences become noticed, and neither party will let it rest until they come out victorious. They can't agree to disagree because they won't ever agree.
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