Salman Rushdie: 'In this age, we're asked to define ourselves by hate'

[Newsjock]

Source: The Independent

The Booker Prize-winning novelist Salman Rushdie spoke out against a new "culture of offendedness" yesterday (Saturday), saying that people increasingly "define ourselves by hate".

Speaking to a sellout crowd on the opening day of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Midnight's Children author said: "I do think that one of the characteristics of our age is the growth of this culture of offendedness. It has to do with the rise of identity politics, where you're invited to define your identity quite narrowly – you know, Western, Islamic, whatever it might be."

He continued: "Classically, we have defined ourselves by the things we love. By the place which is our home, by our family, by our friends. But in this age we're asked to define ourselves by hate. That what defines you is what pisses you off. And if nothing pisses you off, who are you?"

... He ascribed the new hatred to the fall of Communism and the rise of religious fanaticism, among other things. "Instead of there being one Iron Curtain, there became lots and lots of little enclaves with people fighting to the death about their own little mindset or their own tribalism. And then religious fanaticism happened, which is not only Islamic. In India, there is the rise of Hindu nationalism, and in America the increased power of the Christian church."

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/salman-rushdie-were-all-too-offended-now-8755930.html

[Common Sense Party]

1. He's 100% correct, and I think that is one of the biggest problems today, both in our country

an around the world.

"Whom do you hate? If you don't hate the same people I hate, then you are wrong, and now I hate you as well."

It's poisoning political discourse, it's making religion irrelevant, and it's contributing to cultural entropy.

[freshwest]

6. Like the Cash sig line. Very true stuff, that.

[delrem]

2. He overgeneralizes.

No doubt he has many wise words. But in the end we have to distinguish a culture from instigators of hatred within that culture. It's only in very rare instances, e.g. the Nazi culture, where that distinction seems to vanish, and only when we distinguish those who openly and assertively promote Nazi culture from those forced to live in that environment and might, for instance if they're children, be totally innocent of the import of what they are saying/learning.

[freshwest]

3. Defining ourselves by the things we love...

This is a wise man. And he's telling something that will lead to peace. Thanks for posting this, very good and thought provoking.

[Lugal Zaggesi]

4. I loved that movie

"They Live"

[freshwest]

5. Big fan of that flick myself. I see many parallels.

Did you ever see the movie Conspiracy Theory with Gibson and Roberts?

Ah, there are so many. I haven't seen any movies for long, long time. Or TV.

[HiPointDem]

7. +100

"this culture of offendedness. It has to do with the rise of identity politics, where you're invited to define your identity quite narrowly"

by design. divide & conquer.