Ya know, I hear ya. I more meant a sort of personal internal difficulty/pain. I know for me personally, getting to the point where I could recognize my privilege was really difficult and painful. Totes worth it of course, and I don't think anyone should get any special treatment for that difficulty. But I don't think it's a bad thing to acknowledge that difficulty is there.thaluikhain said:I'd argue that for most people, it actually doesn't. There's this terrible fear that treating others more equally is going to be awful (for some reason), but most people aren't actually affected at all when it happens.dragonswarrior said:Losing those privileges is gonna hurt for a bit.
*laughs* Well at least you see the irony. I do feel that you could switch every term in your post (From SJW to GG or GG to SJW) and leave everything else exactly the same and it would be just as valid. (Am I calling in valid or invalid?? YOU'LL NEVER KNOW!! *mad cackles*)DemomanHusband said:Here's the thing though, "this is sexist" almost never gets met with a response of "You're a feminazi!" It's only when that same complaint gets shoved down everyone's throat as the complainer in question tries their hardest to make their voices heard without adequately explaining what is sexist about what they saw/played in the first place that people start claiming feminazi/SJW status. The very fact that many SJW types refuse to admit they might be wrong while at the same time refusing to believe anyone who disagrees with them might be right just digs their own coffin deeper. And before anyone claims that I don't see the irony, yes I do see it. However, at least #GG types and neutrals tend to understand the points they may be incorrect on, and don't tend to respond to criticism with outright insults or masking their toxic ideas as "polite advice."
I think for a lot of Social Justice types, they either have personally experienced oppression, or are very aware of oppression. I also hear ya that you rarely jump to "You're a feminazi!" but from your post it also sounds like you have a preconceived prejudice against Social Justice types. I hear ya. There's a lot of oppression in the world, and sometimes we lose our temper because of it. That doesn't change the fact that you should try to listen with an open mind, and think about what's being said instead of just responding to it, or shutting down when it disagrees with your worldview.
*gives a look* Nnnnooooooo equality is about everyone gets treated the same. And it should really be equity. Which is basically everyone gets what they need/deserve. Or something. It's not really a concept I'm properly equipped to explain at the moment. Thank the gods for Google eh?Popido said:Okay, I bite for once.
Equality is about bringing people up to the same level, not down.
Also, the motto is "Listen & Believe", not "Listen & Think". Thats closer to Half-Life's motto "Run. Think. Shoot. Live.".
Good thread otherwise.
Anyway, the current system of privilege to select groups would literally be impossible if everyone was brought to that level. And plus, would you really want to have (for example) a rape culture that applied to both men AND women? It's bad enough it applies to one of those groups. But right now that rape culture doesn't effect men nearly so much as women is a privilege that men get to enjoy. (And no, I'm not saying you personally enjoy it, but you get to enjoy it not affecting you every day in the same way it effects women.) And that's the kind of thing that needs to stop.
And whose motto is "Listen&Believe" now? Are you implying that's my motto? Because I can assure you friend, it is not.
You know something? I once felt exactly the same way. And if you were born cis male, than you were born with cis male privilege. It doesn't mean your life has been all roses and glory. It just means you have gotten to enjoy benefits that other folks who are not cis male don't get to enjoy.Doclector said:]For one, I've always been fucked with. Maybe people didn't shit on me for the same reasons, but they still shit on me. Don't assume that just because I was born with balls that I was born privileged. And I have listened. I've done nothing but listen. That's why I've been doing all this shit. Because I kept hearing that I wasn't wanted around, so I just stayed the fuck out of the way, but now you want me to just sit here while everyone accuses me of shit I've never fucking done just because I play videogames. No, sorry, I'm not prepared to just accept that like it's fine, like it's "balance" or some shit. Like I'm supposed to feel like justice is being done when I can see people looking at me like I'm shit and laughing and telling jokes about me, like I'm supposed to feel fucking happy that someone could ruin my fucking life just because I disagreed with something they said.
I spent my entire childhood being insulted, beat the fuck up, made to be afraid and ashamed of who I am, I'm not fucking going back to that because of this. No fucking way.
At the end of the day you want to know something else? There are a lot of women and POC and LGBTQ nerds out there who have gone through the exact same thing PLUS having to deal with all the issues of being women, or POC, or LGBTQ AND being one of those groups in the nerd community. It's like a horrible triple whammy type of thing.
I'm also not trying to excuse the actions of folks who have treated you unfairly. I think I'd like to know their side of the story before condemning them, but if they have treated you poorly than fuck them. However, personal experience has taught me that when a privileged group feels put upon, it's more often because they wish to ignore uncomfortable truths than because they are actually being oppressed. *helpless shrugs*
As for going back to that shit? My friend, no one wants to beat you up for being a guy. Well... Okay, some people do but they're crazy. Maybe crazy for justifiable reasons, but still crazy. And no one is trying to make fun of you for being a nerd or gamer or however you want to identify, folks really really do just want you to listen, acknowledge your privilege where you have it, and be a decent person.