September 7, 2023
Presented by Myisha Cherry, University of California, Riverside.
Anger has a bad reputation. Many people think that it is counterproductive, distracting, and destructive. It is a negative emotion, many believe, because it can lead so quickly to violence or an overwhelming fury. And coming from people of color, it takes on connotations that are even more sinister, stirring up stereotypes, making white people fear what an angry other might be capable of doing, when angry, and leading them to turn to hatred or violence in turn, to squelch an anger that might upset the racial status quo.
In this lecture, professor and philosopher Myisha Cherry will argue that anger is powerful, but its power can be a force for good, especially a form of anti-racist anger, which Cherry calls “Lordean rage.” For Cherry, “Lordean rage” can use its mighty force to challenge racism: it aims for change, motivates productive action, builds resistance, and is informed by an inclusive and liberating perspective. Cherry will make her argument for anti-racist anger by putting Aristotle in conversation with Audre Lorde and James Baldwin in conversation with Joseph Butler, and will show how to make sure anger doesn’t go to waste, but instead leads to lasting, long-awaited change.
This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the Constance & Rose Ganoe Memorial Award for Inspirational Teaching, the Department of Philosophy, and Ethics Across Campus & the Curriculum.
A book sale and signing will follow the presentation.
Further information
- Location:
- Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Cost: Free