What really bothers me these days is how dismissively ignorant many people are for obvious, proven facts but how they gobble up every sensational lie with glee and with an underton of “Please, sir, I want some more.” ¹
I spend too much time and energy shaking my head and rolling my eyes at this. And sometimes I wonder how many other people out there actually care, and how many are willing to bring these issues up for discussion and challenge them? Here I am, standing firm yet alone, both caring and bringing up some important discussion points...
(Now is a good time to stop reading if you are looking for politically correct and snowflake friendly entertainment. May I suggest a rerun of The Kardashians² instead…?)
One of the most noticeable groups that annoy me to the point if migraines is the fans of Donald Trump, of course. They are (much too common) examples of ignorance and lack of critical thinking skills. I want to mention them in this context, I have to, but I do not want to give them the attention they crave, so I’m not going into any details. I think you get my point anyway.
Then there are the smaller but definitely face palm producing groups, let me give some examples. I'll dare to start with some generalisation and by sticking my neck out, saying that most TiMs ³, TiFs ³, genderqueer ⁴, and other subgroups within the gender (expression) dysphoric⁵ sphere are really small but incredibly loud and dangerous activist groups where ignorance, arrogance, and science denying have completely taken over, and where violence against the opposition is often encouraged. (I'm going to write a stand-alone piece about this. Believe me, it's happening.)
I also have to mention the politicians, and others, that can't resist to meddle in where they don't belong - womens uteruses, children's classrooms, people's private lives, democratic rights, voting right, etc - and they often legislate in direct opposition to the majority's will, just because they can and it gives them a power high. But astonishingly people still vote for them! And in most of those cases I'm not sure who's got their head highest up in who's arse. Pardon my french…, but it's bull crap.
I will mention one last group, and that is the hard core progressive left. No, not your regular, part-time friendly neighbourhood “woke” crowd, but the new breed of self proclaimed “woke” activists. This is another sketchy societal subgroup that shamelessly proclaims “they are right and everyone else must be cancelled.” They are astoundingly blind for the reality around them and for the needs of the majority, the regular people.
”Woke reinforces a left-wing ideology of cultural socialism, which demands equal results for identity groups as well as the need to protect them from even micro-emotional harms /…/ Most who oppose woke do so from the standpoint of cultural liberalism, elevating equal treatment, due process, free speech, conscience rights, and the pursuit of objective truth above equal outcomes and emotional safety.” ⁶
And there are many more, often small, loud, and annoying groups that override, and often directs the general noice in media and online. But to be clear, there are a few big groups too, as in the case of Donald Trump, and I'm not sure which ones are more dangerous - I'm leaning towards the smaller groups. But they all sell clicks and generate juicy headlines, that's for sure.
When I or anyone else try to bring up the issues with these, and other, groups, asking what can be done, we're often met with confusion - Why are you doing this?! Just leave it be, ignore it… Mind your own business! - but also threats and public keelhauling, cancellation, and enough gaslighting to make the northern lights look dim. But mostly we’re met with…
The silence is many times deafening - in general people don't want to make others uncomfortable or make themselves the odd one out. So they stay quiet, or at the most mumbling something about “Idiots!” or “Oh for fucks sake…” under their breath. It's not a new thing, it's as old as mankind, but I feel it's more noticeable now for two reasons.
The first reason is the easy access we have to all different kinds of media, and thereby a flood of opinions that often seem to be the ones of the majority, many people feel that the individual can't be heard over all that noise. That is an illusion though, however it is difficult to see through it as it is strangely comforting to just let all the noice subdue one's own thoughts and feelings. One can just blame “them” if anything goes wrong and stay clear of any personal responsibility, life becomes easier - another illusion, of course.
I believe the second reason is the increasing disinterest in learning about and paying attention to how our society works and its different functions, basic ethics, science, democracy, and other important influences, mechanisms, and developments that drives our civilization forward. People rather TikTok™ or binge watch Netflix™. I hear more often than not questions like, “Why care when I don't feel my opinions matter?” or “Why bother when it doesn't directly benefits me?” These attitudes, no matter how basicly human, are unbelievably and irresponsibly ignorant in my opinion.
I grew up with politics for breakfast, social justice for lunch, international issues for dinner, and national news as snacks - so for me it is very important and very natural to pay attention and stay informed, that’s how I was raised. But I get it…, I had a privileged upbringing, I am in a (much too silent) minority, and I know complaining doesn't help unless there are actions to match. It still doesn't make it right though, to ignore what's happening around you, when engagement is so very easy and rewarding, especially on a local level and smaller scale.
So is it there that the change in societal tune can and will happen - in people's living rooms, backyards, community centers, churches, and lunch rooms? It wouldn't surprise me, and I welcome it. A change in attitude and willingness to be better, and do better, is well overdue.
I don't know about y'all, but I got better things to do than ruminate over what facts will be ignored next, better places to go than on social media defending the truth, and better people to meet than the bigoted minority that at the moment screams the loudest. Or as Simon and Garfunkel said in El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could):
“I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet”
Wouldn't you?
/Annalogue75
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References:
¹) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, see https://m.charlesdickenspage.com/twist-more.html
²) Reality TV show about the Kardashian-Jenner family, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kardashians
³) TiMs and TiFs - Trans Identified Male (Biological male wanting to be female) and Trans Identified Female (Biological female wanting to be male). See www.transgenderterm.com
https://www.transgendertrend.com/transgender-terminology/
⁴) Genderqueer - Umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or female (identities outside the gender binary). See also Wikipedia, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-binary_gender
⁵) Gender (expression) dysphoric - “The DSM-5-TR defines gender dysphoria in adolescents and adults as a /…/ marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics /…/, strong desire to be of the other gender or an insistence that one is the other gender, etc.” - See www.psychiatry.org https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria
⁶) Being “Anti-woke” as a Protected Philosophical Belief, a Commentary - Eric Kaufmann and James Murray, October 19th, 2023. Full version in The Critic and quotes from the shorter version by Manhattan Institute. See following links:
https://thecritic.co.uk/being-anti-woke-as-a-protected-philosophical-belief/
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Disclaimer - though some words, opinions, facts, terminology, or abbreviations are seen as sensitive or hurtful by some, I take no responsibility for other people's feelings. I simply use the clearest and most truthful terminology at hand. Send me a kind and respectful message if you want to explain your personal objections. Let's talk about it.
— Annalogue75 © Original —