Denial, or Willful Ignorance? The Daily Show Interviews Ta-Nehisi Coates

Have you ever felt yourself gazing away from disturbing information? If so, don't be too hard on yourself; it's a normal reaction. The flight response helps us to cope with difficult news, images, and experiences. But does it really help, or does it merely perpetuate the issues themselves? 

In his interview with Jon Stewart, Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about his book, "Between the World and Me". Ta-Nehisi speaks of his history and the murder of his friend, who was unjustifiably trailed and killed by police. (right)

Though I  am wary of Ta-Nehisi's interpretation of the "arch of justice", as described by Martin Luther King, Jr.,  his explanation of it certainly leaves me genuinely wanting more of an explanation as to why he feels this way.





Denial
Stanley Cohen, author of "States of Denial", delves deeply into the complex psychological aspects of denial. It's worth the read as it helps us to be more cognoscente of the way in which we avoid dealing with situations that we find too disturbing. For more information, take a look at a book review done by Mark Hamm. (right) 

In his article, "Ta-Nehisi Coates' Surprising Explanation of Climate Change", Ryan Cooper sheds some light on Ta-Nehisi's view on climate change. In his book, Ta-Nehisi gives some interesting input on the matter when he writes:

                            "[T]he damming of the seas for voltage, the extraction of coal, the transmuting of oil into food, 
                          have enabled an expansion in plunder with no known precedent. And this revolution has freed 
                          the Dreamers to plunder not just the bodies of humans but the body of the Earth itself... Some-
                          thing more fierce than Marcus Garvey is riding on the whirlwind. " (For more, click here)

Ta-Nehisi Coates' eloquent demeanor invites us to listen more closely and focus more deeply on his message. I enjoyed learning about his observations, opinions, and experiences because he spoke calmly but passionately and without condescension. I look forward to hearing more from him.

At the end of the day, we cannot simply ignore the ongoing issues of injustice in our world. Racism does exist, and yes, even on American soil. So do slavery and child labor, among others. In a brief mention of the Confederate Flag, Coates points out both the stark racism that exists in larger numbers than we think, and our dominating state of denial. Sometimes seems as though our country is made up of two majorities: those who discriminate and those in denial. Of course, this sweeping generalization does not account for the thousands, if not, millions of global citizens who stand tall against acts of discrimination and social injustice, but the fact remains that not many systemic, concrete actions have been made to permanently abolish such acts.

If you wish to read just a snip-it of Cohen's book, check out the first chapter, "Elementary Forms of Denial". It will leave you feeling extremely informed, and most likely push you to look inside yourself -  if not just a little - to discover some denial of your own. Fear not! We all live with some form of denial, now and then. Being aware of it and actively working against act as the proof of our best efforts to maintain a life of compassion and dignity for all.


Sources;

Cohen, S. (2001). Elementary forms of denial. States of denial: Knowing about atrocities and suffering. Cambridge, MA:                 Polity Press. 1-20.

Hamm, M. (2003). Book review: States of denial: Knowing about atrocities and suffering. In Critical Criminology. Retrieved           from: http://www.observatoriodeseguranca.org/files/state%20of%20denial.pdf

The Daily Show. (2015). Complete interview: Jon Stewart interviews Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Daily Show. Retrieved 
        from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhMYYr6_dh8

Cooper, R. (2015). Ta-Nehisi Coates' surprising explanation of climate change. In The Week. Retrieved from 
        http://theweek.com/articles/568210/tanehisi-coates-surprising-explanation-climate-change


NK2015