The Legacy of Slavery in America

 Week 10 Response:

In Esquire article "Why Get Out is the Best Movie Ever Made About American Slavery" Steven Thrasher argues that Jordan Peele's 2017 film "Get Out" is one of the most powerful movies made about the legacy slavery because it creatively captures the exploitation and oppression of black people in contemporary society that continues to exist, without explicitly saying it is about slavery itself. Thrasher points out that what makes "Get Out" so particularly impactful is that it does not follow a classic slavery narrative, and instead it depicts the more modern forms of exploitation and oppression of black people in America that are often overlooked. In "Get Out," white people essentially place their consciousness in black bodies to fulfill a variety of selfish personal desires, whether it be to become more athletically fit, to pleasure their white sex partners in bed, or even to seem "cooler" in their community. Thrasher explains how these white thieves see black bodies as physically superior, and therefore find black bodies useful when separated from their consciousness, emotions, and politics. One of the relevant connections Thrasher makes between the film and America's exploitation of black bodies that stood out to me the most is among black athletes and commercial pro level sports. This really made me think a lot about how black athletes are so heavily sought out and pushed into professional sports, which ultimately benefits a huge and multi faceted monopoly that is owned and controlled by white people. 

Another important point that Thrasher makes is that Peele's choice to set "Get Out" in the present in New York, rather than an Antebellum Southern Plantation makes it far more difficult for white people, particularly white liberals, to remove themselves from the systemic racism that the film is addressing. Ultimately, Thrasher's article commends "Get Out" for forcing its viewers to reflect on how slavery has only been reshaped to fit today's "progressive" society, as black bodies continue to be viewed as disposable in the economic (and even personal) pursuits of white America.