African American Psychology Essay -- essays research papers

Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery: Liberation from Mental Slavery The author of this article, Dr. Na’im Akbar, begins by explaining human nature and tries to communicate what makes human beings a special species and concludes that self-consciousness is the one characteristic that sets us apart from all other forms of animal life on this planet. The fact that we have a feeling of who we are and as a group of people; we do not feel that we have limitations. Moreover, because of this self-knowledge, we are able to make progress. However, the author makes it clear that we do have at least one major limitation that can keep us from making progress and that rests in out ignorance. She states that we are ignorant in who we are and what we can do. We do not have to remain ignorant; if we gain consciousness, our true human capacity is open to us. Just as we have the potential to be an amazing species, we also have the potential to be an amazingly cruel and despicable species. The author notes that we are the only life form who can engage in collectiv e and individual self-murder with no acceptable motive. Dr. Akbar goes on to explain that human beings have always worked to create circumstances to maximize their consciousness. People knew that by working the other way and minimizing other human beings’ consciousness, this would be the basis for oppression. The article notes that human slavery is a gradual process in which the mind of a people is brought under control and ...