The Feedback Loop
Throughout this course we have focused a tremendous amount of time reading a variety of novels that have discussed racial inequalities. In each novel, the authors discuss this topic in different ways using personal experiences, imagery, descriptive language, and metaphors to get their message across. In this course, out of the many metaphors we’ve discussed, the meaning behind “the Feedback Loop” stood out to me most over the others. In class we discussed that this loop represents the constant cycle where black Americans are fighting for equality. Not only does this metaphor describe the fight of battling racial inequality, but helps to educate others in hopes of breaking this discriminatory cycle. In this blog, I will analyze works of literature, a film, and a song to further analyze the meaning of “The Feedback Loop” in terms of black culture.
From the novel, “The Fire This Time” by Isabel Wilkerson’s “Where Do We Go From Here”, Wilkerson discusses the prevalence of injustice and racism that still stands as an ongoing issue in our society today. Wilkerson writes, “We may have believed that, if nothing else, the Civil Rights Movement had defined a bar beneath which we could not fall. But history tells us otherwise. We seem to be in a continuing feedback loop of repeating a past that our country has yet to address” (59). In this, Wilkerson introduces the meaning behind “The Feedback Loop” while referencing the Civil Rights Era. This ongoing cycle of discriminatory behavior is constantly evolving and putting African Americans at a disadvantage. Moreover, Wilkerson further goes on to explain how the achievements made to terminate these acts of injustice results in violent backlash. Wilkerson says, “there was a lynching every four days in the early decades of the twentieth century. It’s been estimated that an African American is now killed by police every two to three days” (61). Black Americans since the 1800’s have been stripped of their human rights and racially discriminated against. Despite the improvement in the police system, many officers have resigned from their role due to lack of respect, fear of violating one’s civil rights, and new laws and restrictions put into place. When looking through the lens of Wilkerson, history is repeating itself which is described through metaphors and imagery. With this, we are able to understand the concept of “The Feedback Loop” and the need for our community and individuals to stand up and spread equality rather than continuing a cycle of unjustified behaviors.
In “White Rage” by Carol Anderson, the idea of the continuous feedback loop is referenced again as she is describing how as there are new Black advancements they’re faced with retaliation. Anderson exemplifies these forms of aggression by referencing a variety of examples related back to historical events in America. Anderson writes, “Brown v. Board of Education seemed like another moment of triumph- with the ruling on the unconstitutionality of separate public schools for black and white students affirming African American rights as citizens” (84). Despite the efforts to end segregation, Anderson points out that “For every action of African advancement, there is a reaction” (84). Black Americans were faced with acts of oppression and anger as crowds of people stood outside of schools and protested for change. Anderson, transitions from past to present historical events throughout the text. In 2011, Connick v. Thomson case that “ruled it was legal for a city prosecutor’s staff to hide evidence that exonerated a black man who was rotting on death row for fourteen years” (87). Black Americans’ lives are hindered and demolished by laws that continue to create unjustified restrictions limiting their opportunities. The examples Anderson uses to help give her readers insight on these racial inequalities supports the idea of the feedback loop recurring and disrupting our society.
A short film Say Their Names, directed by Christian Heiche, details how racial inequalities have propagated throughout history and created a never ending cycle. The film captures the systematic racism manifesting from police brutality of victims including George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, and others that are played by actors. The film starts out by showing pictures of the victims to show what they looked like before they became targets. As the movie continues, actors portray scenes of protests, distruction to monuments, and police brutality. Towards the end, each of the victims are looking at the viewers right in the eyes, creating a startling effect. Although this film is rather shorter and wordless, the message is clear and powerful through the use of imagery and the way the actors look so similar to the real victims. Using well known people who have passed in this film not only brings it more to life, but adds a personal touch, leaving a lasting impression. The idea of the continuous feedback loop is prevalent as we see how even today these unjustified acts are happening due to a lack of regulations and more support from our police systems.
In the novel, Biased, by Jeniffer L. Elberhardt discusses the importance of realizing are own racial biases so we can acknowledge them and hopefully become more aware. Elberhardt further discusses the biases people hold and the effects that have on our daily lives by giving examples in the context of workforce, law, school and more. Similarly, in the song “Break the Bias” by Janet Taras, a speaking rights activist, there are references this idea of normalizing uncomfortable conversations, specifically gender bias, to help end oppression and bring equality among society. In the song it says “biases can be broken… gender bias must be broken because it leads to violence it leads to hate it leads to cages” (Taras, 2020). Based on the main viewpoints of Eberhardt and Taras part of this cycle of continuous injustice is due to the bias we hold as individuals. Instead of stereotyping and holding these biases, becoming more aware of the affect it has on others is essential to terminating this ongoing cycle.
Throughout the pieces of literature from the novel “The Fire This Time,” the short film Say Their Names, the book biased, and the song “Break The Bias”, it’s obvious that our country has a history of repeating the past by reversing the achievements of black Americans. In class we spoke about how with every step forward, there are two steps back. Despite the effort to make change, black Americans are faced with implicit bias and regression diminishing the success of black individuals. This ongoing idea known as “The Feedback Loop” referenced and indirectly stated in these sources discussed above further shows why, as a country, we are in our current state.
