Nolens Volens
Improve your writing using this Latin phrase
Death and taxes. The moment a woman’s water breaks. A category-five hurricane headed to shore. A judgment handed down by a jury of your peers or a toddler’s first temper tantrum. These things happen nolens volens — willingly or unwillingly — whether you like it or not.
After spending some time researching the word and its usage through history, I stumbled on a lot of dark references (sexual violence, exploitation and coercion). The term, of course, can be used under any sort of circumstances. A friend might say to you, “You’re going to have fun at your fortieth birthday party, nolens volens.” However, in the case of the history of the forced conversions of indigenous Americans, the term takes on one of its darkest connotations. At the very least, as responsible citizens, it’s our duty to understand history, and not just the admirable history that makes us feel proud, but the full ignoble spectrum. The forced assimilation and religious coercion of native American people, nolens volens, is a tragic facet of both American and religious history. And sadly, it’s not just happening in the past but lingering today. This topic is so far from joyful and life-affirming, but as artists (as humans) we can’t look away from things just because they make us uncomfortable, can we?
