Folau not taking the knee
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:07 pm
Folau's decision to not take the knee yesterday and the hysteria that accompanied it has provided an interesting insight into human behaviour and thinking. In many respects the criticism he faced has perfectly mirrored that which the NFL player who knelt in the first place received - there was an expectation of conformity that was disappointed and so the mostly white mob have to tear down this dangerous individual who dares stand out from the crowd.
The point that seemed to evade the mob is of course that people following norms just because they are expected to aren't especially noble acts of political bravery. They don't require risk or sacrifice or even thinking, they are just acts of obedience to what people - at this moment in time - deem to be socially acceptable. In fact if people kneel just because they have to, not because they choose to the whole exercise is pretty much pointless.
The point that seemed to evade the mob is of course that people following norms just because they are expected to aren't especially noble acts of political bravery. They don't require risk or sacrifice or even thinking, they are just acts of obedience to what people - at this moment in time - deem to be socially acceptable. In fact if people kneel just because they have to, not because they choose to the whole exercise is pretty much pointless.