THE INTERDENOMINATIONAL THEOLOGICAL CENTER

CONTEXTUALIZATION PAPER: NIHILISM IN BLACK AMERICA

SUBMITTED TO DR. KAREN GRIFFIN

IN PARTIAL COMPLETION OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
INT408A: FOUNDATIONS FOR MINISTRY

BY

ANTHONY D. CLINKSCALES

ATLANTA, GEORGIA
JANUARY 30, 2009

The famous German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche spoke of nihilism as a

natural repercussion of a society resting on the shoulders of self-righteous, selfcentered political, moral, and intellectual authority. The ideals of 19 th century Europe
were based on the rationalizations of a select few, and Nietzsche asserted that this
group only pretended to have everyones interest at heart. The system by default
marginalized, and disenfranchised the common people. 1 By the same token, Cornel
West has identified the detriment of modern America with succumbing to impositions of
a society who does not have the African Americans interest at heart. The result is
nihilistic threat, the nemesis of the survival of black men and women. West defines
nihilistic threat as a loss of hope and absence of meaning; nihilistic threat far exceeds
that of oppression or exploitation in America.2
In 2001 Tavis Smiley, a correspondent/contributor for ABC, CNN, and National
Public Radio (NPR), compiled and edited How to make Black America better: leading
African Americans speak out. In this book, several notable African Americans spoke
soberly concerning the plight of our people. Smiley compiled an inspirational, self-help
book that provides commendable solutions for dealing with the key issues that are
robbing and killing African American people. Overall, in Tavis book, there was a
consensual, unfortunate observation of self-inflicting actions that are being perpetrated
by a people against themselves. This is what Cornel West coined as walking nihilism. 3
In other words, because so many people feel the strain to keep up with our evergrowing, global and technological society, a sense of hopelessness, lovelessness, and
meaninglessness prevails. Furthermore, nihilism and nihilistic threat in society influence
Americans, and particularly African Americans self-destructive behavior.

In Race Matters, West begins his discussion of nihilism by acknowledging two

schools of thought that have attempted to identify underlying reasons that prime African
Americans for nihilistic threat. The first are structural constraints, and the second are
referred to as behavioral impediments. The first suggest that much of the damage that
persists is directly resulting from systematic and strategic attempts to oppress the
African American that has had residual effects up till the present time. The second
suggest that the main cause of African Americans disadvantage is due to our own
negligence, including our lack of faith, morals, and work ethic. I agree that much of
peoples behavior is directly dictated by how they live. However, these debates are
inadequate because they suggest that peoples lives are based on structures that are
solely economic and political entities. These debates do not survey the actual
conditions that await prompt interest and solving in our deprived black communities. 4
The fact of the matter is that liberal structuralists focus restraints on economics
and politics, but fail to consider true dynamics that drive a race, such as culture and
faith. And conservative behaviorists fail to examine the many cases of faithful,
Protestant families that remain at the bottom of the social ladder. The conservative
behaviorists tend to deny the enduring effects of black peoples gruesome journey up
from slavery, through civil rights til now. West suggests, and I concur, that in this way,
crucial and indispensable themes of self-help and personal responsibility are wrenched
out of historical context and contemporary circumstances---as if it is all a matter of
personal will.5 The heart of Wests discussion lies in his acknowledgement that nihilism
is a disease of the mind. The depraved condition of black America is a reflection of a
profound sense of mental, personal, and social hopelessness.

I submit that the depraved condition of African Americans is a result of our

abandonment of spiritual, communal, and familial ethics. When our ancestors were
very successful in cultivating healthy self images, we now suffer from amnesia. I feel
that our detriment is mostly attributable to our adoption of Americas capitalistic society.
The media and cable television have been very instrumental in undermining our proud
legacy, and desensitizing spiritual people by promoting hedonistic lifestyles. We have
victimized ourselves by trading meaningful values for meaningless ideals. Many of our
churches have gone so far as to Americanize the gospel of God, preaching a gospel of
prosperity that influences our self-indulgent mindsets. And our churches promote
nihilism anytime they fail to attack the self-righteous ideals upheld by congregants such
as classism, ageism, sexism, elitism, paternalism, racism, and homophobia.
West suggests a means of combating nihilism through our collective efforts. The
first suggestion is the revamping of leadership in our communities that are informed of
our dire situations and who are resourceful in meeting the needs of the people
spiritually, psychologically, through empowerment. Cornel affirms the fact that nihilism
cannot be overcome by debates or critical analyses, but through love and care. Love
overcomes all evil. There needs to be love and respect for oneself as well as a love
and genuine concern for one another. Ministries should aim to strengthen family
structures and promote friendship ties, not individualism and separatism. Moreover,
ministries should put less emphasis on rules and regulations, but more on outreach and
evangelism. Lastly, ministries should preach and promote holiness and unconditional
love, which are more concerned with pleasing God than with achieving personal gain in
the earth. Essentially, this is a battle that requires a renewing of our collective minds.

Notes
1. Ted Honderich, ed., The Oxford Guide to Philosophy (New York, NY: Oxford
University Press, 2005), 656.
2. Cornel West, Race Matters (New York, NY: Random House, 1994), 23.
3. Cornel West, The Political Intellectual, in The Cornel West Reader (New
York, NY: Basic Civitas Books, 1999), 293.
4. West, Race Matters, 18-19.
5. West, Race Matters, 22.

Bibliography

Honderich, Ted, ed. The Oxford Guide to Philosophy. New York, NY: Random House,
1994.
Fromm, Erich. The Art of Listening. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing
Group Inc., 2005.
Smiley, Tavis, ed. How to make Black America Better: Leading African Americans
Speak Out. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 2001.
West, Cornel. The Political Intellectual. In The Cornel West Reader, edited by Cornel
West, 278-301. New York, NY: Basic Civitas Books, 1999.
West, Cornel. Race Matters. New York, NY: Random House, 1994.

Omit this page

Ted Honderich, ed., The Oxford Guide to Philosophy (New York, NY: Oxford University Press,
2005), 656.
2
Cornel West, Race Matters (New York, NY: Random House, 1994), 23.
3
Cornel West, The Political Intellectual, in The Cornel West Reader, ed by Cornel West, 278-301.
(New York, NY: Basic Civitas Books, 1999), 293.
4
West, Race Matters, 18-19.
5
West, Race Matters, 22.