I Think I've Reached A Boiling Point When It Comes To Social Justice

[Wraith]

After years of looking into social justice matters I think I physically can't take it anymore.

I have spent a good 4 years studying up on these matters to stay in the loop and to expand my knowledge. I have learned a lot about the world, the standards set up for different races and sexes, the troubles certain groups may have that other groups may never face etc etc.

But after so long of this, I am done. It used to be that when I saw a thread that I knew would spark a SJ debate I'd lurk in, read up on the different opinions and facts being shared and I'd build up my own opinion based on that. I'd read through article after article on rape statistics, racial bias, etc. I'd even purposefully try and get those in my monkey sphere to be a little more aware on these matters. It couldn't hurt to let my close friends know about some of this stuff, right?

Well now I have become cynical. So very fucking cynical and the things I learned have helped me understand people more, and also HATE people more.

Can't scroll down Tumblr without seeing "feminists" calling for the death of all men, or telling male rape victims that they had to have enjoyed it because they are men and they can never say no to sex, or make fun of guys for saying "not all men" but when you bring up the former points they proclaim "not all feminists".

Can't go through FB without seeing statuses on how white people are ruining the planet, from black people who have done nothing to improve it, and who I personally know have done worse than those they victimize.

Can't even read an article about a video game without someone injecting some form of bias, or starting arguments over a 3D model being too good looking.

Hell, even reading about things I completely agree with gets tiring. I just go "Yeah, having more characters in a video game that aren't white would be cool, but this is the third article on this this week".

It's at a point where if I even think about something SJ related (whether I agree with it or not) I get a very tight pain in between my eyes. I have never had a nosebleed, but I imagine if I continued on, one would develop. Even while typing this I feel the pain drifting in and no, it's no a health issue, this happens with nothing else but this topic.

Sigh. I just can't do it anymore. I want the world to be better for everyone and for these matters to no longer exist, but after seeing what I've seen, reading what I've read, fighting with those I've fought with I think it's time to step back and let others handle it. These things should be discussed, yes, I would never want people to forget them, but damn....... all this talk has put me out of it and has possibly given me an aneurysm.

Anyone else starting to feel this way?

 

[Zhukov]

Y'know, funny thing, I've only ever heard the term "social justice" or "SJW" from people complaining about how sick of it they are. I'd never even heard of it until about a year ago and then almost overnight there's suddenly angry people all over the internet screaming about how, "OMG the SJW faggots need to shut their ***** mouths!"

Maybe it's because I don't use Facebook, but the whole thing just sort of snuck up on me.

Apparently this terrible, mind-warping phenomenon is based on Tumblr. Another site I don't frequent. (It's a blog site, yeah? Like Twitter without the character limit?) So apparently all these people are jumping online, seeing something they disagree with and blowing their tops. One would think they'd just stop reading. I mean, it would be like me seeking out the nastiest right-wing website I could find or tuning into Fox News and then getting all angry about what I saw. Or getting myself all in a lather over Youtube comments.

I dunno. From my outside perspective the whole thing just seems weird and unnecessary and a bit petty and full of very angry and slightly frothy people who very obviously feel threatened one way or another.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I see people bitching about it more than I actually see people who act like "social justice warriors," whatever that even means.

Apparently this terrible, mind-warping phenomenon is based on Tumblr. Another site I don't frequent. (It's a blog site, yeah? Like Twitter without the character limit?) So apparently all these people are jumping online, seeing something they disagree with and blowing their tops. One would think they'd just stop reading. I mean, it would be like me seeking out the nastiest right-wing website I could find or tuning into Fox News and then getting all angry about what I saw. Or getting myself all in a lather over Youtube comments.

You do have to go looking for it. I use Tumblr quite a bit and the only time I'm exposed to the "ermergerd SJWs" is when people post about them here. Mostly tumblr consists of entertaining gifs, kitsch fashion, artsy stuff, funny blog posts, unfunny blog posts and pictures of cute animals, at least in my experience.

I've brought this up before but I doubt that most people who moan about tumblr have ever actually spent a significant amount of time there, they just form their impressions from stuff linked by people who go looking for trouble.

Edit: Also, as always with these kinds of threads, hyperbole ahoy!

 

[Relish in Chaos]

I do somewhat feel a similar way to you, in that it can be tiring thinking about and seeing people complain about all the social ills in the world without ever providing any realistic solutions to them. However, since I don't frequent as much on Tumblr (I mainly visit the ones that focus on fanart, blog posts, and...well, porn) and most of my FaceBook friends are people I know and just don't give a shit about stuff like that, I probably don't find it quite as annoying as you do.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

Honestly, all I can really say is to take a mental break from it; do what you can and hope others hear the message and whatnot

Listen to some kewl music and just dance, I guess

Who says that you have to take life all seriously all the time, 24/7

You CAN say that all of the above are some real f**kin' problems

 

[Clowndoe]

Can we stop calling them Social Justice Warriors though? I mean, come on, social justice warrior would be a sweet name if we applied it to people actually fighting for justice.

