Noun

disdain – a feeling of contempt for someone or something regarded as unworthy or inferior : scorn

I cam across this word while reading “You In America”, this can be found on page 3, it quoted “He had been to Ghana and Kenya and Tanzania, he had read about all the other African countries, their histories, their complexities. You wanted to feel disdain, to show it as you brought his order, because white people who liked Africa too much and who liked Africa too little were the same—condescending. ” .After knowing the meaning of this word I believe the narrator is saying that she wanted to feel Scorn “the feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt.” She wanted to feel as if hes unworthy, and worthless to her. She didn’t want to show him respect.

Adjective

condescending – showing or characterized by a patronizing or superior attitude toward others

I came across this word while reading “You In America”. It is located on the second page quoted, “You wanted to feel disdain, to show it as you brought his order, because white people who liked Africa too much and who liked Africa too little were the same—condescending.” After knowing the definition of this word, I believe that it is saying that white people who like Africa or white people who don’t like Africa both has the same attitude. I think the author is telling us that all white people have the same attitude towards African American people. When people are being condescending they feel more superiority than others.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condescending