A quote from a book

which was published in 1975 (but apparently there's an earlier edition from 1967) goes like this:

When psychic defense mechanisms such as denial and repression play an excessive role in the solution of conflicts, whether on the individual or collective level, perception of reality invariably narrows and stereotyped prejudices spread; in reciprocal reinforcement, the prejudices in turn protect the process of repression or denial from disturbance. p14, The Inability To Mourn

The book was written about Germany after WWII and it's very interesting since it frames the German society setting and its dealings with the Hitler era in psychological/psychoanalytic terms...which...resonates with me because of my educational background.

The book is spooky in that I've learned enough about the U.S. and how our society is structured by dominance/subordination to easily see staggering similarities between the Germany described in the book and the U.S.

I'm beginning to think all this stuff is just Europe (maybe) or any nation where the society is pretty much controlled/shaped by white men.

A book discussion group I attend just finished a book by a white guy and by the 3rd week of talking about the book...almost everyone quit coming to the group (which had never happened before) and I realized that in the months I've been attending this weekly group...this book was the first one we had focused on that was written by a white guy. It was some piece of fluff (recommended by a white guy) about "higher" spirituality...all it was doing was advocating ignoring the horror around us and working to feel good anyway. Jeez.

I'm pretty much convinced that any book written by a white guy that's about society or how to live or stuff like that is mostly blather. The exception might be if they are writing in a way that rejects the status quo or is pointed toward drastic revision of society, then they might be worth listening to...otherwise they're pretty much full of crap. That includes talking heads you see on TV or any white guys in movies.

Ever notice how movies that feature white men are almost always some sort of hero fantasy that is consistent with how a 10 year old boy thinks? Help!

Think about it...the civil war (U.S.), WWI and WWII and and and and...all brought to you courtesy of...guess who...white men. Why would anyone think white guys had anything to say worth listening to? And yet, I grew up being taught that they knew best, I believed they did and and I listened and listened and listened for decades. Good grief.

White men might be ok as plumbers and technicians and such, but as far as having a handle on how society can operate in a way that enhances life for everyone...we would be smart to run if they try to talk about that. 

I'm embarrassed at my foolishness to not have picked up on all this before now. And I'm embarrassed that I'm a white man. Oy vey!