Exploring Stigma Around Intellectual Pursuits and Different Learning Methods

Stigma around intellectual pursuits is often rooted in white supremacy's historical oppression of black people, where education and reading were denied. This false inheritance perpetuates the belief that certain intellectual interests are not 'black.' Discrimination related to various European cultures also exists, criticizing an obsession with the written word and favoring non-literal ways of learning. The enlightenment era's emphasis on detachment from experiences through reading is questioned, with a call for valuing embodied and oral traditions for a deeper understanding. The critique of the written word highlights a longing for a return to embodied ways of being that were once prevalent but have been lost in society, including within European history.