49. We Real Cool: Breaking Down bell hooks’ Book on Black Masculinity
What a joy this episode was to record! bell hooks is one of our favorite authors and there is still so much we have to learn from her work. In this episode, we talk about one of our favorite books of hers, We Real Cool. We discuss what our favorite chapters are, whether or not we agree with her analysis and so many different aspects of masculinity and Black masculinity in particular. Share this episode with someone you think would appreciate it! Leave a review while you’re here too!
0:51 Our podcast with Blacks With Books
2:30 How we stumbled upon We Real Cool
5:13 The Gwendolyn Brooks Poem the Book is Named After
6:43 The main problem facing Black men
8:18 bell hooks’ quote from the preface
10:40 What stood out to Jan most about the book
11:00 Thinking About School and Childhood
14:01 White Patriarchy
16:45 Plantation Patriarchy
18:04 The NFL
19:30 The neuroscience of absolute power
20:49 From Angry Boys to Angry Men
23:10 When Black Boys are quiet and obedient
25:12 How to use anger as a positive
26:30 Sex in Today’s World
28:16 We are born sensual
30:35 You are not alone
32:38 Which male problem is the root of all of them
34:02 What happens when your emotional needs aren’t met…
36:17 Masculinity and earning potential
38:12 Women’s influence on men today
40:33 How We Real Cool Makes Us Better Men
42:54 Being Warm
44:38 Debates about what a man is
46:55 bell hooks’ legacy
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