“This is one of the most absurd conspiracy theories of all time. Even if whites are devils, how does black drunkenness, drug addiction, gambling, and crime redound to whites’ benefit?”
I don’t think it’s that absurd. Malcolm might respond that White America regards Black America with irrational hatred, prejudice, and enmity - not an unreasonable observation in 1959. Racial prejudice isn’t rooted in calm, economistic cost benefit analysis. Maybe whites were happy for black communities to be dysfunctional and divided, not out of self-interest, but out of sheer malicious hatred?
I couldn't help but notice the similarities between Malcolm's view of whites selling furniture in black neighborhoods and Trump's view of Chinese selling things in the US.
I haven't read the book, only these very nice summaries, and my gloss is that Malcolm enjoyed the lifestyle he chose, until he didn't anymore, and rationalized all of it by talking about the evil Whites. His racism shouldn't be a surprise given the racism he experienced, but I think missing from Caplan's analysis is psychology--specifically, personality. He could have chosen his sister's path but that simply didn't appeal to him. Anyone can provide verbal explanations for their choices, but they are often incorrect--ad hoc attempts to explain one's self in a flattering way.
“This is one of the most absurd conspiracy theories of all time. Even if whites are devils, how does black drunkenness, drug addiction, gambling, and crime redound to whites’ benefit?”
I don’t think it’s that absurd. Malcolm might respond that White America regards Black America with irrational hatred, prejudice, and enmity - not an unreasonable observation in 1959. Racial prejudice isn’t rooted in calm, economistic cost benefit analysis. Maybe whites were happy for black communities to be dysfunctional and divided, not out of self-interest, but out of sheer malicious hatred?
What if whites americas hatred of blacks is a rational response to their bad behavior. That’s certainly why I hate blacks.
I couldn't help but notice the similarities between Malcolm's view of whites selling furniture in black neighborhoods and Trump's view of Chinese selling things in the US.
Yes: sellers are exploiters, squeezing profit out of the buyers, who are hapless suckers.
I haven't read the book, only these very nice summaries, and my gloss is that Malcolm enjoyed the lifestyle he chose, until he didn't anymore, and rationalized all of it by talking about the evil Whites. His racism shouldn't be a surprise given the racism he experienced, but I think missing from Caplan's analysis is psychology--specifically, personality. He could have chosen his sister's path but that simply didn't appeal to him. Anyone can provide verbal explanations for their choices, but they are often incorrect--ad hoc attempts to explain one's self in a flattering way.
It's endlessly ironic that the belief system of Malcom X reflects deeply conservative views about success, agency, and eudaemonia.
If Malcom X lived today he'd be closer to Larry Summers than Kimberle Crenshaw.
https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/an-alternative-narrative
I get some vibes that malcom resents having expectations set on him by white people,
And by saying that he’s he white people WANT them to be lazy,
He is then acting in defiance and feels agency over his life to some degree.
He strikes me a bit as a person that is paranoid about others intentions.
He also seems to feel that the white people owe it to blacks to five them resources and not have it better in some ways