1. How the Irresolvable Camus-Sartre Conflict Helps Us Appreciate the George Floyd Uprising, and Vice-Versa
- Author
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Aronson , Ronald
- Abstract
The Black Lives Matter uprising in the United States that exploded onto the scene after the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 marks an historic breakthrough – because of its geographic spread throughout the country, its sweeping demand for an end to all racist practices, its willingness to challenge institutions, symbols, and attitudes as well as behaviors, the participation together of millions of Americans of all colors, and especially the involvement of young people. Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus have left us moral and political insights that throw light on this moment: Sartre for his intransigent radicalism and opposition to oppression, Camus for his deep commitment to solidarity and restraint. In their lifetime these sets of attitudes became opposed, and led to their dramatic break. However, today’s uprising has rejected the either/or that split apart the friendship as well as their Cold-War generation. But today, going beyond the Camus/Sartre break, solidarity and restraint have been at the core of the Black Lives Matter uprising, from the start together with a deep commitment to radical change., Studi Sartriani – XIV/2020 – Sartre e l’esistenzialismo americano
- Published
- 2020
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