The Wretched of the Earth
by Frantz Fanon · first published 1961
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"The Wretched of the Earth is an analysis of the psychology of the colonized and their path to liberation. Bearing singular insight into the rage of colonized peoples and the role of violence in historical change, the book also incisively attacks postindependence disenfranchisement of the masses by the elite on one hand, and intertribal and interfaith animosities on the other. A veritable handbook of social reorganization for leaders of emerging nations, The Wretched of the Earth has had a major impact on civil rights, anticolonialism, and black-consciousness movements around the world."--Jack
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another book (that i have admittedly been dragging my feet on finishing) that covers this idea is 'The Wretched of the Earth' by Frantz Fanon. i have never personally been directly exposed to the ill effects of state-imposed violence to the degree that others have. it's eye-opening to more-seriously consider the positions of…
on “Charlie Kirk killed at event in Utah” ↗…one should also look at the myriad atrocities that were and continue to be committed under capitalist governments. That doesn't excuse such actions, but neither side is innocent. I suggest reading The Wretched of the Earth* Chapter 1, "On Violence". Here are a few examples off the top of my head: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust…
on “We were promised Strong AI, but instead we got metadata analysis” ↗…signifies that it has been decided to consider the masses as uninitiated. [...] Everything can be explained to the people, on the single condition that you really want them to understand.” Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, 1961, pp. 188–189
on “The app that lets you pay to control another person's life” ↗Shimer Great Books School at North Central College includes Wretched of the Earth - and other 20th century greats. https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/sites/default/files/docu...
on “St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum” ↗…psychiatrist) would get the prisoner out. All the prisoners examined by this method were guillotined. These psychiatrists boasted in front of us of this neat method of overcoming "resistance." - The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon
on “Leaked OpenAI documents reveal aggressive tactics toward former employees” ↗…artisans – all to create captive markets for British goods. During the course of British rule, India’s share of the global economy shrank from 27% to 3%. 3) Frantz Fanon had it right when he wrote, in Wretched of the Earth, that “Colonialism and imperialism have not settled their debt to us once they have withdrawn from our territories. The wealth of the imperialist nations is also our wealth. Europe is literally the creation…
on “British colonialism killed 100M Indians in 40 years” ↗Impressive! Although, I was expecting something like Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth.
on “St. John’s Reading List: A Great Books Curriculum” ↗…provides a good overview. The term is often associated with Frantz Fanon, who opposed the French colonialization of Algeria, and wrote several influential books on the subject, the most famous being The Wretched of the Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonization For Musk to engage in such an abrupt reversal of his stated free speech ideals (and barely-qualified endorsement of white nationalist conspiracy theories…
on “Advertisers Flee X as Outcry Grows Over Musk’s Endorsement of Antisemitic Post” ↗Yeah, I pretty much agree. I thought it was interesting to read that essay, and the others published in Crises of the Republic, alongside Fanon's Wretched of the Earth. Both texts have a lot to say that's useful. "Lying in Politics" seemed even more useful, especially when thinking about social media. There are a lot of well thought out, interesting takes on the…
on “Hannah Arendt: Reflections on Violence (1969)” ↗…comparison, one that gives up on human ingenuity and creativity and simply utilizes our basest instincts. Fanon may or may not have addressed these points in his writing; I confess to having read only "The Wretched of the Earth", and that was quite a few years ago, and at the time bought his arguments, lock, stock, and barrel. But regardless of his arguments, he was of a different age, one where armed struggle was a thing of…
on “The Rebel’s Clinic: A biography of Frantz Fanon” ↗…liberation is encouraged in the world of fiction - from Star Wars to Hunger Games - but is emphatically denounced as soon as it bleeds out into the real world. Funnily enough, I just finished reading The Wretched of the Earth :)
Just curious what does fighting for freedom legitimately look like in this context for you? > For Fanon in The Wretched of the Earth, the colonizer's presence in Algeria is based on sheer military strength. Any resistance to this strength must also be of a violent nature because it is the only "language" the colonizer speaks. [1] [1]…
on “IDF officers ordered to fire at unarmed crowds near Gaza food distribution sites” ↗