I was reading Black Commentator, and this article caught my eye. Maybe it was because I had been watching Utena, with its themes of willing participants in delusion, but it really struck me. I hadn't read it before, but it brought up a lot of really good points. I thought maybe I disagreed with the author's lack of qualification on the term whites, but then again, saying 'some whites' would make it easy for white readers to class themselves in the class of good innocent whites, and not really take responsibility. Also, sure, maybe the war is informed by white supremacy, but it is not like there aren't black(and Hispanic, Asian, native American) soldiers that are participating in and are complicity in this horror. However, this is another example of the interesting articles that are available on the internet for nearly all.

But back to anime musings, I think maybe I am attracted to Utena and talking about race a lot for the same reasons. Somehow, mass hysteria and delusions attract me. How so many people can believe the obviously untrue- it fascinates me! The most interesting part of the Utena storyline(warning, possible spoilers) is how much it is a delusion entered in by willing participants. Yes, Akio makes people see things that aren't real, sort of like the media, but without any duty to at least make things slightly resemble events in the real world, but the other characters themselves cling to these illusions because they think they'll get what they truly desire. They feed into the images with memory, desire, and all else, and that's why they are trapped.

Even the noble intentioned Utena is trapped. Much like the much maligned white liberal, she comes in, with a desire to save princesses, and Anthy in particular. She rushes in without considering Anthy's feeling and agency. Of course, since this is a cartoon show and not a real allegory for our weird social problems in the US, all ends happily. But I think one should be careful in rushing in without considering how others may feel about their position. Then again, back to Utena, she is trapped by her desire to become a prince, and is so blinded to the real realities of what is going on.

For example, it is hard to believe that in all that time, Utena never walked into the room that is seemingly just beside her room, or noticed that Anthy was missing during the night. She didn't see it because she didn't want to see it. And that's a big problem in the real world.

It's strange that if you think about a problem a lot, you think about it, even when you're supposed to be relaxing and watching cartoon shows.