Sunday, October 04, 2009

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." - Flannery O'Connor

***

This is priceless (perhaps more proof that modern liberalism kills your sense of irony and self-awareness):

Derailing for Dummies
Making Discrimination Easier!

"A simple, step-by-step guide to derailing awkward conversations by dismissing and trivialising your opposition's perspective and experience. Just some of the many issues you can apply it to:

*sexism* *whorephobia* *racism* *transphobia* *classism* *homophobia* *ableism* *kinkphobia* *fatphobia*

guaranteed, you can use it to marginalise anyone!...

You’re having a good time, sharing your knowledge about these people and their issues. This knowledge is incontrovertible - it’s been backed up in media representation, books, research and lots and lots of historical events, also your own unassailable sense of being right...

Apparently, they claim, you’ve got it all wrong and they’re offended about that...

By simply derailing the conversation, dismissing their opinion as false and ridiculing their experience you can be sure that they continue to be marginalised and unheard and you can continue to look like the expert you know you really are, deep down inside!

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE PRIVILEGE!


Just follow this step-by-step guide to Conversing with Marginalised People™ and in no time at all you will have a fool-proof method of derailing every challenging conversation you may get into, thus reaping the full benefits of every privilege that
you have.

The best part is, you don't even have to be a white, heterosexual, cisgendered, cissexual, upper-class male to enjoy the full benefits of derailing conversation! Nope, you can utilise the lesser-recognised tactic of Horizontal Hostility to
make sure that, despite being a member of a Marginalised Group™ yourself, you can exercise a privilege another Marginalised Group™ doesn't have in order not to heed their experience!...

If You Won't Educate Me How Can I Learn
If You Cared About These Matters You'd Be Willing To Educate Me
You're Being Hostile
But That Happens To Me Too!
You're Being Overemotional
You're Just Oversensitive - NEW!
You Just Enjoy Being Offended - NEW!
Don't You Have More Important Issues To Think About - NEW!
You're Taking Things Too Personally
You’re Not Being Intellectual Enough/You’re Being Overly Intellectual
You're Interrogating From The Wrong Perspective - NEW!
You're Arguing With Opinions Not Fact
Your Experience Is Not Representative Of Everyone
Unless You Can Prove Your Experience Is Widespread I Won't Believe It
I Don't Think You're As Marginalised As You Claim
Aren't You Treating Each Other Worse Anyway - NEW!
But You're Different To The Others - NEW!
Well I Know Another Person From Your Group Who Disagrees!
A In B Situation Is Not Equivalent To X In Y Situation
Who Wins Gold in the Oppression Olympics?
You Have A False Consciousness
You're Not Being A Team Player
You've Lost Your Temper So I Don't Have To Listen To You Anymore
You Are Damaging Your Cause By Being Angry
You're As Bad As They Are - NEW!
Surprise! I Was Playing “Devil’s Advocate” All Along!...

But That Happens To Me Too!
The Marginalised Person™ you’re dealing with has been subjected to this “othering”.

This means that their body is viewed as public property and the personal, intricate details of their lives and being are perceived as free information...

For example, people of African descent often express outrage and irritation at the fact many white people believe they can freely touch their hair. This invasion of their personal space is dressed up as flattery - “oh, what beautiful hair you have!” and permission is not sought or granted before the action is taken. “That happens to everyone!” you must exclaim. “My child has beautiful white-blonde hair and people are always touching it!”...

What this demonstrates is your total lack of understanding of what “othering” means in a practical sense. You’re ignoring the way your life is otherwise entirely immersed in a state of absolute privilege and revealing the fact you fail to comprehend the process of objectification and marginalising they go through all the time. When you are Privileged®, “similar” experiences simply do not happen on an equal footing because they do not otherwise reflect marginalisation. This obliviousness is highly insensitive and trivialising and will definitely cause them to grind their teeth!...

You're Being Overemotional
After all, proper “intellectual” discussions always involve detachment and rationality. What is “rationality”? It’s a way of approaching emotional matters devoid of sentiment, particularly prized by Privileged People® as it enables a continuing inequity of power that favours them: after all, if they aren’t emotionally attached to the topic by way of Lived Experience©, it is easier for them to be “rational”...

You're Arguing With Opinions Not Fact
If you really want to excel as a Privileged Person® you need to learn to value data, statistics, research studies and empirical evidence above all things, but especially above Lived Experience©.
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