Lot of things going on in this piece that need clearing-up, lot of assumptions.
1 - Can you give an approx/exact example of why they ostracized you and said you did a "microaggression"? If that many people are accusing you, you do have to consider that you are the problem in some way. Since they say "feminazi", it probably has to do with an unpopular view on women's bodily autonomy or trans women. I won't give you a full rundown here but I would just suggest one word: empathy. Even if all trans surgeries and abortions were banned tomorrow, actually put yourself in someone else's shoes for a second and think about the stress society has just put on you in dealing with your own body!
2 - Did you read anything about Jen Gotch and why she was called out? The receipts are fairly detailed on @bando_anonymous on IG. Mocking a black accent and generally belittling political and equality issues at the company. Which, sure, some of that happens across the board. But we have to start somewhere. That's where things like BLM and #MeToo are supposed to have power, it's not meant to make you or anyone else feel victimized but instead to help society CHANGE for the better.
3 - The middle part where you try to read a book on (Critical) Theory, without being taught or made aware of the long history of it or any sort of context, I sympathize with you on. I was not born knowing the Labor Theory of Value, or the many shades of communism/socialism, or Frankfurt vs. Austrian school of thought. Obviously this is barely mentioned in U.S. public schools because "any sort of collective action by the working/poor is evil". Again, all of these are too long to get into here, but I hope you do some homework on it and at least grasp the basic tenants of universal suffrage, solidarity, and equality.
4 - I think there's something to be said about bipartisan dystopianism, and even doublespeak by Democrats, but I'm surprised you don't give Trump/conservatives any credit for that. Conservatism has (as the name implies) always been about austerity and control, and that this would somehow be the best way to cure society's woes. Do you really believe that? And for all the doublespeak someone like Kamala might do about a topic like Palestine, how many times has Trump or Elon "forgot" or purposefully mislead about issues like immigrations (eating dogs) or that climate change isn't a worry (drawing on a map of Hurricane Dorian with sharpie as if he knows it won't hit red states like Alabama). The third option, would seem to be some sort of independent movement or libertarianism. However, that is a pipe dream when the powers-at-be already have a thumb in every pie of our lives. Three or four private equity companies control lionshares of most companies. So again, I urge you to read up on socialism, movements like DSA and PSL, and why so many of your friends are downright pissed at not only the powers-at-be but YOU for not understanding the suffering.
So I hope this comment is a beacon of light in the chaos. I'm sorry this is how you have to learn about why people are "crazy" (ie infuriated) but there are real, material reasons for it. Along with mindless social media toxicity all around. Wishing you the best.
Wow, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. I can tell you really care about these issues, and that's something we definitely have in common--wanting the world to be a better place.
That said, I think we might be coming at this from very different angles. When I talk about being ostracized, I'm not saying I've never made mistakes or couldn't grow--I mean, who hasn't? But it's hard to hear 'maybe you're the problem' when what I'm sharing is the pain of losing community and struggling with depression. It's not about refusing accountability; it's about saying, 'Hey, I'm hurting, and I need understanding.'
I do appreciate the reminder to walk in empathy. It's so easy to lose sight of that when emotions run high, but I think we both know that real change starts with connection, not condemnation. You mentioned imagining what it's like to be in someone else's shoes--I try to do that too, every day. I care deeply about the same folks you mentioned since as a classical liberal, one of my core values is individual empowerment through equal opportunity. And right now, I hope you can imagine what it's like to feel isolated, misunderstood, and like no one's willing to hear your side. That's where I'm coming from.
As for reading on different ideologies or historical movements, I'm always open to learning more--it's part of how we grow! But I don't think intellectual knowledge alone solves the deeper problem, which is about seeing each other as human first, not just symbols of what we stand for.
I hope we can meet somewhere in the middle, where the goal isn't about winning or proving who's right, but about actually helping each other heal and grow. That's the kind of world I want to work toward, and I think that's something we can both get behind.
I feel that same weight lifted and I can breathe a little easier.
