viewsof psychological egoism are supported by JohnHoward Griffins experience as a black man in theDeep South.John Howard Griffins experiences also helpedto point out many of the known African-Americanstereotypes held by many white people. One scenein particular involves Griffin hitchhiking inBiloxi, Mississippi.(5) It was November 19, and Griffin had justarrived by bus in Biloxi. He proceeded to seektransportation to his next resting spot, Mobile,Alabama. He found that transportation byhitch-hiking with several anonymous drivers.Griffin encountered a great deal of curiosityfrom the people that stopped to give himtransportation. Most were white males, and theyall bombarded Griffin with questions. Questionsranging from the size of his genitalia to hissexual prowess. Most of the questions dealt withthe stereotypes dealing with the black maleslibido. Griffin describes an almost perverse pleasurethat was achieved by the white males in asking suchsexual questions during these episodes; questionsabout his past sexual experience with white women. One such driver even asked Griffin to exit the carafter Griffin refused to answer one such question.This would seem to support the theory thathumans are curious, and maybe even a littlefrightened, of the unknown. The constant cravingfor answers to apparently perverse questions showeda fear of inadequacy on the part of the white maledrivers. By achieving the answers to thesequestions the white males were possibly hoping toallay their fear that the black man was sexuallysuperior.Were this to be found true, this in turn wouldlead to further racism. If the black male was infact found to be sexually superior to the whitemale, the white male would in turn continue tokeep the black male down, if Hobbes theories ofpsychological egoism are to be believed. Bykeeping the black male down, the white male couldindeed maintain their superior position in society,thereby allowing them to take care of their ...
