Sometimes it hurts to be invested in social justice

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lychee

[- slightly morbid fruit -] ❀[ 恋爱? ]❀
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Sometimes it hurts to be invested in social justice
@lychee writes stuff - blog post #10
Accompanying listening music: Guilty Crown OST - Krone (re-arrange)
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When the #GamerGate controversy happened and there was a lot of drama surrounding "Social Justice Warriors" (SJWs) on the Internet, I was still in college.

At the time, I didn't follow politics or social issues very carefully, and mostly I was invested in anime and manga. This political apathy is very typical for most Chinese-Americans in the United States. My parents fled Communist China as a consequence of the Cultural Revolution (my mother was the daughter of a business tycoon family persecuted by the Red Guard), and they had an inherent distrust of anything political in nature. Furthermore, they leaned conservative on the political spectrum.

It was rather natural that I would grow up very neutral in almost every regard.

That said, both of my parents were scientists ⁠— and my current career path is also in STEM.

I have very strong respect for objective data and peer-reviewed research. I have a fundamental belief that most things that we see through our everyday lives are inherently biased to our local environments. Consequently, caution should be taken on conclusions made from personal inferences. For instance, just because I have personally never seen a murder does not mean that murder does not occur.

Consequently, an objective understanding about the true reality of the world requires a critical assessment of data collected by academic researchers.

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Somewhere around 2013, I met an anime blogger who went by the alias Frog-kun.

Exactly what he is like is somewhat irrelevant to the subject of this blog post. However, I had a powerful admiration for him that was essentially a crush. I loved the way that he wrote, I was absorbed by the subject matter he talked about, and I was starstruck by how down-to-earth, genuine, and overall likable he was. Many of his blog posts spoke to me, and he presented them in casual funny straightforward ways that anybody could connect with and understand. I sent him fanmail and we exchanged emails for a few years.

Frog-kun was thoroughly a feminist and he was heavily involved in social justice (IRL).

However, he was extremely cool about it. He was a chill, funny, laid-back, intelligent, and just plainly sensible. He didn't push his views too hard, and his life was filled with dozens of other things, but he frequently talked about his thoughts on his personal blog.

It's without a question that a lot of things that I talk about on NUF are in a sense things that I've picked up over time from other people. Consequently, the things that I write about are almost the summary collection of multiple influences and views that have pooled together over the years. I absolutely can't take credit for anything.

Not long after the #GamerGate scandal washed over online, my heavily admired Frog-kun wrote a series of blog posts where he talked about how he was proud to call himself a Social Justice Warrior (SJW). Despite the stigma of that term, Frog-kun argued that he believed in social justice, and he also considered himself to be someone who fought for those values. Consequently, what was wrong with using that term to describe himself?

SJWs have this stereotype of crazy man-hating feminists who run around plastering hate speech all over the Twitter profiles of "perfectly upstanding men". However, something critical recognize about the term is that it is a slur — the term is utilized by GamerGaters to describe anybody that they consider extreme and vocal in any way. It is rarely the case that the accused person self-identifies as an "SJW", since the label is applied externally by the opposing party. Consequently, the term "SJW" has collected tremendous negative connotation over the years, especially as it has evolved into the classic strawman entity that more socially conservative people decry.

In this sense, it was very unusual for Frog-kun to embrace the term.

Years later, the more I think about things, I've increasingly felt that I agree with Frog-kun's logic.

I mean, I hit all the criteria that people typically assign to the "Social Justice Warriors":
  1. I believe in a fundamental amount of Social Justice
  2. I believe about being vocal about expressing my beliefs (hence why I write blogs and forum posts)

However, I like to think that I'm generally quite respectful, logical, and reasonable nonetheless.

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Social Justice is something I care about because it touches close to home.

This is usually the case for lots of political movements. For instance, a mother who loses her child through a violent school shooting is infinitely more likely to support legislation in favor of gun control. In contrast, neutral parties are generally apathetic.

Social Justice is also something I care about because my career path has set me on a (relatively) close trajectory that orbits near systems of power. Some of the things I talk about are topics that I have the conceivable possibility to shape and influence at some point in my career — consequently, they are subjects I think about deeply because they have closer relevance to my own life. Any amount of dialogue that I have with other individuals is meaningful and beneficial for my personal development. The more empathy that I have for others and the more perspectives that I can collect over time is invaluable.

Power is a scary thing.

It caries a lot of responsibilities and weight.

It is actually terrifying to hold the lives and livelihoods of others in your hands.

I am not a religious person, but I don't take any degree of pleasure in "playing God".

Consider the scenario that you somehow became the dictator of your country. Perhaps you choose to raise taxes, but now 17 thousand people (imaginary number) in your country can no longer afford their monthly rent and are evicted from their apartments. However, failing to raise taxes or reallocate funds could result in the opioid epidemic raging in the the United States to claim more lives, resulting in dysfunctional families and deeply scarred children.

This isn't a multiple choice exam where an objective "correct answer" exists.

However, the outcomes aren't any less real on either side of the scale. The pain and suffering that is felt is something that ways on my mind constantly, because you know that you are responsible to some degree. Inaction speaks equally loud as action, and choosing not to save a drowning person when you have the ability/power to easily do so confers an equivalent sense of guilt.

And that's also why it's so scary to carry a weight of responsibility.

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The original reason why I wrote this post was because I was dwelling on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) again.

I said before that I have social justice issues that "touch close to home", and for me those three issues are (1) Mental Health, (2) Intimate Partner Violence, and (3) LGBT issues.

While I haven't personally experienced all of these, I have loved ones and friends who are tightly involved in each of these spheres. None all of these are issues are exclusively restricted to my local area, and in fact many of my online friends carry heavy burdens with respect to these topics. Consequently, I find it appropriate to talk and write and get those feelings out there.

