Unlearning harmful beliefs tied to community shame, tracing the seeds of lateral oppression and taking the first steps towards healing.
Whatever you do, do not think about a purple elephant. Do not try to imagine his big lilac ears and trunk. Don’t do it…
What are you thinking about now?
This thought experiment essentially illustrates the ironic process theory. Intentionally trying to suppress a thought, more often than not, leads to us fixating on it. No matter how hard we try, we can’t help but visualize it, in all its purple glory.
Internalised oppression works similarly. In a study led by Dr. Margaret Shih in 1999, Asian American women were asked to pass a mathematics test. Half were reminded of their gender right before the test, and the other half were reminded of their ethnicity and the racial stereotype surrounding the model-minority myth. The second half scored significantly better.
Racism indeed works in mysterious ways.
Given the results of this study, participating students had internalised the psychological and socio-cultural aspect of what it means to be from their community. While some stereotypes can have a seemingly “positive” undertone, most of them, especially when linked to historically marginalized groups, have adverse and lasting effects.
Stereotypes, often crafted from discriminatory beliefs enforced by colonizing entities, are internalised by many oppressed groups. This is a window into the tragic entanglement between historical marginalization and generational trauma. Even without the oppressors’ presence, communities or peoples that underwent trauma will go on acting as though the oppressor never left.
Taught beliefs rooted in past trauma spread over generations. Despite suppressing it, most of us still unconsciously internalize what we grow up hearing, as it starts taking an elephant-worthy amount of space in our subconscious minds.
This concept is sadly present in many communities across the world, where some beliefs, despite being negative, embed themselves within a culture. The promotion of euro-centric features in some african communities is a prime example of an oppressive framework replicating itself. No effort needed from the original oppressors. The latter can then claim wanting to “let bygones be bygones” and refuse to acknowledge the ongoing harm they have caused.
And so, identity-deprecating behaviour, often called internalised racism, ensues, leaving a chance for lateral violence to bloom. A very vicious cycle indeed.
But whilst this situation is unfair, it is far from hopeless. Because knowledge and acceptance is the first step toward recovery, I commend you for taking the time to read this article, and encourage you to continue walking the individual path that is healing.
Reclaiming your own identity often starts with learning about the root cause of your community’s past traumas. Educating yourself first might be your best bet to finally overturn the status quo. Only then will you be able to help yourself and others unlearn harmful beliefs.
Change is only slow because it must come from within. That often means starting with your own inner circle – family and friends – rather than jumping the gun and immediately aiming for world reform.
“Being the change” has indeed never rang more true.
