{"id":34784,"date":"2024-01-11T07:11:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T15:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=34784"},"modified":"2024-01-11T08:46:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T16:46:18","slug":"holding-hope-and-rethinking-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/holding-hope-and-rethinking-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"Holding Hope and Rethinking Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Identity Trap: A story of Ideas and Power in Our Time<\/em>, by Yascha Mounk, offered a clear perspective on the discord and polarization I encountered when I returned to the USA in 2014. Something had drastically changed over the years that I could not put my finger on and left me fearful of speaking up or voicing an opinion. Every topic seemed contentious. I felt like a modern day Rip Van Winkle. I chalked it up to reverse culture shock until that didn\u2019t seem to fit my experience. I have carried a sense of shame at my silence, questioning my thoughts, and second-guessing myself. Understandably, I had no framework for the changes that seemingly took place overnight. Mounk\u2019s well-researched look at the changes in thinking about identity and the current trends in response to inequity and injustice challenge me to look beyond the puzzling opinions and behaviors I witnessed and presents me with an invitation to reflect on my silence and formulate a thoughtful response.<\/p>\n

Mounk historically and academically traced the origins of a new ideology he terms, \u201cidentity synthesis,\u201d which describes the new way progressives think about identity and envision a future society defined by division into distinct identity groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability etc.[1]<\/a> He highlighted the dangers and offered alternative responses. While Mounk acknowledges that identity synthesis spotlights real injustices he states, \u201cI have grown convinced that the identity synthesis will prove deeply counterproductive.\u201d[2]<\/a> Mounk goes on to say, \u201cThe identity synthesis is a political trap, making it harder to sustain diverse societies whose citizens trust and respect each other. It is also a personal trap, one that makes misleading promises about how to gain the sense of belonging and social recognition that most humans naturally seek.\u201d[3]<\/a> I am relieved to know what I experienced has a name and alarmed by the intention and impact of such an ideology. Mounk\u2019s writing opens up ways for reasonable, respectful, and reflective dialogue on the deeply personal experiences of identity and belonging which aids the formulation of well-articulated and informed responses to the injustice and oppression of human beings.<\/p>\n

One aspect of identity synthesis which troubles and saddens me relates to standpoint theory in which there is an apparent rejection of hope and the belief that, \u201c\u2026 members of different identity groups will never be able to understand one another.\u201d[4]<\/a> For someone who values deep listening and strives to be empathetic and understanding overcoming that barrier feels daunting. Those in identity groups different from me have suffered unjustly and are in deep pain. To not have hope is excruciatingly frightening and isolating. To not be seen, heard, have experiences and feelings validated, or amends offered is a desperate place to be. Maybe my silence is masking my defenses, shame, insensitivity, judgments, or fears of how I am perceived. Can I just get out of the way and listen? It is about their story, their experience, and their pain. All of which deserve acknowledgment, action, and healing. My question is how do I offer genuine listening, empathy, and hope to those who don\u2019t believe it is possible? How do I respond to an ideology that feels dangerous and destructive to others, and ultimately to self, and one\u2019s cause?<\/p>\n

I was introduced to intersectionality through an Old Testament class. Experimenting with Kimberle Crenshaw\u2019s concept while studying an OT passage was insightful. While Mounk notes that intersectionality has taken on a life of its own in ways Crenshaw did not foresee, I like her general premise as intersectionality invites me to look at people and their social situations through multiple layers of identity.[5]<\/a> I admittedly have a simplistic view of intersectionality. I am concerned about how it supports the belief that people of different identity groups are incapable of understanding one another and how proponents of identity synthesis arrived at that conclusion. However, Crenshaw\u2019s original ideas provide a valuable means of envisioning and relating to others\u2019 experiences. In Intersectional Theology: An Introductory Guide, <\/em>authors Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw describe intersectionality as a tool for analysis stating, \u201c\u2026intersectionality is a lens for understanding how gender, race, social class, sexual identity, and other forms of difference work concurrently to shape people and social institutions within multiple relationships of power.\u201d[6]<\/a> Whether applied to biblical passages or real people, intersectionality can be a useful tool when attending to the experiences of others and moves me to respond with empathy and compassion. I don\u2019t have the \u201clived experience\u201d of people in marginalized groups, but I am able to listen and honor their suffering. Intersectionality opens up space to broaden my understanding.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t want my \u201clived experience\u201d to be one of toxic positivity, denial, or pretense. I can\u2019t help but to see the benefits of coming together to understand one another\u2019s struggles and to share various cultural influences. I loved Mounk\u2019s phrase, \u201cthe joy of mutual influence.\u201d[7]<\/a> I have a rich experience of sharing cultures, customs, and history, including suffering and trauma with those whose experiences are different from mine. I have learned from those who have risked their own vulnerabilities to let me into their world. I am inspired by their resilience, stories, and culture which opened up ways to celebrate our differences, honor our common humanity, and develop authentic relationships. Trust, respect, belonging, and social recognition can be restored in community and shared experiences. Maybe my voice is one of invitation and generous welcome.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of this post I noted my shame in not speaking up. I identify myself as the \u201creluctant heretic.\u201d[8]<\/a> On the other hand, maybe silence is an appropriate response and has its rightful place. Listening and validating the experiences of others allows me to hold onto hope when others have none. My silence and willingness to listen is an important first step.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Yascha Mounk, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time <\/em>(New York: Penguin Press, 2023), 9.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Mounk, The Identity Trap<\/em>, 13.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Ibid., 14.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Ibid., 135.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Ibid., 59.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw, Intersectional Theology: An Introductory guide <\/em>(Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2018), 2.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Mounk, The Identity Trap<\/em>, 158.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Ibid., 273.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Identity Trap: A story of Ideas and Power in Our Time, by Yascha Mounk, offered a clear perspective on the discord and polarization I encountered when I returned to the USA in 2014. Something had drastically changed over the years that I could not put my finger on and left me fearful of speaking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":184,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310,1],"tags":[2978],"class_list":["post-34784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","category-uncategorized","tag-mounk-dlgp02","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/184"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34784"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34796,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34784\/revisions\/34796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}