More than anything, I believe in communication.

I don't necessarily believe that certain laws or policies need to be changed overnight, nor do I really think that it is altogether particularly effective. In my country, the political situation is highly volatile, and we often alternate between conservative and progressive administrations. This is normal for democratic systems of government and this is likely to be the norm indefinitely.

It is not practical for a minority to force their beliefs onto a majority.

Consequently, any real progress in social change requires a shift in popular opinion.

This is why I write about my thoughts and beliefs, and why I am vocal about them.

We can learn a lot about each other through communication, and with any amount of dialogue we need to be able to see each other eye-to-eye. I'm not more important than anybody else, nor is anybody else more important than each other. Our experiences stand equal in the grand scheme of things, which is why abundant communication is invaluable for being able to process thoughts and determine how to collectively move forward.

Each of us hold things very privately to ourselves, and lots of things can be incredibly challenging and difficult to talk about. However, I just wanted to say that every story I'm fortunate enough to hear is really a blessing (for me), and I'm able to grow through so many dimensions from hearing the things that all of you (for people reading this, you know who you are :bloblove:) tell me.

Thank you so much, sincerely.

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I have a colleague who participates in the US Government Center of Disease Control (CDC) (note: this is the US government body that makes regulations about vaccines) research study on the National Intimate Partner and Violence Survey (NIPVS). Occasionally, I flip back to looking at the data and it's really depressing.

The numbers....

I'm a data-driven person, so it's mind-boggling to think about all the people out there...

...Who have experienced something that hits so closely to home.

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And it hurts a little bit, I guess.

I don't really have that much to say other than that.

It just hurts a little to think about it. That's all, really.

You, Nancy2303, Bad Storm and 12 others like this.

Comments

    1. AliceShiki Sep 27, 2019
      I feel more or less the same as @iampsyx... I do believe in a lot of causes and they have my support... But I can't for the life of me fight for them... I'm the kind of person that will cheer them on from the comfort of my home without ever getting directly involved, I'll rarely at most get involved in internet debates, though I'm generally the type to just think the other party is being silly and move on while the argument is still underway.

      It's just hard to openly hold a position I guess, and very scary too...
      iampsyx, lychee and Anra7777 like this.
    2. lychee Sep 26, 2019
      That said, while I believe in respect, I think it’s important for SJW’s to speak out or interfere in situations where they think someone is being hurt.

      While I realize that some people see this as “policing”, I think improved communication between all parties is desirable for everyone. Furthermore, a quick talk on the side of the hallway between colleagues is infinitely better than a formal complaint lodged by someone really disturbed.

      I really view it as in people’s best interests.

      If I see a female coworker constantly cracking jokes about a male coworker’s penis (and yes I’m using a female-to-male sexual harassment example), and to me it looks like the male coworker looks really uncomfortable, then I’m going to have a quiet private word with both my male and female coworkers.

      To the male one, I’d ask: “Are you bothered by this?”

      And to the female one, I’d tell her that XX is really uncomfortable by this and it would be really appreciated if she stopped.

      This isn’t policing.

      At least, in my view it isn’t.

      I don’t want either coworker to have an enormous falling out or dramatic scene.

      However apparently some people think it is, and that it’s an affront on their free speech. ;-; I’m which case at the point the problem starts escalating, and there’s nothing a third party can do.
    3. iampsyx Sep 26, 2019
      I can't...call myself a SJW (in the best sense of the word) because I don't have the dedication or mental fortitude to commit to a cause I honestly believe in. I mean...I'm always the first one to hide from run away breakdown back down in a confrontation and am probably a bit too willing to compromise because I can't deal with conflicts. The best I can hope for is a support role to the real "warriors".

      True. I think most fights are caused by the inability of both parties to see where the other is coming from. When I lurk on reddit or blogs and read posts of people arguing (most often angrily) about something, I always wonder what each person is really trying to say and if they could've said it in another way that the other party would understand/agree on.
      AliceShiki and lychee like this.
    4. Kuro_0ni Sep 26, 2019
      I agree, and along with communication, we need comprehension & understanding. To be open in listening about differing perspectives, rather than ending dialogue, before it can begin.
      lychee likes this.
    5. lychee Sep 26, 2019
      @Hallow Cause I wholeheartedly agree! I don’t think name-calling is productive to any degree when trying to reach a mutual understanding between two sides. It’s not useful to assume things about the other party, and escalating the fight or attempting to enrage/bait the other party isn’t good >.<

      Unfortunately, I’ve also been in situations where two parties have no desire to reconcile in any way. Rather, their argument is driven by enormous hate and spite, and often Fueled by projections/transference of feelings derived from other places onto the new conversation partner.

      That said — I’ll always lean towards to the side of love and peace. ;-; The world is too sad to hate someone’s passionate guts within five minutes of meeting them.
      AliceShiki, iampsyx and Anra7777 like this.
    6. Anra7777 Sep 26, 2019
      Mm. Just the name itself SJW being used as a slur continues to boggle my mind. If you break down what it means, a “social justice warrior” should be someone who cares about social justice issues, right? So... Lincoln should be a SJW, right? Anyone who was an abolitionist or a suffragist or into the civil rights movement or Martin Luther or Jesus or Buddha or Ghandi or Mandela or, or, the list can go on and on. All those people fit under the category of “people who care about social justice issues.” So how on Earth can it be considered a slur?

      Anyway, that’s my take. I don’t go around calling myself a SJW, but I get upset any time someone uses it as a slur, because to me it should be considered a glorious thing! And maybe you’ll consider me stupid for thinking so, but that’s okay.
    7. A5G_Reaper Sep 26, 2019
      You forgot about the people that's impossible to communicate with because they lack braincells.
      Momoyuki, Ataraxic_L1FE and lychee like this.