Quote:
Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague
Damn, that's an extreme reaction.
I understand that the intent is equality. I've no difficulty understanding the motivation behind people behaving this way, and the end result they want to achieve. However, the method is to divide people into categories based on identity (race, gender, sexual orientation), and suggest that people are inherently different solely by virtue of their membership in a particular category. Their views on certain issues are inherently more valid or credible, and as a corollary, other peoples' views are less credible because of their membership in a different category (usually on the basis of perceived or actual power imbalances). For example, "It's easy for you to take that position; you're not a X", where X is a disadvantaged group. That's the divisive aspect of identity politics that I object to - both in principle, and from the pragmatic perspective that I think it just backfires and creates resentment and balkanized groups that don't talk to each other.
I really think you need to stop putting the pedal on the floor and jumping right to "YOU CLEARLY DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING I'M CALLING YOU OUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS INSULTING WE'RE DONE TALKING", after giving the least charitable interpretation possible to a position of political philosophy. I wasn't insulting you, I wasn't being sarcastic or patronizing or trolling you. I could maybe understand this reaction if I'd done that; some people on here do nothing but that, maybe I do it sometimes, but I wasn't. I was just disagreeing with you, respectfully. Calm down a bit.
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I'm calm, you're confusing my bewilderment with anger and emotion. I noticed you accuse others of giving you uncharitable interpretations. Just do better. You're asking for a charitable interpretation but your interpretation of my post was that I'm reacting "extreme"? and you had to rephrase it in all caps to make that point? and "we're done talking" did I say that? You very often ask for something (whether it be charitable interpretations, avoidance of "tribalism," not escalating something with insults) but you don't offer the same. You're here doing all of the things you don't want others to do... people see that. Posters see you getting insulted because you have uncharitable interpretations of others posts, or calling others elitist and annoying because you don't like how they're saying something, or dividing people into groups and saying "that group, they're wrong, they matter less".
Being insulted by your view of identity politics isn't to say you're horrible and you should feel bad. It's truly just insulting. I can be told the "politics" that help me be seen as more equal and respected as a basic human are poisonous and divisive and just created so I can be "different" and not get emotional. Don't just assume I'm triggered and can't take it. I've heard worse.
I respect that you don't like being told your opinion matters a little less because you don't have experience. Don't you believe experiences add validity... or a lack thereof take it away?
If I say a GSA is an important thing that every school should have and a straight person says "No it's not, we don't need those," do you REALLY object to my belief that it's easier for someone who doesn't need it to take a position against it?
The problem is that the modern right is triggered by the idea that they might not know something or that they might be even a tiny bit responsible for the oppression of a group THEY created, that they labelled as different or lesser. Groups that are suddenly saying "you know what, we're the same as you, and until you acknowledge that and treat us that way, we're going to fight for that recognition."
"Oh, you're a woman? Black? Gay? etc. Well, you're
different, and for now... you're just a
little less human than the rest of us."
New wave identity politics didn't create this. It's fighting it. This is not at the discussion level, this is actual fact. The method of division you're talking about was created long before people ever started fighting for equality.
It just seems like a really academic defence of (or outright ignorance regarding) the racism, sexism, and homophobia that actually caused the division. To blame that division on the fight for equal rights brings me back to my original feeling... bewilderment.