Andy of Comix Inc said:
Well, white, straight males do tend to be supremely ignorant! About issues facing PoC, about issues facing LGBT people, about issues facing girls and women! That's just... that's true! ...right?
I mean most people tend to be ignorant of most everything, but man... especially like, cis people are really ignorant of trans issues! And of course there are no "cis" issues to be ignorant of (if you can think of an injustice befalling the cis community, name one). The "black males tend to be supremely ignorant" would certainly be racist given context, but it depends what we're talking about. Probably it is true that, if we were talking about sexism in the African-American community, "black males tend to be supremely ignorant" would be apt. And in this case, talking about injustice against PoC, LGBT, and the female population... yes, white, straight males tend to be supremely ignorant.
It's like saying most old people are ignorant of issues facing today's youth. It's true. It's probably the same the opposite way, too, if you really want to split hairs.
What I find oddly humorous about any accusations of ignorance aimed at specific demographics, is that we're on the Internet; the "information superhighway". We have the means to share and read an insane amount of information; even good, useful information on occasion!
We have the privilege and power to actively learn. But mostly, we don't.
By far, most of the human race still does not actually have access to the net (or the whole internet), making us net denizens quite privileged. And who in this world is more ignorant of (or apathetic to) the plight of others than those with privilege?
Privilege enables opportunity, but negates necessity.
(the only time the internet approached any significant form of organized agreement was vs SOPA; at least that I can recall)
At a belief based level, we're wired to ignore or dismiss problems distant from ours.
Nobody can bear the weight of every issue they hear about; they'd go insane.
Far easier for the individual, is to focus on a select few issues and hammer on them in self-righteous fury. (especially when it's actually relevant to their person and interests)
Knowing that, I've realized how we're paradoxically "enlightened" and spoiled by our privilege.
We are simultaneously entertained and offended by our desire to hear and be heard on the internet.
Methinks that's the dirty secret of Tumblr; of the internet.
It's kinda like these forums: Nearly everyone here engages in pointless argumentation, taking innumerable positions on an equally innumerable number of subjects. Yet, even realizing this and the futility of engaging in it, it's strangely compelling.
Case in point: As a self-identified, white heterosexual male, I'm supposed to provide some knee-jerk response to your generalized assertion, or at least some back-handed apathetic grunt. Instead, I have to laugh at the absurdity of it all, because in some small part, it's true.
Because all people are ignorant. Especially those of us on the internet. And that's why shit like Tumblr happens.
