Over time, the idea of “being human” has surely meant — and will continue to mean — many things. But surely one thing it ought to involve today is the ability to recognize that the question itself is a problem. The question, “What is it to be human?” is not just narcissistic, it involves a culpable obtuseness. It is rather like asking, “What is it to be white?” It connotes unearned privileges that have been used to dominate and exploit. But we usually don’t recognize this because our narcissism is so complete.

Source: New York Times August 20, 2018 09:45 UTC