Some reflections on Fanon
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In Chapter 5, “The Fact of Blackness,” Frantz Fannon introduces the concept of “being for others.” Fanon draws on Hegelian philosophy to explore how individuals understand themselves through their interactions with others, particularly through the act of recognition. However, Fanon’s experience as a Black man reveals that this process of recognition is dehumanizing, as he is seen not as an individual but as an object defined by the white gaze.
Fanon expresses his desire for anonymity by stating, “All I want is to be anonymous, to be forgotten. " This desire reflects his wish to escape the objectifying gaze of white people. By being ignored, Fanon suggests he could avoid the experience of “being for others,” where his identity is determined by how the white world perceives him, forcing him to internalize their dehumanizing views.
Moreover, Fanon illustrates how Black individuals are held to impossible standards, where a single mistake is used to condemn an entire race. In contrast, a white person’s mistake is viewed as a personal failure.“Here was the Negro teacher, the Negro physician; as for me, I was becoming a nervous wreck, shaking at the slightest alert. I knew for instance that if the physician made one false move, it was over for him and for all those who came after him. What, in fact, could one expect from a Negro physician?” Fanon demonstrates how the Other has chosen what to make of his body, predetermining his actions through their white gaze, not allowing him to make mistakes without jeopardizing a whole race.
So, how can the black man establish his values in the world through action when the white man has assumed his values before the latter even gets to act? Acting requires a relationship between your body and the world. If the Other makes your body an object to oppress, neglect and predetermine, how does one act?