I said I didn't like it, but I'm not offended or outraged. I wondered if it would be possible to take a step back and look at the bigger picture without getting personal and emotional.
Isn't calling anti-woke people "hysterical" and saying you've lost respect for them an example of "getting personal and emotional"?
That said, I think I'm starting to get what you mean by "the bigger picture." There are people on both sides who have taken hardline stances. I'm all for having an open mind, but I also think certain things are worth taking a firm stance on. The mantra of the medical profession is "do no harm." However, I don't think gender affirming
care lives up to that.
Good luck trying to create a world without stupid people doing stupid things. How about the parents who tell their children that black people are bad, or the parents who tell their children that homosexuality is only a disease or confusion?
I think those parents are wrong too. Are we not supposed to speak about things we find wrong in the world because it won't change anything?
Willie Oleson said:
And if the craving for social media attention turns out to be such a harmful thing, shouldn't we get rid of it completely? I mean....if we're seriously concerned about the well-being of "our" children....
Like most things in life, social media can be used for good or bad. The onus is on adults to monitor what children are exposed to. Unfortunately, some adults are irresponsible or have outright nefarious intent. Television and video games were seen as the enemy before social media, but that's not the issue as I see it. What adults choose to consume for entertainment should be their choice. I'm saying it's terrible that adults don't always make the right choices for children, and it seems to me like this is what you take issue with.
He and a thousand other influencers. Except that the other influencers didn't make an upbeat pop song that sounds kinda nice (imo).
I always think, if a movie sucks but it has a great soundtrack then I'm still glad that the movie was made.
Okay, but let's be honest here. It's not like Mulvaney's some great talent. He's just managed to capitalize on a moment in time, as all influencers have in their own way.
However, it makes no difference to me whether people like the song or not. A trans influencer singing about "girlhood" is silly, but ultimately benign. I dislike Mulvaney because I think his entire persona is an act, but that's certainly not unique to him. I think we're all drawn to outrageous, flamboyant clown shows because they catch our attention. Trump, for example, is a love him or hate him personality. Most of us get caught up in that to some degree. And while discussions about these polarizing topics and figures are valid, it's wise to remember there are more pressing issues going on the world. I think Snarky's right that woke ideology is meant to undermine the left. That's why traditionally macho/right-wing institutions have gone woke. It creates controversy and buzz, leaving the elites to continue war mongering while running off with our money unimpeded.
A point - because it is the topic - not a larger point. And I'm not a frequent contributor to the headlines and politics forums so it's not like I'm going on and on about it.
And yet you seem to divert everything I say back to the song, as if that's the only thing I'd be referring to here.
It's really fascinating to see what's going on right now. We are all in the middle of big changes, which is inevitably a hotbed fo reactions and emotions, and then within that change there are these rapid sub-changes that causes everything to be completely out of sync.
In fact, it already starts with the change itself as we are always a step behind. Once it's started it cannot be undone and it no longer matters if we agree with it or not - it's bigger than us. I think it works like an "idea", once the idea exists you can't go back and pretend it's never been born.
But in our very flawed humanity we can only react to specific issues, and the news (and now social media) will make sure that there's never going to be a shortage of issues.
I've been watching quite a few right-wing/anti-woke youtube videos these days, and while I largely agree with what they're saying, I couldn't help but noticing a peculiar narrative.
It's like, now how shall I put this..., it's like they're saying things they have already agreed on. Meaning that, initially, they say what they think but then eventually end up thinking what they're saying. It almost becomes a bit mantra-like, if that makes any sense.
This isn't criticism or anything like that, but at the same time it's something I cannot simply ignore. I can't pretend not to feel or see it.
I think that's largely because the woke movement has been shoved in our face for so long that it created a powder keg.
I recall you telling me that overcorrection was the unfortunate byproduct of the #MeToo movement. I'd say that's applicable to other movements as well.
