History suggests that the disillusioned and the disaffected do not readily take to the streets nor man the barricades to defend a system that failed to defend them.
David OlusogaRead
Racism is a belief system. It was assembled over centuries from many component parts - bits of biblical scripture, the propaganda of the slave-owning lobby and the pseudo-science of academics working in universities in Europe and America.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Racism is a constructed belief system built over time from various historical and ideological influences.
David Olusoga's quote emphasizes that racism is not an inherent trait or simple prejudice, but rather a complex belief system that has been developed through centuries, incorporating elements from religion, societal propaganda, and flawed scientific theories. This perspective challenges the notion that racism is merely an individual choice by illustrating its roots in broader societal constructs and historical influences.
Themes
RacismBeliefHistoryPropagandaScience
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about social justice, this quote can highlight the historical context of racism.
More from David Olusoga
All quotes →No matter that you're a British citizen, no matter that you were born here - your skin colour means you do not have the same rights as others to express critical opinions about your own country.
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Public buildings, built from the rates and taxes paid by past generations, are being auctioned off by impoverished councils who need the money to pay the redundancies of workers they can no longer afford to employ. Many of these grand Victorian buildings will be turned into flats that most people will never be able to afford.
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Black history is a series of missing chapters from British history. I'm trying to put those bits back in.
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We nonchalantly expect that next year's smartphone will be faster and better than this year's, yet we struggle to imagine that society and our lives could progress at anything like the pace at which technology advances and we meekly accept it when things go backwards.
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Our national history cannot be national if, in the near future, one in three young adults feels their stories remain untold, if this country's long global history of empire and interconnections is marginalised and if the historical reality of race is rendered almost invisible.
David OlusogaRead
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