bigotry (and by definition here, bigots are those who just don’t care for every idea, concept, or opinion that tickle’s others’ fancy, even if there is good reason not to do so)
racism (No one here can agree upon what definition of the word we are using here. Likely the slim qualification for a racist is someone who not dare say anything about a particular group unless it is complimentary, or more preferably, slavishly devotional. One not dare even speak critical of one’s own kind.)
Various victims in our oppressive American and European societies. Never let bygones be bygones, and just ignore the success or ordinary lives that these victims and supposed victims are now generally living. Overweight people are now included despite most overweight and obese people one sees are employed, have romantic partners, and children, but perhaps might not get every job or handsome man they want. How terrible!
Female oppression. Never mind the privileges men had and have of trauma or death in war and violent confrontation to defend women and children or the back breaking work men did to provide for them. Mining, tree felling, steel work, machine work, construction, law enforcement, fire fighting, and the like, and the physical risk and trauma involved in such trades–it’s all fun! Never think that perhaps women once did not vote because perhaps sometimes people should not have a say in societal affairs when they are not engaging in much of the work that makes society go around. It doesn’t “sound good” and it’s “not nice”.
The Bolshevik idea of a world in which not one groups steps on another’s toes, there is an abolition of every damn meaningful institution we used, even the successful ones that have been working all along, gender and race can be chosen according to one’s preference while ironically being considered to be “social constructs” (if they are inappropriate for being social constructs, then why are we suggesting them as choices?), and various other non-scientific and unworkable musings. Always remember who is the big meanie who is not allowing all this to actualize: heterosexual white men.
Individual realities. The idea that everyone has their own reality, rather than experiences within one true reality.
That all sounds so angry. Why? I don’t even recall female oppression coming up, though maybe I’m simply not recalling - I notice that it’s very difficult to skim back to review since the board change, presumably because things aren’t divided into pages.
This is jaw-dropping to me, because I know it’s a distorted version of my questioning that women have similar experiences of the world depending upon their externals. Someone did answer that well (could have been you, I don’t remember), but I left for a week-long training and didn’t have a chance to post.
But again, the dripping scorn and distortion-to-ugly. Is it to win a debate, or are you really sort of driven to deep loathing by a discussion about variations in the way people think differences should be handled? I’m asking because I’m curious about your inner experience of this, not to be critical.
Along with other legacies (racism, slavery, homophobia, etc), at one point I remarked that the subjugation of women holds a prominent place in the history of western civilization. Obviously, my mentioning of this uncontroversial, indisputable historical fact continues to elicit a strong reaction.
[quote=“EmilyQ, post:2206, topic:210559”] Is it to win a debate…
[/quote]
I don’t attempt to win a debate with you nor was the on my mind.
At this point, yes. I have literally lost my patience with those who want to wreck America. It’s pretty sad that I no longer feel patriotic about the country I live in, especially when one considers a person such as myself, who I have described before several times: rule- and law-abiding, self-sufficient, drug-free, married with intention of starting a family, empathetic, cordial, and all the other prerequisites that make someone a good citizen. Instead, now I am stuck with what I believe is a terminally ill and perverted society, with what I see as a good chunk of it consisting of people who want to intentionally wreck it and those who conspire with or provide moral and emotional support to those who want to wreck it. It’s not a good feeling. It’s actually maddening.
I think it’s wise that I don’t post in this thread anymore, for an important reason, though I will respond with some closing remark if you reply to this.
I would be sad about that, because you voice things in a manner others feel represents their thoughts. Perhaps I need to see it, who knows. Influence ripples - you never know where it might end. I also suspect you are reading things into others’ posts that aren’t necessarily there due to your assumptions. Using women’s attitudes as an example, you seem to view us as feeling oppressed. You have asked why I’m not happy with my fairly cush life. I immediately said I am. I acknowledge every time it comes up that tests of strength should not be softened for women in order to “equalize” their access to physically demanding professions. I believe in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. PP seems to be saying the same thing, as I read her. Almost everyone posting here seems to fall closer to libertarian than liberal, though obviously there is overlap in other directions. Whether I agree with ED or you I am enriched by reading your perspectives and trying to understand the “why” of them.
I work in a satellite office associated with a teaching university hospital. But the implication that doing so somehow ‘shields’ me from reality is pure hokum. I live/work in the poorest area of one of the poorest states in the US. I guarantee that NO ONE (who resides in the US) following this thread works with people who make less, and are less wealthy, than I do. In contrast, my private-practice colleagues deal exclusively with people who are well-off enough to either a) have good private insurance, or b) pay cash-on-the-barrel for their care (and ophthalmic services ain’t cheap). Do I begrudge these people their wealth, or my colleagues their well-paying practices? No. But let’s not start with the ‘ivory tower’ cliche–with the conceit that I am the one out of touch with the realities of life in America by dint of my practice type.
I certainly wasn’t suggesting that you are shielded by the walls of an ivory tower - merely offering that it seemed a possibility. You’ve kept the debate to impersonals for your part, and that’s fine, but it leaves others guessing about your perspective.
Your circumstances allow me to view your positions more positively. How come you haven’t disclosed them previously?
Seems like a fairly big assumption either way though, no? I mean… Who’s to say their aren’t people who work for WIC or SNAP in Detroit for instance? Or in battered women shelters, etc.
I’ll stand by my assertion that the population basin from which my clinic draws is as poor as any in the nation. But even if I have overstated my case–that is, even if someone else on this thread works with people who are poorer still than mine–it would not change the point I was making, which is that, far from being cloistered in an academic ivory tower, I work in the real world, with individuals who are among the poorest of the poor (in the US).