Decoding Desire: Reflecting on how Colonialism, Race-Thinking, and Nationalism Have Influenced the Modern Dating Realm
These past two days have been gruelling for many of us who caught what we believe to be a virus, so I will try to muster up a semi-decent blog post. For the second part of the week, we are discussing Modern Inquisitions by Irene Silverblatt. One quote that struck me was from the prologue on page 19: “Nationalism and race thinking, in concert, propelled the modern world’s most destructive beliefs; yet we have trouble visualizing the depth of that connection because our historical sensibilities rarely put colonialism at the core of modern life”.
Nationalism is the belief in the supremacy and importance of one’s own nation and often views other nations as inferior. Meanwhile, race thinking involves the hierarchical classification of people into distinct racial groups. Combined, these ideologies create a detrimental narrative that justifies oppression, violence, and exploitation based on perceived racial superiority.
This quote suggests that nationalism and race-based thinking have been the drivers of some of the most harmful ideologies in modern history. Several examples of how race thinking perpetuates inequalities and divides communities are the destruction of many Indigenous cultural practices in Canada and Peru, as well as the justification for committing genocide (eg. Rwanda 1994, and countless others). It also challenges us to understand the connection fully and suggests that our historical understanding overlooks the role of colonialism in shaping modern life. I empathize with the author’s sentiment in this quote because while nationalism and race-thinking are common themes in global news and politics, the link to colonialism is rarely discussed which demonstrates the need to reflect on the interconnectedness of historical events and contemporary realities. It is important to recognize that the roots of many present-day challenges stem from centuries of exploitation and oppression.
When discussing race-thinking and how these ideologies emerge in current-day society, I am reminded of some disturbing conversations I had with some peers about how they do not prefer dating women with darker skin tones. They simply justify their preference as not being their type. However, studies from online dating platforms have continually demonstrated how women who are of darker skin tones are often less successful due to these biases. When these “preferences” are consistent on a systemic level, that is when we must question ourselves for biases, and reflect on their roots. I have heard from friends who have encountered such biases and discriminatory practices that are rooted in racial stereotypes and prejudices. When thinking about how colonialism has influenced these prejudices, it is arguable that deep-seated inequalities and power imbalances between racial groups that resulted from colonialism may have influenced perceptions of desirability and attractiveness in the dating realm as ideas of racial superiority and inferiority persist. Moreover, historical narratives about colonial superiority continue to influence contemporary beauty standards and societal perceptions of racial groups. For example, eurocentric beauty standards continue to be disseminated worldwide through the media, and Western beauty ideals are often associated with success and social status. While there has been a growing resistance and reclamation toward Eurocentric norms, it is essential to recognize how colonialism has informed beauty ideals and our conscious and unconscious racial biases.
"While there has been a growing resistance and reclamation toward Eurocentric norms, it is essential to recognize how colonialism has informed beauty ideals and our conscious and unconscious racial biases." TRUE! However, in the case of Silverblatt's book I have some objections. While she talks about nationalism and its effects on the modern world, it seems to me that she does not pay enough attention to the specific processes of Nation-building, which should not be confused with nationalist agendas. I will try to explain without getting too involved: there were nationalist agendas that used colonial projects and created racialized distinctions based on elite concepts. But a large majority of the population, "the people," so to speak, in their daily lives, were not racist. They worked with, lived with and loved people who came from different heritages. (Yes, there were conflicts and some of them led to bloody episodes, I don't deny it). For me, racialized differences were a Eurocentric project especially of the Creole elites, who are the ones who led the Spanish American Independences.