On-topic though, I feel the same way. But even worse is when I see someone in the middle being reasonable get attacked by both ends getting chastised for "defending anything with a vag" or "mansplaining."*

Anyway, the thing that I find sucks is that you can't talk about anything online nowadays without extremist twats taking over the discussion and acting like children. I agree with OP but it's not like I don't hear "Oh good, the white knights are about" whenever I try to take a middling position too.

*Just pointing out I'm not saying OP is like that, just to avoid confusion.

 

[Zontar]

I feel the same way in many respects. Two of the biggest communities I partake in online (Atheist and Video Games) had Social Justice become a big part of the discussion consecutively (it never really lest the Atheist community, but it did die down a lot, at around the same time it exploded into the Video Game community, though there is had always existed in a small form).

I also keep finding myself unwilling to give my opinions on things about it as much now because I'll be attacked by one or both sides.

Off topic: anyone know what happened to the movement in the 90s and early 00s? I once looked into the history of the movement and in the late 80s it kind of dissipated before coming back in the mid 2000s and being predominantly left wing instead of the extreme right which it had been from creation until it fell from the radar.

 

[Uhura]

I've brought this up before but I doubt that most people who moan about tumblr have ever actually spent a significant amount of time there, they just form their impressions from stuff linked by people who go looking for trouble.

Edit: Also, as always with these kinds of threads, hyperbole ahoy!

Yeah, pretty much this. I've been using tumblr for a few years now and I pretty much never come across "SJW drama". Also kinda tired of the amount of hyperbole in these threads.

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

I dunno. From my outside perspective the whole thing just seems weird and unnecessary and a bit petty and full of very angry and slightly frothy people who very obviously feel threatened one way or another.

I think that about sums it up - its not healthy nor in anyway useful to get into a fit because, evidently, the internet tends to magnify dumb, uneducated opinions from ignorant, self-centered and/or extremist idiots. Why? Because people love to get angry about stuff, which is, amusedly, likely the core reason for the idiotic post to begin with. So at first, chill and think about why you bother to read that stuff anyway - I mean if some lunatic thinks he can tell me all about his pet conspiracy theories and what the "politicians" do when I'm trying to calmly have a drink at my local bar, I usually do the smart thing and try to ignore them and if that doesn't work find some made-up reason to not talk to them anymore; Why is that, seemingly, so hard to do when it comes to the Internet for some people?

So here's an idea OP: What about instead of fruitlessly arguing or throwing a tantrum about people only interested in being angry at something and ascertaining their own bias, actually doing something to make the world better? If you want to do anything about gender problems, why not volunteer somewhere instead of "debating" with radicals on the internet? And I'll say that, while I explicitly feel the need to point out that this strange focus on the "SJW" phenomenon seems to be largely made up because of the reason elucidated in the first paragraph.

 

[LetalisK]

Do what I do and just grab some popcorn and watch the train wreck of arguments burn. Burn so good.

 

[shrekfan246]

You do have to go looking for it. I use Tumblr quite a bit and the only time I'm exposed to the "ermergerd SJWs" is when people post about them here. Mostly tumblr consists of entertaining gifs, kitsch fashion, artsy stuff, funny blog posts, unfunny blog posts and pictures of cute animals, at least in my experience.

You forgot porn.

I don't care what justifications those guys and gals use, it's not "artsy", it's porn.



OT: There are many things I'm sick of these days, and coincidentally most of them seem to be things the gaming community at large won't stop bitching about.

I've got nothing against debates about gender, politics, sexism, feminism, rape, genocide, or furries, but you know what the problem is? On the internet, they're never debates. They're always arguments. And those arguments always turn into big whining moaning complaining shitfests, because nobody involved is mature enough to not lose their heads in the heat of the moment, which means all of the people who are reasonable simply leave the discussion before it even begins.

People wonder why society at large still holds such a negative image of "gamers"? They should take a good, long, hard look at some of the forums and websites primarily populated by them.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

After years of looking into social justice matters I think I physically can't take it anymore.

I have spent a good 4 years studying up on these matters to stay in the loop and to expand my knowledge. I have learned a lot about the world, the standards set up for different races and sexes, the troubles certain groups may have that other groups may never face etc etc.

But after so long of this, I am done. It used to be that when I saw a thread that I knew would spark a SJ debate I'd lurk in, read up on the different opinions and facts being shared and I'd build up my own opinion based on that. I'd read through article after article on rape statistics, racial bias, etc. I'd even purposefully try and get those in my monkey sphere to be a little more aware on these matters. It couldn't hurt to let my close friends know about some of this stuff, right?

Well now I have become cynical. So very fucking cynical and the things I learned have helped me understand people more, and also HATE people more.

