I Will Survive!

“I WILL SURVIVE!” The rise of the ‘survivor identity’ and its dangers

At the next East Midlands Salon, author and academic Dr Ken McLaughlin will introduce a discussion of the themes in his controversial book ‘Surviving Identity’

Many individuals and groups today like to self-identify themselves as ‘survivors’ but they are only the more public voice of what Ken calls ‘the survivor ethos. The trends he identifies in his book affect us all. By lowering our expectations of ourselves and each other the prevailing mood is one in which we are all merely ‘survivors’. 

Ken will discuss the reasons behind the survivor mentality such as the psychologisation of politics and the social world, a societal outlook that is increasingly past rather than future oriented, public estrangement from the political process and a public discourse of vulnerability and risk.

Is he right or does he ignore the positive effects that literary groups like ‘survivors’ and others such as ‘suicide survivors’ and ‘abuse survivors’ can have on people’s lives? Traditional forms of support such as the family, trade unions and community groups have disappeared or are fragile or hollowed out. Isn’t the survivor community a new social force?

Come along and join in the debate. For further details or to register email: [email protected]

Date, time and venue: Tuesday 13 November at 7 PM in the Function Room, the Brunswick Inn, Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU.