Malcolm X Essay Example - English

In his article, Malcolm X, a fighter for a more egalitarian world, evoked some sensitive points, he describes how the human race is ready to do anything to integrate into a society filled with lies and inequality, even if it means questioning its own values and principles. He explains his view on the conk. A practice that dates back to the 1940’s, when black men had their hair straightened.

Ready to do anything to be accepted? To lose one’s identity to be integrated? This is what Malcolm X wants to argue. The fighter relates his experience and his history with the conk. During this period, the straight hair was a sign of wealth and power, it allowed you to access a certain social class or the creation of a social hierarchy.

Malcolm x brings to light the dark truth of our society. In his essay he tells his discussion with the drugstore man “going to lay on that first conk? the drugstore man asked me, I proudly told him, grinning right”. He was waiting for this moment since his young age! His hairdresser told him “The first time’s always worst, you get used to it better long” and “he vowed that I’d never again be without a conk, and I never was for many years”.
Getting your hair straightened has never been a cause to satisfy a personal pleasure, but a sign of submission!

This practice of unbearable pain, unimaginable heat and atrocious burns; almost a form of self-mutilation. The author denounces that during the black community followed this unfortunate trend, forgetting little by little their mental competences. He said that “This is distraction from the true beauty of any man or woman which is their brain”. Getting your hair straightened was never a cause to satisfy a personal pleasure, but a sign of submission! It was not only a question of physical, but also social. he said “that they will even violate and mutilate their god creates bodies try to look pretty boy white standards and ended up calling them ridiculous. Bodies become objects, subjected to an imperative of making-value.

Malcolm x tells how stupid and ashamed he was to follow this trend. He admits he was manipulated. I admired his story and the way he tells it. He started out as one of those who wanted to be like the white community, and then he realized what he really was. Hurting yourself, destroying

yourself mentally, self-harming, not accepting yourself to be part of this standardized beauty should not be normalized, on the contrary. Hurt yourself to survive, self-inflicted wounds
Society often defines beauty as it wishes, very often in the absence of flaws. What is considered beautiful here could be very ugly in another context or culture. Malcolm X says this is a result of the white standard and it’s a sign of “brainwashing”

Became an icon of the African-American movements to end racial discrimination. Malcolm X warns future generations in his article. Even if, sometimes, in our society it is necessary to make certain compromises to integrate more easily into society. But this does not justify self-harm in any form and it’s important not to be overwhelmed by the unrealistic beauty standards that we see in the media. It is important to remember every day that this is not reality, but an interpretation of it.

Ambition, motivation and even enthusiasm are beautiful qualities, but they sometimes make us forget our reality. Are these sacrifices really worth it?

Accéder à l'échantillon complet