we too, descendants of the displaced living in the diaspora away from harm, often have to motivate ourselves to choose gratitude and solidarity over survivors' guilt. if we create and nurture communities of solidarity based on shared values, we can dismantle narratives of othering and strive for more equitable societies
Thank you for putting this into words! Only deep connections to places and other people will save us. Guilt drives us to isolate and punish ourselves- turning inward when we should be oriented outward. We as white people living on stolen land have so much to learn about community and de-centering ourselves, which cannot be done from a place of guilt.
Thanks for this piece, and your measured take on tricky sibjects. I've wrestled with similar questions for a while too, and rn I've decided I don't hold any guilt for my settler ancestors, not least because I feel very unmoored from place in this season of life. As in, it would be lovely to feel so connected to a place that these questions weren't hypothetical. I think all of us being more not less connected to the land is better for everyone.
we too, descendants of the displaced living in the diaspora away from harm, often have to motivate ourselves to choose gratitude and solidarity over survivors' guilt. if we create and nurture communities of solidarity based on shared values, we can dismantle narratives of othering and strive for more equitable societies
Thank you for putting this into words! Only deep connections to places and other people will save us. Guilt drives us to isolate and punish ourselves- turning inward when we should be oriented outward. We as white people living on stolen land have so much to learn about community and de-centering ourselves, which cannot be done from a place of guilt.
Beautiful.
Thanks for this piece, and your measured take on tricky sibjects. I've wrestled with similar questions for a while too, and rn I've decided I don't hold any guilt for my settler ancestors, not least because I feel very unmoored from place in this season of life. As in, it would be lovely to feel so connected to a place that these questions weren't hypothetical. I think all of us being more not less connected to the land is better for everyone.
Well said.