Wednesday, July 8, 2020
I think that there is some Truth to this.
“Here's my theory. Human beings need to struggle. We cannot luxuriate in our comforts unendingly and be happy. We need some kind of fight, some sacrifice, some obstacle to overcome. So we will create struggles for ourselves. And there are two ways to do that. The first is the healthy way. Starting a family, for example, is a healthy way to create struggle and give yourself opportunities for sacrifice. By starting a family, you make your life more difficult and complicated but you get love, meaning, and purpose in the bargain. And then there are the smaller undertakings. The little things people can do to purposefully -- and in a health way -- make their lives a little harder than they need to be. Gardening, hunting, fixing your own plumbing, making meals from scratch, whatever. But what happens when someone rejects all of these fruitful and
constructive outlets? They still have the human need for struggle,
everyone does. Instead they create struggle in unhealthy and destructive
ways. A lot of people do this by randomly ruining their relationships,
creating drama where it doesn't need to be, and convincing themselves
that everyone is out to get them. We all know people like this. The
protesters are in this camp, doing a version of this same thing. They
are fulfilling their need for struggle and sacrifice by making up an
elaborate fable about oppression and persecution. They are convincing
themselves that they are in a fight for their lives. It's all
hallucinatory. But it satiates a deep human desire."
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11 comments:
While I agree with the premise of this piece, I'm not sure I would agree that the protests are always engaging in this struggle for negative reasons. I think there are definitely some people who fit this description, but not all.
The condescension and racism never ceases to amaze or disgust.
Yes, your condescension and lack of inclusivity and acceptance never cease to amaze, disgust, and amuse me.
Embarrass grace.
I get why what you're saying is condescending and racist. I suppose I get why what I'm saying might sound condescending, but I don't see how what I'm saying indicates a lack of inclusivity and acceptance. Do you understand why what you're saying is racist and condescending? If not, aren't you interested?
Let’s start with the fact that the quote I posted doesn’t mention race at all.
Condescension is pretty much your default position these days, as is your refusal to take anything that doesn’t agree with you hunches as “racism “. But, the fact that you are completely unwilling to acknowledge that anyone could hold an opinion that you disagree with unless they are X ( racist, sexist, whatever), indicates your complete abandonment of even the pretext of inclusion and acceptance.
Do I care what gymnastics you’ll go to in order to twist something that never mentions race, and isn’t condescending, into a straw man? No I really don’t.
If you’re offended by the notion that humans are better when they have a “struggle” to contend with, I just don’t care.
The notion of humans getting stronger through struggles, is certainly biblical and is encapsulated in the maxim “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”. It’s literally the theory that exercise is based on.
By extension, if confronting things that make us struggle is healthy, manufacturing or exaggerating things to struggle against doesn’t seem particularly healthy or beneficial.
But, you stick with condescending and building straw men, it’s pretty much your schtick at this point. Heaven forbid you do anything but automatically find racism in everything you disagree with.
The suggestion that poor people and people of color (and poor people of color) "need" to find something to struggle with ignores the reality that poor people ARE struggling, and especially poor black people. There are many systemic traps set for poor people and minorities in our system that have the result of predictably causing struggle.
The idea that the protesters (largely led by black people) do it because they are "making up an elaborate fable about oppression and persecution," denies the reality of oppression, racism and systemic racism is disgusting and just stupidly false.
They do so because, like the prophets of old, they are striking a blow for liberty and with and on behalf of the poor and oppressed. Walking in the steps of Jesus our Lord, not "making up" fake struggles to fulfill a foolish need.
Shame on that person for writing it and shame on you for agreeing with it.
As to the condescension, that is a real struggle in the Trump years. His actions and attitudes and words are so overtly wrong and corrupt and the support of his defenders is so uncalled for and they are so apparently ignorant of how unfit he is, that it is difficult to say, "OF COURSE, we shouldn't attack the free press. OF COURSE we shouldn't attack immigrants. OF COURSE, we shouldn't prey upon women and teen-aged girls and treat them like sex objects. OF COURSE one should not use their wealth for personal profit and to oppress others. OF COURSE, one should not make stupidly false claims on a daily basis..." it's difficult to say how very wrong this is to people who don't appear to see it without sounding condescending. At least in the eyes of those who defend great oppression and wrong.
Just this week, I've engaged in a conversation with some conservatives on FB where they were saying we should NOT follow Fauci/CDC/WHO guidelines about Covid where I asked, politely, if we're not going to listen to them, what experts SHOULD we listen to? Are you suggesting we should ignore the professionals and experts and trust "John on the internet..."?
Instead of responding with an answer to these reasonable questions, they went on the attack, saying things like "Only fools and the evil can't see that we can't trust the CDC..." and "They just want to attack Trump..." and I would respond with, "But which experts say this?" and "where is the evidence that they want to attack Trump/destroy the economy...?" and back and forth it went, with me politely and patiently saying things like, "Look, maybe you're right. I'M not a medical expert or an epidemiologist. So, I'm going to look to someone with experience in the field to get my answers... why not the CDC?" and on they would continue with their attacks and not answering the question.
Eventually, one of them accused me of being elitist and condescending.
?
Since when is asking someone to support what they're saying with expert opinion "elitist and condescending..."?
And so it goes.
The fact that you need to read “racism” into something where it isn’t, is all I need to see.
Well, I’ve asked you the same question, “Why should I trust some random guy online named Dan, as opposed to people who are experts in biblical interpretation?”, and haven’t ever gotten an answer.
As for Fauchi, he’s flip flopped on masks, was wrong on Chloroquine, was caught on camera taking off his mask when he thought the camera was off, and bought into models that were proven to be horribly wrong. While he does have expertise, he’s been wrong enough that I’m not sure that blindly accepting his every word uncritically is totally reasonable either.
I’ve been asking you to support your claims for months, with no sign of support.
Asking for support isn’t condescending, but that doesn’t magically absolve you of your condescension.
But, you’re back to conflating all “conservatives”.
As I read this post again, I can understand where some shallow thinking people might suspect racism is present in its composition. But, it is difficult to believe that the vast majority of protesters actually experience legitimate oppression and/or persecution, or even are aware of any legitimate examples. None of the usual examples given for protests...here, the death of George Floyd...work. Even if we concede the cop acted inappropriately, an arrest isn't persecution or oppression in the classic sense, particularly when the suspect's response is what led to the inappropriate conduct of the cop.
And what are the lives actually like of these protesters? It would be interesting to have a sampling of their lot with a brief description in order to learn why they feel their protests are legitimate, as well as to assess whether they are or not. That is, how many of them are Dan Trabues who promote the fantasy that Trump is overtly racist and just a mean guy to people because of superficial traits, versus what number of them have legitimate grievances (that would be better brought before those responsible)?
What’s bizarre is that the concept underlying the quote is in any way controversial.
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