This is about one of the best critiques of our current social climate I have ever seen.
I disagree in places with some terminology, the idea of even labelling a group as SJW for instance, but that doesnt change the truth of certain facts that you bring up e.g. that there really are people out there who describe themselves as SJW or Feminist yet actively shut down any dissenting point of view by an ad-hominem attack with buzzwords like: racist, bigot, sexist, Nazi etc.
In the end my view on these words and terms kinda comes down to language and how we use it and I urge people to be very careful before using terms like SJW or Feminist. All too often its simply used as a form of attack, as if believing in real social justice or equality is somehow bad!
I have had arguments with my mum on some of these issues and sometimes it feels like when I offer a critique of a feminist viewpoint, that I am attacking all women and shitting on years of feminist work. When the shoe is on the other foot the exact same point is used. This is apparent in the Margaret Thatcher argument which I have had a near mirror image situation. Margaret Thatcher is a perfect example of how woman can be just as bad, warlike and hard nosed as any man on earth which was illogically countered that its because she is in a patriarchal society that she was like that, which I feel is admonishing her of responsibility and laying the blame, again, on mens shoulders, as if women have no part to play in society or that no woman on earth wants war.
There are still many women in the western world who are being victimised unfairly but this is sometimes accompanied with the assumption that men cannot be victimised in a sexist way, much like saying only white people can be racist.
Anyway, I applaud your writing here as an opening of a more honest debate which feels so very missing in todays social critique.
thank you for your kind words. I agree with all your points here - the problem with language and terminology is the issue of consensus it seems to me. If I carefully define everything I mean, what I write becomes unreadable, so some assumption of commonality is essential. The inverse problem becomes the echo chambers so prevalent today. A tricky balancing act, constantly adjusted. Db
I know what you mean, there is a point where defining stops meaningful interaction because you would have to interrupt yourself to explain the full context of every sentence. That way leads to crazy land :)
I guess the main reason I bring the point up is because Im all to aware of the current social climate surrounding some words but at the same time I dont think we should be afraid to use words like SJW or Feminist for the intended purpose. Generalisations can be very helpful to the flow of a conversation. On reading your post I could clearly see you were aware of these issues.
I admit when I saw the header I instantly assumed many things based on previous experience, mainly from interacting with, debating with and/or from reading peoples opinions online. However, as I read thru your post I was pleasantly proven wrong in my assumptions and that felt good.
Also, I worry that I too hold some crazy opinions that I simply cannot see the folly of, although I suspect thats practically inevitable and changes depending on when and where we are brought up and depends on our personal experiences.
Whew, sorry, Im a posting windbag today!
All in all, again, thanks for the post :)