Can't scroll down Tumblr without seeing "feminists" calling for the death of all men, or telling male rape victims that they had to have enjoyed it because they are men and they can never say no to sex, or make fun of guys for saying "not all men" but when you bring up the former points they proclaim "not all feminists".

Can't go through FB without seeing statuses on how white people are ruining the planet, from black people who have done nothing to improve it, and who I personally know have done worse than those they victimize.

Can't even read an article about a video game without someone injecting some form of bias, or starting arguments over a 3D model being too good looking.

Hell, even reading about things I completely agree with gets tiring. I just go "Yeah, having more characters in a video game that aren't white would be cool, but this is the third article on this this week".

It's at a point where if I even think about something SJ related (whether I agree with it or not) I get a very tight pain in between my eyes. I have never had a nosebleed, but I imagine if I continued on, one would develop. Even while typing this I feel the pain drifting in and no, it's no a health issue, this happens with nothing else but this topic.

Sigh. I just can't do it anymore. I want the world to be better for everyone and for these matters to no longer exist, but after seeing what I've seen, reading what I've read, fighting with those I've fought with I think it's time to step back and let others handle it. These things should be discussed, yes, I would never want people to forget them, but damn....... all this talk has put me out of it and has possibly given me an aneurysm.

Anyone else starting to feel this way?

Eh. Yeah it's exhausting. But you gotta bare in mind those that are in the extremes are the minority. People just want to live and not have to deal with shit.

Important to remember that if your not the kind of person that's carrying hate in your heart then those things ain't aimed at you.

Its also a drag that when you become socially aware of this shit, you do end up seeing it everywhere

 

[Weaver]

I'm tired of it all too. My facebook feed is 40% shit like this from everyone. Youtube suggests videos about gender issues all the time to me because I watched some Karen Straughan videos like half a year ago. My Twitter feed is stuffed with it too, especially with the gaming personalities and journalists I follow. Finally I come on the escapist and we have several threads a day on this or that or whatever. If not a thread about it, someone will bring it up.

I already hate myself enough I've had to go to therapy, I really can't handle being told I'm a scourge of the earth oppressive rapist, personally responsible for ruining everything about gaming every time I open up a browser. The worst thing I've ever done is received a minimum level speeding ticket once. It's just too much.

 

[Saetha]

You do have to go looking for it. I use Tumblr quite a bit and the only time I'm exposed to the "ermergerd SJWs" is when people post about them here. Mostly tumblr consists of entertaining gifs, kitsch fashion, artsy stuff, funny blog posts, unfunny blog posts and pictures of cute animals, at least in my experience.

Please, for the love of God, tell me your secret then. I've had to unfollow so many blogs because they reblog posts blaming men or white people or straight people for everything that's wrong with their lives. I wish I could find multi-fandom blogs that just post about their interests without needing to jump in on the newest political issue.

Can we stop calling them Social Justice Warriors though? I mean, come on, social justice warrior would be a sweet name if we applied it to people actually fighting for justice.

There's a community on Tumblr that often goes by the name Real Justice (Or Real Justice Warriors, whatever) which I find manage to maintain a fair balance between actually tackling these issues without being bat-shit crazy about them as so many on Tumblr are.

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

Anyone else starting to feel this way?

No, this is quite literally the only place I ever see this mentioned, it's a bit of a mystery to me where it's all come from, I figured it was just teenagers going through their 'social issues' stage and being a gaming site we probably have a lot of those. Having looked at other posts in this topic however, I guess it's because this is also the only place on the internet I frequent, I don't see it because I'm not in the right place.

 

[default]

I never let myself give a fuck about anyone or anything that does not immediately affect the people I love, because why feel angry, miserable and frustrated the entire bloody time? It's also half the reason I don't read much news anymore. Chances are it will never affect my life in any way and I'd be a lot happier spending my day without constantly being reminded about some horrific event happening in a place I will never see to people I will never meet.

Ignorance is bliss, is the term I think I'm searching for. To a point, obviously. It's also important to know what's going on in the world, but not to get invested in the entire world's problems to a point such as where you have reached where it's starting to affect you emotionally and mentally.

 

[Uhura]

I use Tumblr somewhat regularly and I do come across SJW BS somewhat regularly. That you don't is good for you. Remember that your personal experience is yours, and not everyone's.

If I have to see one more god damn pony telling me rape jokes aren't funny....

How do you come across it though? Do you follow people who post "SJW" stuff or do you search tags that have a lot of "SJW" posts in them? Is a specific sub-community on tumblr really into reposting "SJW" stuff? I'm not arguing that "SJW" posts don't exist of tumblr. I'm just saying that, in my experience, it's pretty easy to avoid topics that don't interest you on tumblr. For example, I almost never see Dr. Who related posts on tumblr, even though it has a very active Dr. Who fan community. Same thing with all the other tumblr fandoms and "SJW" stuff. It just doesn't show up on my dashboard.