The essay under consideration was written by Bell Hooks, a female teacher. In her essay, she contemplates the legacy of Western metaphysical dualism, passed on to her contemporaries by elder professors, who normally were both white and nonwhite males. According to their philosophy, the body and the mind have to be considered separate once a teacher enters the classroom. The conception ingrained in Hook’s mind to such an extent that she is unable to recollect the bodies of her professors, only their voices and fragments. The author believes that there is a distinct connection between the body and passion and, therefore, denying the body makes us lose ourselves.
Further, Hooks refers to an article she once read, which claimed that many male professors think sexually about their students. The information made her look differently at the men who taught her. In her early teaching years, she had a stunning experience of being attracted to one of her students and not realizing it. It occurred due to a subliminal repression of her attraction and resulted in being rude and mean to him. At Women’s Studies classes at Stanford University, Professor Diane Middlebrook demonstrated that eros and the erotic could coexist with learning. In fact, studying in a female environment encouraged the students not to be disembodied spirits. The experience suggested that as teachers they will nurture care and love in the classroom. Hooks develops the idea that the erotic is the power which makes us actualize our potency. It is not limited to its sexual meaning, but helps us understand ourselves better and self-actualize. While teaching a course on black women writers at Yale, Bell Hooks became a witness to a great transformation in one of her students. There was a black female student who always straightened her hair due to the feeling of uneasiness (naturally, connected to her race). Yet, after exploring the topic of internalized racism, her critical consciousness was deeply affected. Consequently, she made a decision to wear her hair natural. This situation made the author realize that one can’t change their past (the place of birth, growing up and past beliefs), but one can definitely influence their future.
Bell Hooks concludes that passion is a vital part of the teaching and learning process. It is important for everyone to understand it and perceive the mind and body as a whole, which will let us introduce eros into the classroom.
Works cited
Bell Hooks. “Eros, Eroticism and the Pedagogical Process”. historiasenconstruccion.wikispaces.com. (n. d.) Web. Accessed January 19 2016 at <https://historiasenconstruccion.wikispaces.com/Eros,+Eroticism,+and+the+Pedagogical+Process>
