So easy to fall into a rut, isn't it? Why should ruts be so comfortable and so unpopular?
Ruth GordonRead
Movements have narratives. They tell stories, because they are not just about rearranging economics and politics. They also rearrange meaning. And they're not just about redistributing the goods. They're about figuring out what is good.
Interpretation
Movements are about storytelling and redefining values, not just changing systems.
This quote emphasizes the significance of narratives within movements; they are not solely focused on the economic and political aspects but also on transforming the underlying meaning of what is deemed 'good.' It suggests that successful movements involve a deeper engagement with values and narratives that shape societal perspectives.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of narratives in movements.
So easy to fall into a rut, isn't it? Why should ruts be so comfortable and so unpopular?
Going abroad to study as a teenager, and joining the United Nations at 22, confirmed my ease with the world of the frequent flyer. I saw the average airport terminal as a familiar haven, like a friend's sitting room. But 9/11 changed all that.
We should not forget that in the '60s, George Wallace's motto was 'segregation forever,' and that he did nothing to deter bombings and other acts of violence and, by his actions, condoned them.
I personally think that gentrification happens long before you start seeing white people in formerly people-of-color neighborhoods. It starts happening when we start telling the young, hard-working, quote-unquote 'smart' kids that they need to measure success by how far they get away from our communities.
What does it look like to build a city, state, or nation invested in communities thriving rather than their death and destruction? To ask this question is the first act of an abolitionist.
Let's say there are prospects for a new Nigeria, but I don't think we have a new Nigeria yet.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.