Communities and Their Pitfalls

Jeanne Proust has studied Philosophy and Visual Arts in Bordeaux, Berlin, and Paris. Her research focuses on Théodule Ribot’s Diseases of the Will, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives. While teaching at different universities here in New York, Jeanne is advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond the frontiers of academia.

The term community seems to systematically assume a positive meaning in the US. From the Latin communis, “shared in common”, it refers to a social unit which members have something in common that gives them an identity. These things in common may be religion, race, values, beliefs, resources, needs – based on social ties such as family, work, commitment to a cause. This group cohesiveness is supposed to create a sense of community that we automatically correlate with ideas such as solidarity, generosity, sharing. Sharing amongst whom exactly, though?When we closely observe sociologically how certain communities function not within themselves, but in relation with each other, we often notice a total absence of curiosity for outsiders – when it’s not blunt rejection. We’ll discuss the extent to which we can differentiate the sense of community from the clannishness it might lead to. By reinforcing our community identity, we value what is identical within ourselves, and we might build this identity mainly against others, simultaneously creating and digging frontiers between social groups – instead of opening them.

We’ll be joined by Mark Godoy Jr. a first generation American born artist of Guyanese-Belizean descent. His current body of work entitled, The Tribute Series, highlights the issues of police violence and racial discrimination that black men, women and people of color are facing in America today. The portraits are mixed media collages using paint swatches and various other mediums. This method calls upon resourcefulness in the midst of scarcity. It is a literal and metaphorical reconstruction of the self-image. It requires the viewer to confront the clutter of negative racial narratives to clear a path for connection on a human-to-human level. This effort aims to humanize the victims and memorialize them as beautiful works of art which can open a conversation about the complexities of race relations in America. www.markgodoyjr.com











When: Fri., Oct. 12, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Where: The Strand
828 Broadway
212-473-1452
Price: $20.00
Buy tickets/get more info now
See other events in these categories:

Jeanne Proust has studied Philosophy and Visual Arts in Bordeaux, Berlin, and Paris. Her research focuses on Théodule Ribot’s Diseases of the Will, both in philosophical and psychological perspectives. While teaching at different universities here in New York, Jeanne is advocating for a widening of philosophical education beyond the frontiers of academia.

The term community seems to systematically assume a positive meaning in the US. From the Latin communis, “shared in common”, it refers to a social unit which members have something in common that gives them an identity. These things in common may be religion, race, values, beliefs, resources, needs – based on social ties such as family, work, commitment to a cause. This group cohesiveness is supposed to create a sense of community that we automatically correlate with ideas such as solidarity, generosity, sharing. Sharing amongst whom exactly, though?When we closely observe sociologically how certain communities function not within themselves, but in relation with each other, we often notice a total absence of curiosity for outsiders – when it’s not blunt rejection. We’ll discuss the extent to which we can differentiate the sense of community from the clannishness it might lead to. By reinforcing our community identity, we value what is identical within ourselves, and we might build this identity mainly against others, simultaneously creating and digging frontiers between social groups – instead of opening them.

We’ll be joined by Mark Godoy Jr. a first generation American born artist of Guyanese-Belizean descent. His current body of work entitled, The Tribute Series, highlights the issues of police violence and racial discrimination that black men, women and people of color are facing in America today. The portraits are mixed media collages using paint swatches and various other mediums. This method calls upon resourcefulness in the midst of scarcity. It is a literal and metaphorical reconstruction of the self-image. It requires the viewer to confront the clutter of negative racial narratives to clear a path for connection on a human-to-human level. This effort aims to humanize the victims and memorialize them as beautiful works of art which can open a conversation about the complexities of race relations in America. www.markgodoyjr.com

Buy tickets/get more info now