Maslow has a theory on human needs. It is a pyramid -- at the bottom of the pyramid are physical needs, like food and clothing. At the middle are psychological needs like safety and security. In the middle is also a whole complex of other emotional needs like love, acceptance, acknowledgment and fulfillment. At the top of the pyramid is the ultimate human goal -- self actualization, whatever that means.
The drive for human fulfillment is where most of us at Dartmouth and in America are. But sometimes, especially when people have too much time on their hands, what is only a natural drive for human fulfillment takes too much for granted, and becomes an expression of insulting arrogance.
Over the course of my college career, I have seen the same phrases over and over again -- "inclusive and non-inflammatory," "conciliatory and searching for a resolution," "celebratory in a way which is accessible to all members of the Dartmouth community."
Each of the times I have seen these words in print, it has been in reference to some political or cultural event or celebration that has at some other time been marked with controversy or disdain -- I refer to the ethnic and racial cultural celebrations and political rallies, the Rodney King march, the Dartmouth United Against Hate rallies -- anything that deals with some touchy political issue or social issue must be judged as "inflammatory" or "conciliatory and acceptable."
This is an expression of the most dangerous type of arrogance. This is the type of arrogance which objectifies the world and defines entire continents of people as inferior or sub-human -- this is the type of arrogance which, even in praise of "multiculturalism" will condescendingly refer to certain cultures as "primitive" or "third world."
There was a Native American cultural celebration on Monday -- strategically timed for Columbus Day. In the pages of The Dartmouth, several very arrogant editorials appeared, praising the Native American community for what they perceived to be "moderation" or "enlightened discussion, not inflammatory accusations."
We all have a need to be accepted and acknowledged, but some individuals here at Dartmouth have an obsession with it. Whose damned business is it if NAD did decide to raise hell again this year like they did last year? It is nobody but NAD's business what they decide to do, and white acceptance of it is not relevant or even worth noting.
However, some of those people feel an overwhelming need to be accepted and coddled by every racial and ethnic minority on campus, or they feel that they are not sufficiently "liberal" or "open-minded." This type of spoon-fed pretentiousness is the type that allows affirmative action laws to be used to force an all-black company to hire white people. We have forgotten the spirit of the law to follow only the letter. Like the Sadduccees and Pharisees, we count each mustard seed in the temple -- careful not to waste the tithe of one-tenth.
The type of arrogance which abounds (as if the opinions expressed are relevant) is the type which allows a discussion of segregation on college campuses to take place. There is no segregation on college campuses. It is voluntary separation if it is anything, but the same group of people who commend NAD for not raising hell and offending or alienating them will cry racism at the foundation of Shabazz Hall.
Something is not right. I think it is possible for human needs for fulfillment and acceptance to be satisfied, but let's move on. We have food, we have clothes, we have rooms and we have books. Let's actualize something.
