Ignorance is Bliss according to Freud

"This contention holds that what we call our civilization is largely responsible for out misery, and that we should be much happier if we gave it up and returned to primitive conditions." (38)

Civilization makes us feel unhappy because "all the things with which we seek to protect ourselves against the threats that emanate from the sources of suffering are part of that very civilization" (38)

When I think of civilization, I think of school and getting a job. I think of responsibility as a source of misery, as it is a direct inhibitor of freedom. All the responsbility that we all have on a daily basis makes it hard for us to be happy. Instead of achieving true happiness, we often settle for simply forgetting our misery. Our responsibilities, products of civilization root us firmly in reality, and make true happiness truly unattainable. At school or work, we delight in the pleasure of our friends and colleagues, but there is always something on our mind. There is always some assignment or errand that needs to be completed. We are never finished, and this discomfort stemming from incompleteness limits our happiness level to be only at the point of possibly forgetting real misery, never at the point of experiencing pure joy.

The differing male and female perspectives on Comradeship

Today's social conventions are similar to those found in South Africa during the Apartheid. Women are not nearly as fond as men towards the killing of innocent human beings because they want to show loyalty and faithfulness to their fellow comrades. Bhecki's friend desires to kill for a reason the narrator as a woman does not understand. Mr. Thabane attempts to explain the concept to Mrs. Curren. After telling her she doesn't understand enough about comradeship, Mr. Thabane explains why the youth have violent tendencies. He writes, "When you are the body and soul in the struggle as these young people are, when you are prepared to lay down your lives for each other without quest, then a bond grows up that is stronger than any bond. That is comradeship." (149) Although Mr. Thabane doesn't agree with comradeship, he does acknowledgement that it is a part of the new, younger generation. Mrs. Curren still sees comradeship as "nothing but a mystique of death, of killing and dying, masquerading as what you call a bond" (150). Mrs. Curren even goes as far as blaming Mrs. Curren for not discouraging this comradeship. Even though Mrs. Curren is aware that her opinion counts for little or nothing she still expresses disdain for comradeship. Unlike her male counterpart who has the ability to recognize and live with comradeship, Mrs. Curren feels obligated to change ideals to what they once were.

Alcohol, the vehicle of epiphany

Recollecting upon the digital stories our core class constructed earlier this semester, I stumbled upon an epiphany realized by the narrator. Feeling as death was her only solution to escape the harsh reality of South Africa, the narrator, due to the consumption of alcohol, recognizes that her problem is not a "matter of life and death" (123), but instead the death of Florence's boy. Although the narrator is not a regular alcohol consumer, when the brandy was described to her a medicine, she took a sip. Although her gums "burned" (123), "something began to lift inside [her]: a curtain, a cloud" (123). After two sips, she sees the enlightening effects alcohol allows, and realizes why Mr. Vercueil drinks. Her consumption of alcohol allows her to shed "the veil of grayness" (123), and realize the truth. She is able to discover that her frail and desperate emotional state is a result of her viewing Florence's son dead, instead of fearing death. Alcohol soothes her anxious mind, and allows her thoughts to be settled and focused. Although she eventually consumes in excess, the alcohol appeals to her emotional senses as Bheki's death was up close and personal to her, and she had in the past only experienced blacks dying somewhere else.

The First Born

In Du Bois' "Souls of Black Folk", he dedicated an entire chapter to the passing of the first born. In this chapter Du Bois recognizes that even though slaves would grow to love their children, they do not fail to recognize that "within the veil" (170) their children are born. They know their children are Negros just like themselves, and are bound to face the same realities. For this reason, Du Bois said the death of the first born constitutes an "awful gladness" (173) in his heart, and his soul whispers, "not dead, not dead, but escaped; not bond, but free." (173) The first born will not have to grow up choked and deformed underneath the veil. Although unlikely, the first born is hoped to awaken without the influence of the veil. Unlike those that remain living, this deceased first born is not obliged to die in the bonds of slavery.

Acting Jewish

Upon reviewing for the mid-term, I found a passage speaking about acting "common" or "Jewish" (231). Rich tells that during her childhood, she was urged to not be a "too flamboyant" Jew. She distinguished that acting Jewish meant speaking loudly, dressing scantily, and possessing spontaneity. She felt she was acting Jewish if she "laughed too loudly or spoke aggressively" (231). These stereotypes as well as others are still very present today. Today, Jewish people are commonly associated with having big noses, and being very careful with their finances. The other day someone came in my room and told me a Jewish joke: Why do Jews play football? So they can get the quarter back". Although the joke is humorous, it illustrates how much some people like to criticize Jewish folks for no apparent reason. I have found that some people enjoy bashing people of the Jewish faith. If the stigma in the 1950's was similar to what they are today, it is apparent why Rich, her sister, and mother would make a conscious effort to conceal their Jewish association.

The Black Belt

The Black Belt, like the Sun Belt refers to a specific geoprahic location. In "The Souls of Black Folk", W.E.B. Du Bois gives greater meaning to this small blackbelt area in Georgia. About the blackbelt he writes, "how curious a land this,--how full of untold story, of tragedy and laughter, and the rich legacy of human life; shadowed with a tragic past, and big with future promise!" (100). Du Bois recognizes that this area in the South is still recovering from the hardships of slavery. Although there was left a rich legacy of human life, he writes in the chapter involving the wings of Atlanta that education of the negro is necessary, as the negro is not yet civilized. Du Bois does talk about future promise. Because he puts a positive and negative spin on everything, it is unsure what the future of the country will be. In saying that future promise exists, Du Bois recognizes the potential of the negro to adapt and become a member of modern civilization. This transition is not easy because most negros were not used to making their own decisions, and dealing with the resulting consequences. In a later part of the chapter he describes the blackbelt region as a "land of rapid contrasts and of cusiosly mingled hope and pain" (103). Hope and pain is mingled. He knows that for the negro to achieve both mental and physical freedom, there is going to be a long path with many obstacles. His faith in the Negro never fades either. After looking at the farmlands, Du Bois said he felt a comfortable feeling that the Negro is rising.

The Purpose of African American Education according to W.E.B. Du Bois

Even though Du Bois is calm in portraying his opinions to the reader, his opinions carry no less clout than the strong willed assertive Martin Luther King. Similar to King, Du Bois was a highly educated man, receiving a B.A. from Fisk University, and a second B.A., and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard. Du Bois' high level of education adds legitimacy to his thoughts as many respect them, and show why he is such an ardent supporter of education. Du Bois dedicates a whole chapter of his book to "the wings of Atalanta" (63). He defines the wings of Atalanta as "the coming universities of the south" (71). Even further, Du Bois makes it known what he believes should be the primary function of the university. He writes, "the function of the university is... above all, to be the organ of that fine adjustment between real life and the growing knowledge of life, an adjustment which forms the secret of civilization." (70) According to this statement, Du Bois believes black people are not yet civilized. They need to be taught what to do, how to act. They need to mold themselves into civilized beings, and Du Bois thinks that the university is the right tool to aid them in this transition. Later on, as Du Bois speaks of training the black man, he further elaborates on the purpose of higher training schools. He writes that the aim of these institutions is to "furnish the black world with adequate standards of human culture and lofty ideals of life" (81). Du Bois posed a difficult task of high education. Today, the expectations from higher education differ drastically to what occured during the time when the slaves were emancipated.