I don’t know what else to do, so I’m just talking into the void now, I guess.

I study theodicy not because it’s some abstract philosophical problem.

I study it because there is something ontological about black suffering. Something that exceeds institutions. As I say in #blacklifematter, sitting with a suffering beloved is not the moment to offer theodicean explanations. Jesus *might* work it out—and we hope that he does—but to offer this in the acute moment of pain seems insensitive at best and downright foul at worst.

Thread: All this pandemic foolishness is making me realize that institutional calls to return in person are founded upon an attempt to keep people alive under the most unlivable conditions. The vaccine stems off "serious illness" so that we will suffer, but not die, which means that we can still be instrumentalized. What might have been a noble aim w/ the vaccine--namely, keeping people from dying--has now been mutated into making ppl objects of instrumental reason.

No one asked for this, but I've been thinking a lot about #abolition and #abolishthepolice for some time now. And if I may, I'd like to share my novice perspective, albeit one rooted in my own (anti-)philosophical stance. So here goes. I'm not convinced that the #abolitionist movement--which I wholly agree with--is an oppositional movement. Philosophically, a call for abolition is not a call to opposition. This distinction, in my mind anyway, is crucial. I'll elaborate.

Thread:

The Derek Chauvin trial is why virtue ethics don’t work for black people (if you can’t tell, I’m working on a project on ethics).

Let me break this down (and I’m still working my way through this, so feel free to share thoughts). The prosecution’s closing argument seemed to lodge chauvin’s violence in his character, i.e, he’s not a virtuous man. He’s guilty bc HE—not his job—is evil.

But this isn’t quite right. Stay w/ me.

Power went out where we’re staying. Sitting in a car for warmth and to charge my phone.

So here’s a thread for everyone: 1. It’s striking how quickly people shift blame. For some, it’s wind. For others, it’s the grid. For others, it’s the power companies. And for others, it’s the state. The answer is that it’s all of these things except wind—which is to say, it’s capitalism.

Okay, so for those who are excited about Kendi, here’s a brief analysis. Kendi has set up an easy, but rather unsophisticated binary between racism and antiracism. This binary is popular because it is simple. It is also widely applicable: anyone can be in either of these camps at any time.