There is a difference between being remorseful and feeling shame.
The Critics from the Right accurately point out that we live in a culture that seems to want us to feel shame for our past mistakes, especially those that are insensitive or hurtful towards marginalized individuals and communities. Society right now is less interested in rehabilitation, and more interested in retribution. I consider myself pretty far left, but have become increasingly uncomfortable with the vengeance seeking mentality on my side of the aisle.
And as uncomfortable as I am with the anger and lack of empathy in the Critics from the Left, they are also correct in assessing that our society is built on racist foundations which must be addressed. We must all accept this about our society in order to make it better. We can't just forgive, forget, and move on from, because that won't truly rehabilitate the offenders, make whole the offended, or move our society towards healing.
But let's also recognize that We White Folk were born into this racist society through no doing of our own, just as the marginalized were forced to be here against their will. This is not to equate the struggles of We White Folk to the struggles of the marginalized, rather to combat the shame that comes out of living in an inequitable world. Most alcoholics, drug addicts, or sex offenders grew up victims of abuse, creating a perpetual cycle of pain and shame, not unlike the perpetual cycle of shame and retribution born of our racist society.
I have certainly said and done racist, sexist, and homophobic things, things I deeply regret. Should Isaac or Mimi or Jimmy or myself feel shame for our hurtful actions? Does it help Jimmy to know that Mimi feels bad about herself? I doubt it. Shame is unproductive and if it is left unprocessed leads to continued acting out. None of us are evil individuals with evil intentions. We are products of an unfair society that is need of fixing.
Instead of stewing in an endless shame cycle, we should accept who we were and who we are and strive to understand how we became this way. We must also express remorse and take actions to make amends. We must be more interested in rehabilitative actions than punitive vengeance. This is how we as individuals and a society can move towards healing.
I’m right(left?) there with you! If I’m going to label myself politically, and do so honestly, there’s really no question I’m a progressive. But, I cannot in any way abide the bloodlust stewing among the activist wing of the left, especially considering it is often disingenuously weaponized by the proverbial centrist Dems to silence or marginalize dissenting opinions, be they to the right or the left of them.
Emailed this but wanted to ensure it was noted. Hayley Arceneaux is a PA or Physician Assistant, not a physician (DO or MD degree). PA's complete a two-year postgrad degree involving a year of didactic lecture-based learning and a year of clinical rotations, and practice under the supervision of a physician (in most states). In contrast, physicians complete two years of didactics and two of clinical rotations (four total) PLUS a 3-4 year residency program in a chosen specialty, and proceed to have independent practice rights. It's a common mix up when they expand the abbreviation rather than using the PA acronym (the actual title used in practice, e.g. PA Arceneaux vs Dr. Fauci).
“ 44. The weight, in pounds, of corn flakes that were covered in cocaine instead of sugar and seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in Cincinnati, Ohio.”
I'm curious why you don't want social media platforms to label misinformation? As long as it's being fairly applied and referring to a reputable source, I only see it as a net benefit for all of us. I think the problem is one of marketing honestly, right now, the right feels unfairly attacked by fact checking and I'd say we need to fix that rather than not fact checking.
I would say this is one of the few areas where it can be fairly and transparently applied. The point being to create a system that rejects or at lease minimizes fakes news no matter which side of the aisle its targeting. Data can always be twisted by the observer but the more we can take steps to stop the garbage the better of I think we would be.
There is a difference between being remorseful and feeling shame.
The Critics from the Right accurately point out that we live in a culture that seems to want us to feel shame for our past mistakes, especially those that are insensitive or hurtful towards marginalized individuals and communities. Society right now is less interested in rehabilitation, and more interested in retribution. I consider myself pretty far left, but have become increasingly uncomfortable with the vengeance seeking mentality on my side of the aisle.
And as uncomfortable as I am with the anger and lack of empathy in the Critics from the Left, they are also correct in assessing that our society is built on racist foundations which must be addressed. We must all accept this about our society in order to make it better. We can't just forgive, forget, and move on from, because that won't truly rehabilitate the offenders, make whole the offended, or move our society towards healing.
But let's also recognize that We White Folk were born into this racist society through no doing of our own, just as the marginalized were forced to be here against their will. This is not to equate the struggles of We White Folk to the struggles of the marginalized, rather to combat the shame that comes out of living in an inequitable world. Most alcoholics, drug addicts, or sex offenders grew up victims of abuse, creating a perpetual cycle of pain and shame, not unlike the perpetual cycle of shame and retribution born of our racist society.
I have certainly said and done racist, sexist, and homophobic things, things I deeply regret. Should Isaac or Mimi or Jimmy or myself feel shame for our hurtful actions? Does it help Jimmy to know that Mimi feels bad about herself? I doubt it. Shame is unproductive and if it is left unprocessed leads to continued acting out. None of us are evil individuals with evil intentions. We are products of an unfair society that is need of fixing.
Instead of stewing in an endless shame cycle, we should accept who we were and who we are and strive to understand how we became this way. We must also express remorse and take actions to make amends. We must be more interested in rehabilitative actions than punitive vengeance. This is how we as individuals and a society can move towards healing.
I’m right(left?) there with you! If I’m going to label myself politically, and do so honestly, there’s really no question I’m a progressive. But, I cannot in any way abide the bloodlust stewing among the activist wing of the left, especially considering it is often disingenuously weaponized by the proverbial centrist Dems to silence or marginalize dissenting opinions, be they to the right or the left of them.
Emailed this but wanted to ensure it was noted. Hayley Arceneaux is a PA or Physician Assistant, not a physician (DO or MD degree). PA's complete a two-year postgrad degree involving a year of didactic lecture-based learning and a year of clinical rotations, and practice under the supervision of a physician (in most states). In contrast, physicians complete two years of didactics and two of clinical rotations (four total) PLUS a 3-4 year residency program in a chosen specialty, and proceed to have independent practice rights. It's a common mix up when they expand the abbreviation rather than using the PA acronym (the actual title used in practice, e.g. PA Arceneaux vs Dr. Fauci).
“ 44. The weight, in pounds, of corn flakes that were covered in cocaine instead of sugar and seized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in Cincinnati, Ohio.”
Haven’t laughed so hard in quite a while!
😂
I'm curious why you don't want social media platforms to label misinformation? As long as it's being fairly applied and referring to a reputable source, I only see it as a net benefit for all of us. I think the problem is one of marketing honestly, right now, the right feels unfairly attacked by fact checking and I'd say we need to fix that rather than not fact checking.
I think we’re fooling ourselves if we believe it will ever be fairly applied.
I would say this is one of the few areas where it can be fairly and transparently applied. The point being to create a system that rejects or at lease minimizes fakes news no matter which side of the aisle its targeting. Data can always be twisted by the observer but the more we can take steps to stop the garbage the better of I think we would be.