Being Known Podcast S11E13: Unseen Structures: Caste, Power, and Healing the Fractures Beneath Our Feet
Apr 16, 2025
Dive into the intricate world of caste systems and their deep roots in American culture. The conversation pushes boundaries, urging listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about social hierarchies. With personal anecdotes, the speakers reveal the complexities of race and community dynamics. An amusing tour story adds humor while highlighting societal tensions. They reflect on generational trauma’s impact, encouraging healing through understanding and relational repair. It’s a call to engage with diverse perspectives and embrace the journey of creating community together.
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Understanding Caste Beyond Race
- Caste systems represent deeply entrenched social hierarchies often inherited by birth and limit social mobility.
- They extend beyond race to involve power structures that profoundly shape identity and relationships.
Segregated Roots in Abolition Town
- Kurt Thompson described growing up in a small town with racial segregation despite its abolitionist history.
- He felt the tension between his community’s ideals and actual social separations.
Generational Trauma’s Lingering Impact
- Some social ruptures become endemic and invisible like diseases, persisting through generations.
- Generational trauma influences responses to social interactions and deepens racial divides.
