Dr. King said that in this form it is good, for it helps nurture the essential characteristics for leadership and healthy competition. But it is when the drum major instinct turns to thoughts of superiority that the dark side emerges and creates the foundation for such things as racist beliefs. Dr. King emphasized that by recognizing that we all have some measure of the drum major instinct within us that the key is to keep it in check and our view of others in the proper perspective. Dr. King s insight goes directly to the heart of the matter of our state s image, for there are those who for whatever reasons seek to invalidate others. And invalidation, according to those who understand human behavior, serves as a means to effectively pull others down so as to temporarily pull themselves up.
Cultural stereotypes are a form of invalidation.
They are the thoughts and words of those that do not understand and may well lack sufficient self-esteem. Even worse, it can be of a mindset that seeks to poison our collective well and, as Dr. King found, that breeds illusions of superiority. For some, the Internet has served as little more than a vehicle to send West Virginia jokes, often derogatory, that demonstrate at the very least an insensitivity born of a lack of intelligence if not character. Often cloaked in humor, it is nevertheless thinly disguised thoughts of superiority coming at others expense. While being a convenient lightning rod for those who seek to put down others, West Virginians remain proud.