3 ms·

You think having an issue with pedophilia is just "othering"? Really?

• stcredzero 8y ago
  No, it's not "just" othering. It's a particularly potent form of othering, because it's based on the most lurid, most instantly damaging, and most easily outrage inducing subject. It's potent and has the most potential for exploitation precisely because everyone agrees it's bad. The problem is not having an issue with pedophilia. The problem is with bad actors exploiting the outrage amplified by the potential for paranoia surrounding the issue. Bad actors in Salem in the 1690's exploited outrage and potential for paranoia around witchcraft to take land from other people and take down rivals. Bad actors throughout history have leveled the charge of homosexuality, of having the "wrong" religion, of harboring the "wrong" politics, or of being from the "wrong" ethnic background to exploit outrage amplified by paranoia to take down rivals and to gain power through attention. In 2019 most of those things no longer produce outrage like they did in the past, which is how things should be. Now, we are left with charges of racism and non-consensual sexual misconduct. Everyone agrees that those are bad. However, the potential for the outrage to be misused by bad actors is even greater as a result. In 2019, the takeaway should be that great outrage should be met by great skepticism, and that important conclusions should be drawn in calmness and using evidence and logic.