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I nearly always just keep my mouth shut because I know that I can be shot down and 'discredited' purely because I'm white, male, and straight. Part of it is pe
by koralatov 12y ago
I nearly always just keep my mouth shut because I know that I can be shot down and 'discredited' purely because I'm white, male, and straight. Part of it is perhaps age (I'm 31 now, and less angry/opinionated than I once was), but it's mostly just that I have, in the past, been repeatedly disregarded or outright abused because of who I am rather than what I'm saying. That kind of response is fundamentally censorious, and it has worked; I'm effectively self-censoring now to comply with the wishes/intentions of this lunatic fringe. From your comment, I get the impression you're doing the same.
The scary outcome of that is a continued chokehold on the narrative and conversation by these extreme fringes, and no change for the better because nobody is willing or able to engage in a reasonable discussion or take reasonable action.
- bonesmoses 12y agoWhich, to me, raises an interesting question: If someone can direct the wrath of the lunatic fringe at you with utmost impunity, can it really be claimed that they have no voice? Because they're claiming they don't, while still exercising that exclusive privilege.
- classicsnoot 12y agoAgreed. I don't know why, but your post reminds me of the part of Cryptonomicon where the intellectuals sit around the table and nod incessantly as their Academic Prince derides the Internet because of who created it. The privileged academics who benefit from a very expensive education speaking ill of the privileged and expensive Internet infrastructure.