Adoption Quote by Frantz Fanon
“Every colonized people-in other words, every people in whose soul an inferiority complex has been created by the death and burial of its local cultural originality-finds itself face to face with the language of the civilizing nation; that is, with the culture of the mother country. The colonized is elevated above his jungle status in proportion to his adoption of the mother country's cultural standards.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, 1961
Colonized peoples develop inferiority complexes when their native culture is erased, confronting the colonizer's language and standards.
In simple terms: Loss of cultural identity creates inferiority and pressure to adopt colonizer culture.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and reclaim native cultural value.
Themes
colonialism
identity
culture
psychology
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education reform
- community cultural programs
- personal identity work
Key Concepts
inferiority complex
cultural erasure
assimilation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does reclaiming language empower identity?
- What role can education play in decolonizing minds?
A Different Perspective
Adoption of colonizer standards may also bring material benefits, complicating resistance.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
