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Eating the other

The other as described in bell hooks’ essay would be racial minorities who have cultures that differ from western norms. White people are seen as the default, or the standard and because of this some of them feel the need to rebel against this by taking on another cultures identity. In an attempt to add excitement to their lives, prove progression, or go against expectations, white people can sometimes submerge themselves in another race’s way of life which is their relationship to the “other”. hooks characterizes this relationship as productive because there was a time period where the other was completely shunned and any relationship to the other lacked consent. Not to say that this isn’t an issue today, but we have moved forward in racial relations even to the point where people would actually want to have a consensual relationship with someone from a different cultural background for various reasons. The desire to claim an identity makes the other seem appealing instead of appalling which is a step forward. Some white people have a desire to be changed in someway by obtaining the other. Either becoming more sexually advanced since people of color are stereotyped to be more experienced, or becoming more culturally aware because people of color are seen as being more worldly. Publicly expressing an interest in a person of color is a radical action in comparison to what is the norm for white supremacist. It helps to push away from the stigma of interracial relationships that are both platonic and romantic. Though the relationship to the other is somewhat productive it is also very flawed. From the very idea that there even is a default and an other, and the assumptions made about people, to people having a motive behind an interracial relationship rather than just liking an individual.