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> The end does not justify the means. So what good is a society built on prejudice, harassment, and corruption? Spoken like someone who was raised in a culture

> The end does not justify the means. So what good is a society built on prejudice, harassment, and corruption? Spoken like someone who was raised in a culture where airing grievances led to getting what you wanted most of the time. I mean, it's not illogical. There's a reason why the activist archetype is so respected in our society. It gets results! But the outlook that fuels activists to push things things until they win: "I'd rather burn everything to the ground than not get what I want" is also an incredibly short sighted and selfish way to look at things. This is the human condition I guess. We take things for granted. Like the stability we've grown up in, so much that we're willing to sacrifice our inheritance [a stable and mostly fair society] chasing windmills. Luckily we've amassed so much wealth and institutional inertia that I think it'll be a while before it all comes tumbling down.

bdhess 8y ago
> This is the human condition I guess. We take things for granted. Like the stability we've grown up in, so much that we're willing to sacrifice our inheritance [a stable and mostly fair society] chasing windmills. The notion that this is a “stable and mostly fair society” is not self-evidently true. And I suspect that if the question were surveyed, the results would differ dramatically across identity groups.
- minitel 8y ago
  Even the poorest "identity groups" in the United States own more wealth than most other "identity groups" across the planet. Western Society also goes out of its way to embrace "the outsider" insofar as it tries very hard to include them in everything to the point of ridiculousness. This tradition of inclusion goes all the way back to Rome, which preferred integration over annihilation (excepting Carthage). But I get it. It feels good to complain and to hate on things. Especially when there is no downside (e.g. you get patted on the back and told you're a holy person). You might even convince some of the oppressed "identity groups" you're speaking for to help you implement your pet projects along the way.

bdhess 8y ago

> This is the human condition I guess. We take things for granted. Like the stability we've grown up in, so much that we're willing to sacrifice our inheritance [a stable and mostly fair society] chasing windmills. The notion that this is a “stable and mostly fair society” is not self-evidently true. And I suspect that if the question were surveyed, the results would differ dramatically across identity groups.

minitel 8y ago
Even the poorest "identity groups" in the United States own more wealth than most other "identity groups" across the planet. Western Society also goes out of its way to embrace "the outsider" insofar as it tries very hard to include them in everything to the point of ridiculousness. This tradition of inclusion goes all the way back to Rome, which preferred integration over annihilation (excepting Carthage). But I get it. It feels good to complain and to hate on things. Especially when there is no downside (e.g. you get patted on the back and told you're a holy person). You might even convince some of the oppressed "identity groups" you're speaking for to help you implement your pet projects along the way.