It's the moral vanity of the left that makes them intolerant and intolerable.
Lot of things going on in this piece that need clearing-up, lot of assumptions.
1 - Can you give an approx/exact example of why they ostracized you and said you did a "microaggression"? If that many people are accusing you, you do have to consider that you are the problem in some way. Since they say "feminazi", it probably has to do with an unpopular view on women's bodily autonomy or trans women. I won't give you a full rundown here but I would just suggest one word: empathy. Even if all trans surgeries and abortions were banned tomorrow, actually put yourself in someone else's shoes for a second and think about the stress society has just put on you in dealing with your own body!
2 - Did you read anything about Jen Gotch and why she was called out? The receipts are fairly detailed on @bando_anonymous on IG. Mocking a black accent and generally belittling political and equality issues at the company. Which, sure, some of that happens across the board. But we have to start somewhere. That's where things like BLM and #MeToo are supposed to have power, it's not meant to make you or anyone else feel victimized but instead to help society CHANGE for the better.
3 - The middle part where you try to read a book on (Critical) Theory, without being taught or made aware of the long history of it or any sort of context, I sympathize with you on. I was not born knowing the Labor Theory of Value, or the many shades of communism/socialism, or Frankfurt vs. Austrian school of thought. Obviously this is barely mentioned in U.S. public schools because "any sort of collective action by the working/poor is evil". Again, all of these are too long to get into here, but I hope you do some homework on it and at least grasp the basic tenants of universal suffrage, solidarity, and equality.
4 - I think there's something to be said about bipartisan dystopianism, and even doublespeak by Democrats, but I'm surprised you don't give Trump/conservatives any credit for that. Conservatism has (as the name implies) always been about austerity and control, and that this would somehow be the best way to cure society's woes. Do you really believe that? And for all the doublespeak someone like Kamala might do about a topic like Palestine, how many times has Trump or Elon "forgot" or purposefully mislead about issues like immigrations (eating dogs) or that climate change isn't a worry (drawing on a map of Hurricane Dorian with sharpie as if he knows it won't hit red states like Alabama). The third option, would seem to be some sort of independent movement or libertarianism. However, that is a pipe dream when the powers-at-be already have a thumb in every pie of our lives. Three or four private equity companies control lionshares of most companies. So again, I urge you to read up on socialism, movements like DSA and PSL, and why so many of your friends are downright pissed at not only the powers-at-be but YOU for not understanding the suffering.
So I hope this comment is a beacon of light in the chaos. I'm sorry this is how you have to learn about why people are "crazy" (ie infuriated) but there are real, material reasons for it. Along with mindless social media toxicity all around. Wishing you the best.
Wow, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. I can tell you really care about these issues, and that's something we definitely have in common--wanting the world to be a better place.
That said, I think we might be coming at this from very different angles. When I talk about being ostracized, I'm not saying I've never made mistakes or couldn't grow--I mean, who hasn't? But it's hard to hear 'maybe you're the problem' when what I'm sharing is the pain of losing community and struggling with depression. It's not about refusing accountability; it's about saying, 'Hey, I'm hurting, and I need understanding.'
I do appreciate the reminder to walk in empathy. It's so easy to lose sight of that when emotions run high, but I think we both know that real change starts with connection, not condemnation. You mentioned imagining what it's like to be in someone else's shoes--I try to do that too, every day. I care deeply about the same folks you mentioned since as a classical liberal, one of my core values is individual empowerment through equal opportunity. And right now, I hope you can imagine what it's like to feel isolated, misunderstood, and like no one's willing to hear your side. That's where I'm coming from.
As for reading on different ideologies or historical movements, I'm always open to learning more--it's part of how we grow! But I don't think intellectual knowledge alone solves the deeper problem, which is about seeing each other as human first, not just symbols of what we stand for.
I hope we can meet somewhere in the middle, where the goal isn't about winning or proving who's right, but about actually helping each other heal and grow. That's the kind of world I want to work toward, and I think that's something we can both get behind.