It is dangerous to be an American Negro male. America has never wanted its Negroes to be men, and does not, generally, treat them as men. It treats them as mascots, pets, or things.
James A. BaldwinRead
There are too many things we do not wish to know about ourselves. People are not, for example, terribly anxious to be equal (equal, after all, to what and to whom?) but they love the idea of being superior.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the human tendency to shy away from self-awareness and the desire for superiority over true equality.
In this quote, James A. Baldwin reflects on the human condition, emphasizing the discomfort many individuals feel when confronted with their true selves. He suggests that while people often claim to desire equality, they are more drawn to the concept of superiority, hinting at a deeper insecurity and the complexities of self-perception and social dynamics.
Themes
Self-AwarenessSuperiorityEqualityHuman NatureInsecurity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about personal development and self-discovery.
More from James A. Baldwin
All quotes →The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.
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Those kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves.
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Experience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it.
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The reason people think it's important to be white is that they think it's important not to be black.
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The trick is to love somebody.... If you love one person, you see everybody else differently.
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