I partially agree with you because the removal of implied racial hierarchies, aka binaries, like white v. BIPOC, from one’s language is necessary but not sufficient for creating a race-less society. Also, like you I don’t believe tribal human nature changes, because binary terms in our language reflect our incessant natural ability to de…
I partially agree with you because the removal of implied racial hierarchies, aka binaries, like white v. BIPOC, from one’s language is necessary but not sufficient for creating a race-less society. Also, like you I don’t believe tribal human nature changes, because binary terms in our language reflect our incessant natural ability to demagogue, to divide each other through in-group/out-group binary identity relations, and the Good Samaritan illustrates what breaking down these binary relations looks like, to pray for and do good to our enemies (binary relation).
The salvific effect on our thoughts that these and other stories have are imo why Christ also says in John 5:39 to “search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life” (KJV). Here, perhaps consider that Christ also appealed to our intellect. He is pointing not just to revealed eternal truths but to distinct language about those truths, indispensably codified as scriptural testimony by prophets like Moses. He does so precisely because language can be false, or inaccurately describe reality and Eternal Truth. Mason is perhaps no less optimistic than Christ was about how language can make us change our thoughts for the better in our ‘fallen nature’ when Mason recognizes how language can alter our thoughts, then beliefs about each other, after which a changed heart and redemptive actions (to which you point) can follow.
For example of false language, the social justice binary trope of disparity equals discrimination (aka oppression) reveals an often false binary perception of otherwise complex racial demographic relations. It falsely provokes unwarranted agitation toward dismantling society (actions) by identifying whites as oppressors and BIPOC as oppressed. Sowell eloquently points to this ‘verbal virtuosity’, or linguistic falsehood, in “Discrimination and Disparities” and “Social Justice Fallacies”. Without this woke lingo, less faulty dichotomous perception would occur imo, less enemy-making along racial lines.
This is my best case (on the fly) for why language is necessary but not sufficient to remove racism, and why Christ does appeal to our intellect as only one among many means of reaching or opening our hearts.
I partially agree with you because the removal of implied racial hierarchies, aka binaries, like white v. BIPOC, from one’s language is necessary but not sufficient for creating a race-less society. Also, like you I don’t believe tribal human nature changes, because binary terms in our language reflect our incessant natural ability to demagogue, to divide each other through in-group/out-group binary identity relations, and the Good Samaritan illustrates what breaking down these binary relations looks like, to pray for and do good to our enemies (binary relation).
The salvific effect on our thoughts that these and other stories have are imo why Christ also says in John 5:39 to “search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life” (KJV). Here, perhaps consider that Christ also appealed to our intellect. He is pointing not just to revealed eternal truths but to distinct language about those truths, indispensably codified as scriptural testimony by prophets like Moses. He does so precisely because language can be false, or inaccurately describe reality and Eternal Truth. Mason is perhaps no less optimistic than Christ was about how language can make us change our thoughts for the better in our ‘fallen nature’ when Mason recognizes how language can alter our thoughts, then beliefs about each other, after which a changed heart and redemptive actions (to which you point) can follow.
For example of false language, the social justice binary trope of disparity equals discrimination (aka oppression) reveals an often false binary perception of otherwise complex racial demographic relations. It falsely provokes unwarranted agitation toward dismantling society (actions) by identifying whites as oppressors and BIPOC as oppressed. Sowell eloquently points to this ‘verbal virtuosity’, or linguistic falsehood, in “Discrimination and Disparities” and “Social Justice Fallacies”. Without this woke lingo, less faulty dichotomous perception would occur imo, less enemy-making along racial lines.
This is my best case (on the fly) for why language is necessary but not sufficient to remove racism, and why Christ does appeal to our intellect as only one among many means of reaching or opening our hearts.