I’m fascinated by this “assigning of agency” process. Is this akin to the animistic impulse of proto-religious understanding finding an outlet in the repressed spirit of materialistic modernism?
“when people have a hole in their belief system (there is no God as an extreme example) then they fill it with something (I'm good because I don't use plastic straws” - exactly what I was striving for. You say it so much better. I spent a couple decades like this (vegan Luddite, socialist, with a chip on my shoulder). I take your point however that the author in question may not even be so coherent. Thank you!
I will have to say that it will take me a bit to parse your question. I don't think I have the right definition in my mind for "animistic" and not sure what is meant by "proto-religious". I will have to get back to you on that.
OK. I am not going to assign to Dr. Diangelo anything so grand. In her case, I think it is just sloppy thinking/expressing.
But, just to be sure, I believe you are asking me if assigning agency is similar to early religious beliefs referring to the river spirit or some such. If so, then I would have to agree that could be an example of assigning agency. That is, if the river spirit then acted for or against someone as opposed to simply flowing to the sea.
And, I think when people have a hole in their belief system (there is no God as an extreme example) then they fill it with something (I'm good because I don't use plastic straws)--If that is what you meant by repressed spirit of materialistic modernism.
So, I think there are some touch-points between her assigning racism agency and a societal impulse toward animism, whether it be deifying the weather or AI. But, I think she's just sloppy in her thought process and probably doesn't realize she was bestowing powers and abilities to a concept (racism) that properly belong to a person.
I’m fascinated by this “assigning of agency” process. Is this akin to the animistic impulse of proto-religious understanding finding an outlet in the repressed spirit of materialistic modernism?
“when people have a hole in their belief system (there is no God as an extreme example) then they fill it with something (I'm good because I don't use plastic straws” - exactly what I was striving for. You say it so much better. I spent a couple decades like this (vegan Luddite, socialist, with a chip on my shoulder). I take your point however that the author in question may not even be so coherent. Thank you!
You are welcome, and thank you for making me look up animistic to be sure I wasn’t talking out of my hat.
I will have to say that it will take me a bit to parse your question. I don't think I have the right definition in my mind for "animistic" and not sure what is meant by "proto-religious". I will have to get back to you on that.
OK. I am not going to assign to Dr. Diangelo anything so grand. In her case, I think it is just sloppy thinking/expressing.
But, just to be sure, I believe you are asking me if assigning agency is similar to early religious beliefs referring to the river spirit or some such. If so, then I would have to agree that could be an example of assigning agency. That is, if the river spirit then acted for or against someone as opposed to simply flowing to the sea.
And, I think when people have a hole in their belief system (there is no God as an extreme example) then they fill it with something (I'm good because I don't use plastic straws)--If that is what you meant by repressed spirit of materialistic modernism.
So, I think there are some touch-points between her assigning racism agency and a societal impulse toward animism, whether it be deifying the weather or AI. But, I think she's just sloppy in her thought process and probably doesn't realize she was bestowing powers and abilities to a concept (racism) that properly belong to a person.