Un film sur la France sous l'occupation. Un film très controversé à sa sortie dans les années '60. Il paraît que la France a la mythologie qu'en général elle n'a pas trop collaborée avec les Nazis au cours de cette occupation, tandis qu'il semble que la vérité est tout à fait l'opposée. La collaboration était la politique officielle du gouvernement de Vichy. Au commencement des hostilités, le film donne les sens d'une élite française complètement démodée et hors de contact avec la réalité de la situation - perdue dans des illusions d'héroisme et gloire.
Plein de personnages fascinants, surtout les anciens membres de la Résistance qui s'y sont mis au début du conflit. Il y a aussi un noble très intéressant qui raconte franchement sa guerre en tant que membre de la Brigade Charlemagne, une brigade française qui faisait partie du Waffen S.S. Quand on voit tous ces personnages, toutes ces expériences et perspectives diverses, c'est un miracle que la France n'est pas tombée dans un désordre social absolu après la guerre. C'est peut-être l'accomplissement le plus important de De Gaulle à la fin.
L'autre chose qui fait rire c'est les cigarettes. Tout le monde est tout le temps en train de fumer....
Thursday, 9 January 2020
White Fragility: Why it's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism - Robin DiAngelo
A patiently argued book. As she points out in the book, as a race relations workshop leader, she has faced a lot of angry push-back around these ideas.
For me, her main idea is that the nature of racism has changed. Whites are still stuck in the image of racism from the 60s, deliberate acts and attitudes aimed at hurting and excluding people of colour - lynchings, exclusion signs, institutionally separate services. DiAngelo's point is that the nature of currently troubling racism is much deeper, much more all-pervasive, much harder to pinpoint. It is what is referred to as systemic racism. And her idea that causes so much push-back is that, as whites, whether we wish it or not, we all benefit from this systemic racism. Benefits accrue to us without us even trying. Therefore we all participate in/benefit from racism. (I say 'we', which is true, as she points out this white superiority and racism benefits all whites around the world within the context of different societies. But most of her concrete examples are pulled from the U.S.)
The type of racism she refers to includes more obvious things like segregation through such means as property prices, where the undesired group is shut out by economics. This then creates segregation in available services, especially in the area of education quality. She is also talking about media representation of racial groups and the stereotypes that influence our perception when interacting with members of other racial groups.
Notice she is careful to state that whites are also a racialized group, and that some people can hold prejudices and stereotypes that denigrate whites, but the difference is these groups do not have the social position and power to impose their prejudices and stereotypes on us. They do not control the levers of power that make this racism pay or hurt.
DiAngelo does not really offer much in the way of solutions. Speaking up when other whites speak or act insensitively from racial stereotypes. Raising awareness of one's own racialized stereotypes and ideas as they whisper away in our own heads.
For me, her main idea is that the nature of racism has changed. Whites are still stuck in the image of racism from the 60s, deliberate acts and attitudes aimed at hurting and excluding people of colour - lynchings, exclusion signs, institutionally separate services. DiAngelo's point is that the nature of currently troubling racism is much deeper, much more all-pervasive, much harder to pinpoint. It is what is referred to as systemic racism. And her idea that causes so much push-back is that, as whites, whether we wish it or not, we all benefit from this systemic racism. Benefits accrue to us without us even trying. Therefore we all participate in/benefit from racism. (I say 'we', which is true, as she points out this white superiority and racism benefits all whites around the world within the context of different societies. But most of her concrete examples are pulled from the U.S.)
The type of racism she refers to includes more obvious things like segregation through such means as property prices, where the undesired group is shut out by economics. This then creates segregation in available services, especially in the area of education quality. She is also talking about media representation of racial groups and the stereotypes that influence our perception when interacting with members of other racial groups.
Notice she is careful to state that whites are also a racialized group, and that some people can hold prejudices and stereotypes that denigrate whites, but the difference is these groups do not have the social position and power to impose their prejudices and stereotypes on us. They do not control the levers of power that make this racism pay or hurt.
DiAngelo does not really offer much in the way of solutions. Speaking up when other whites speak or act insensitively from racial stereotypes. Raising awareness of one's own racialized stereotypes and ideas as they whisper away in our own heads.
Clifford - Harold R. Johnson
Interesting book. Interesting mix. Part childhood memoir, part memorial to his brother, part speculative musings on the structure and nature of the universe. The reader bounces from life on in an isolated corner of boreal Saskatchewan to the nature of time and black holes. Woven in are moments of self-criticism, glimpses of what has made this complex man, and asides on the unjust treatment of natives in Canada.
Kicks off with a quote from one of the characters of Dune...
Thursday, 19 December 2019
Watermark - Christy Ann Conlin
A collection of short stories from this Nova Scotia writer. An intriguing collection of stories, some of them quite bizarre. Elements of horror and gothic.
The Memento - Christy Ann Conlin
A writer from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. The tale of a formerly wealthy family and the faded splendor of their former summer retreat. The tale is mostly told from the perspective of the remaining servants/employees.
Definitely some strong gothic storytelling elements used effectively in the book, both is the setting, the description and the underlying evil that puts in motion the entire story. Conlin has a good descriptive touch.
Definitely some strong gothic storytelling elements used effectively in the book, both is the setting, the description and the underlying evil that puts in motion the entire story. Conlin has a good descriptive touch.
Cabiria - Fellini
Bel film in nero e bianco. Racconta la storia di una prostituta che arriva a non perdere interamente la sua propria innocenza di fronte alla crudeltà e alla bruttezza del suo mondo. Si vede nel film qualche scene della vecchia Roma.
A Better Man - Louise Penny
Latest Inspector Gamache novel. Theme this time is spousal abuse within families. Also, the stereotypes we use when judging others.
The recent Quebec floods are also worked into the structure of the book.
The recent Quebec floods are also worked into the structure of the book.
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