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About Me
- Alex
- According to the typology test I'm a "solid liberal" (though, I'll go ahead and say that I self-identify as a socialist). My political leanings have been heavily influenced by my experiences as an Urban Studies student at UT Austin. I have not had many political experiences. I find more satisfaction in things like community organizing and direct action rather than taking part in politics. I'm taking the class mostly because it is required for my degree. I'm planning on bolting from this state as soon as I graduate next May, and I'm sure any class that gives insight the the Texas political system (joke?) will only strengthen my decision to do so. But I do think the class will be useful. As someone who aspires to be an urban geographer and hopes to encourage vast social and economic restructuring through research in the field, I believe that thorough knowledge of the Texas political system will provide a solid foundation of how to not go about bringing change.
Because Marlow’s initial interest in the Congo had to do with his desire to explore the unknown, we’re provided with a fairly unbiased account of the West’s destructive imperialism in Africa. I don’t, however, think Conrad uses Marlow’s account to reflect his anger towards imperialistic greed as much as I think he is expressing his anger at people using the motive of civilizing Africa in an attempt to cover up their true intentions. Knowingly wreaking havoc on an entire continent while telling the rest of the world that you’re helping to civilize it is worse than wreaking havoc on an entire continent and being open about it (not that I condone either). People with good intentions did exist, however. Some were educators; most were missionaries. But good intentions don’t ensure good results. A similar theme exists in the song Racecar by Denton musician Fishboy, though much more light-hearted. Some of the lyrics are as follows:
ReplyDelete“And all the sudden we’re a band on the run
We’re trying hard not raise any out crowds
I’m sure they’ll thank us when we’re finally done
With the deer day parade taking up the whole down town
And all of the friends that we’ve made
Would not be friends if they knew we were out robbing banks
Day to day
But there is no other way”
The song above is on an album depicting a musician’s struggle to write a song that would save Texas after he was prophesized to do so at age 8. The protagonist is so set on his task to save Texas, believing it his duty to do so and only his duty, that robbing banks to support spreading his music is justifiable. His intentions, saving Texas, were good, but his means of doing so were not permissible or appropriate and only resulted in bad (e.g. robbed banks), especially since Texas wasn’t particularly in need of saving.
Conrad briefly hints at people doing just that in Africa when Marlow’s aunt proposes “weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways” (pg. 17.) Marlow casts the idea off as ridiculous, knowing the company’s true intentions: profit. But the speed with which Conrad covers this possibility and casts it aside portrays his own opinion on just how ridiculous this idea is; Africa wasn’t particularly in need of being civilized. Moreover, the condescending tone of Marlow’s aunt epitomizes one of the reasons why such good intentions failed. The recipients of one’s good intentions can’t be viewed with disgust or contempt because the true goodness of those intentions is then brought into question.
For further listening of Fishboy, go to www.farewellalbatross.com
The behaviors of the natives were alien to the white as they observed “a burst of yells, a whirl of black limbs, a mass of hands clapping, of feet stamping, of bodies swaying, of eyes rolling (p. 37).” They didn’t know how to react to manners that were being presented to them. So based on instinct, they didn’t know how to interpret these actions. The white’s intentions were to civilize the natives. But the question comes into play of whether the natives need to be helped. Alex brings up a good point in that the intentions of people weren’t bad but the means of achieving that goal aren’t justified. As a result, we can clearly see that those who claimed to be bringing light and enlightenment to Africa were in fact destroying the continent by treating the natives inhuman-like. Also Conrad’s opinion about imperialism comes through the characters and their experiences.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is that our generation still experience the aftermath of imperialism of discrimination. Although racism is not as apparent today, it is undoubtedly still existent. As we see in Africa today, the country is very poor and needs a lot of help. I’ve learned in economics this year that Africa has a lot of resources and land, but with no entrepreneur abilities or labor, they are not able to raise their GDP. The imperialist actions set the continent Africa back so far that it is nearly impossible for them to catch up. In Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, it builds questions and connections to history to allow people to determine the morals of the whites.
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ReplyDeleteAlex, I agree that Conrad is disgusted by their hiding their true, greedy intentions, and passing themselves off as saviors to these poor people. It's laughable that the white men of the time thought of themselves as saviors who were fulfilling the "white man's burden," they used this excuse to feel better about themselves as they killed and stole from the land and people. The world didn't realize the atrocities because of the savior facade. But having been to the Congo, Conrad knows what a pathetic joke this was. Several times Marlow refers to imperialism as "the cause of progress" or to the white men as "the jolly pioneers of progress," each time with a hint of sarcasm. (pg. 14-15) I like the way Conrad explained imperialism by talking about the land itself. Marlow says that "outside, the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible, like evil or truth, waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion." (pg. 26) He's right; outside the darkness holds the evil and the truth that Marlow will discover as he ventures deeper into the darkness. I love the description of the land as patiently waiting, it makes the amount of time that Imperialism lasts seem so insignificant in the great scheme of things, like this was just something that had to happen and that will pass. I wouldn't venture to say that it was a necessary evil, but it's possible because it has led us to better understanding today. Because mankind has evil in him, it was natural for the white man to think of himself superior, and to treat the natives as though they were not even humans. This meeting had to take place at some point in time for us to be where we are now. Or maybe, this description of the wilderness personifies it as already knowing the evil of mankind, having witnessed centuries of it. By this point, it has become so despondent that what’s another hit? The darkness acted upon it, the blood that has seeped its ground, has dyed it dark too.
ReplyDeleteThe way Whites and Natives interact is similar to the way a friendly dog will act when an over-territorial aggressive dog invades the other dog’s space. It’s like being offered food at a friends house but demanding more. The Whites are out of place (literally too) and ruining the good name of people. What they should have done was go help the Natives not loot them.
ReplyDeleteExpanding on what Lily said about racism, I can see how you might think it is less apparent today considering what it was like during times of slavery and especially right after the end of it. However, today’s society might actually be going in the opposite direction with racism and even stupidity. I recommend the movie Idiocracy. People will find anything to complain about even if it means calling someone a nigger.