I’ve noticed I’m holding back more and more, in terms of my most inspired posts, and some of my best comments or emails? I never pressed “send” on… In essence they don’t even exist. Or rather, only I know they did, and I slowly watch these creative sparks of inspiration fade in my memory, wondering if they would have been a light in the dark to somebody. ✨
It’s in response to the present “state” of society. People not really hearing each other, and not really wanting to…not wanting to be challenged. Or not having the time, and maybe not pausing long enough, to even notice this confirmation bias. And I have to wonder likewise how much this is reinforcing and even amplifying ignorance. I mean, who’s more likely to hold back–the angry, loud, arrogant troll who’s bad with boundaries? Or is it gonna be the person who’s sensitive and empathic and doesn’t want to bother being vulnerable if nobody’s gonna hear what they have to say anyway; but suppose they may have added some much needed mutually-receptive insights to the conversation, now absent? Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m saying that the voice of ignorance is gonna chime in anyway, louder than ever, but the voice of wisdom might think twice…gradually disappearing from the conversation entirely.
I’m speaking about identity politics (right or left), cancel culture (left &/or right), tribal war (right &/or left), or whatever you wanna call it. A self-fulfilling polarization so extreme both “sides” stopped telling the truth a long time ago. I’m talking about the person who is brave enough to speak their truth inviting 10 bitter and unrelenting BOT-quality personal attacks into their mental space, while the people who might have agreed with the OP decide it’s better to keep their mouth quietly shut and not become a collateral target.
I’m talking about ideologies so dogmatic they no longer have clarity about who their target is, so they just start blasting away whenever triggered. This is not progressive, nor conservative, and frankly it’s an embarrassment to real activism. It’s distractivism. It’s the agent provocateur of true discourse; burning the building down that we were supposed to have a meeting in, and whispering in the ears of the people about whodunnit so that they turn against each other. Instead of coming to an understanding, we sow the seeds of misunderstanding. I’m talking about intimidation tactics, brainwashing, blacklisting, hysteria, and slander. And yes, it is a problem (on the right and on the left).
In fact, it is not simply witch-hunting, but also a form of *witchcraft* designed to drown out reason. And by vilifying its own essence, declaring this witchcraft illegal, it conveniently casts a scapegoat to project all evils upon and a smokescreen to hide behind. Of course it can’t be witchcraft, because it’s *anti-witchcraft* right? It can’t be fascism, if it’s anti-fascism, right? And it can’t harm life, if it’s pro-life, isn’t that so? If it’s a holy place, then bad things can’t happen behind closed doors, right? And if somebody is an evil criminal, they can’t possibly have anything to say for themselves in their own defense, or any rights left after the fact, right? And if it’s confirmed as science, then anybody who questions the science must be anti-science, isn’t that so? Paradigm shifts are for the history books, so what’s Left for us to figure out? Just choose a side. Right?
Nobody’s the wiser, and believe me it shows. We are becoming very dumb. In fact, the word “dumb” is also a synonym for mute. When a person loses their voice. We could debate the ableist implications of that, until we forget the context for this conversation…slicing and dicing the meaning of another person’s words and intentions until it fits nicely into whatever compartment we want to put it in, instead of listening to the essence of their meaning. And thereby we could just take their voice away from them, for them, rather than waste time and energy listening to another challenging, STUPID perspective…but… Oh…my…now I’m very confused, what just happened?
Burn the witch!!!!!!!!!
Wait, which?
Are witches good or bad?
Wait, they can be both?
Wait, you mean even good witches can do bad things,
And bad witches can do good things?
Holy shit.
Should we just nuke the planet, then?
I mean, I heard microwaves are safe and healthy.
More importantly, quick and effective.
So it’s only natural to draw the conclusion–
That’s what the science say, isn’t it…?
If Simon Says, then I think ebrgliuaebrhlvauI
BRWVYAWGHR;OWHB:WIrgpI :frhI7“
EGKUWFL!~~!~W~!B E