Pain is important: how we evade it, how we succumb to it, how we deal with it, how we transcend it

Pain is important: how we evade it, how we succumb to it, how we deal with it, how we transcend it

Audre Lorde, a renowned poet, writer, and activist, often explored the theme of pain in her works. She believed that pain is an essential part of the human experience and that it should not be ignored or avoided. Instead, Lorde argued that pain should be acknowledged, embraced, and ultimately transcended in order to grow and evolve as individuals.

In her essay "The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power," Lorde discusses how society often tries to suppress and evade pain, particularly the pain that comes from embracing one's own desires and passions. She argues that by denying our own desires and emotions, we are denying a fundamental part of ourselves and ultimately causing ourselves more pain in the long run. Lorde encourages readers to embrace their desires and passions, even if they are painful or uncomfortable, in order to fully experience the richness and complexity of life.

Lorde also explores how individuals succumb to pain, particularly the pain of oppression and discrimination. As a black lesbian woman, Lorde faced numerous challenges and injustices throughout her life. She understood firsthand the pain of being marginalized and oppressed, and she used her writing to speak out against these injustices. Lorde believed that by acknowledging and confronting the pain of oppression, individuals could begin to heal and work towards creating a more just and equitable society.