Reni Eddo-Lodge
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race
A challenging read and therefore a difficult book to review. Basis is about structural racism and how in particular white people don't realise how much it's in place and suffer from colour blindness or at least think that they do whilst still being part of the structurally racist society. And white people's inability to see that is why the author got tired of talking to white people about race. I think that's her reason. I can see the reasons for the structural racism viewpoint which are very strongly laid out in the book. However, there were times when I didn't agree with everything that was written but the come back is that things that I don't agree with is due to my bias and that someone who isn't white would see things from a different perspective leading to a different view. Maybe. It's a sort of Catch 22 situation for anyone who doesn't agree with the author. Having said that who am I to say she's wrong given that I am white British. Interesting and provocative chapter on feminism and also another on class which in my view is what is at the core of those agents in society who are happy to play the racist card and to encourage others to be racist. Keeping people down gaining little of the rewards that we should and could enjoy as a society, whilst letting a few up, is the underlying structure of our society. A very thought provoking book. I'm sure there's a reason but after reading all this the publishes have decided to put recommendations from those two media organs that have done more than most to perpetuate the systemic fault lines in society indeed have both been unashamedly and openly racist which seems a little odd.
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