It's been a while since I've read it, but I remember Sartre's preface being more inflammatory and purposely aggressive than Fanon's actual writing.
To me, Sartre really stabs at the Western person's fear of being displaced (figuratively) by the colonized. The way he speaks about it really reminds me of how the right was really obsessed with c*ck shit a few years back.
Fanon, on the other hand, doesn't seem concerned with the reactions of liberal Westerners at all, which I think is consistent with the message of his book.
Edit: I've always thought George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is a great companion piece to "Wretched of the Earth" because it gives a good window into the imperialist mind when faced with Fanon's thesis.
would you say that sartres more inflammatory and eurocentric approach is a valuable addition to the book?
Hm, I don't know. I figure that a large amount of the people reading it are Euro-minded, so having something to activate them at the beginning might not be a bad idea. I think it does a good job of targeting western insecurity.
From a purely sensationalist view, I guess it accomplishes something, but from a real substantive view? No, I don't think it really adds something to what Fanon is writing. If I were being uncharitable, I might even say it misrepresents Fanon's argument.
It's been a while since I've read it, but I remember Sartre's preface being more inflammatory and purposely aggressive than Fanon's actual writing.
To me, Sartre really stabs at the Western person's fear of being displaced (figuratively) by the colonized. The way he speaks about it really reminds me of how the right was really obsessed with c*ck shit a few years back.
Fanon, on the other hand, doesn't seem concerned with the reactions of liberal Westerners at all, which I think is consistent with the message of his book.
Edit: I've always thought George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is a great companion piece to "Wretched of the Earth" because it gives a good window into the imperialist mind when faced with Fanon's thesis.
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Hm, I don't know. I figure that a large amount of the people reading it are Euro-minded, so having something to activate them at the beginning might not be a bad idea. I think it does a good job of targeting western insecurity.
From a purely sensationalist view, I guess it accomplishes something, but from a real substantive view? No, I don't think it really adds something to what Fanon is writing. If I were being uncharitable, I might even say it misrepresents Fanon's argument.
deleted by creator