What you’re saying makes sense in theory, but I don’t think it makes sense in practice. The word that has defined politics since the mid 2010s is intersectionalism. There simply isn’t any sort of genuine political lane for, say, a socialist who hates #girlboss culture. I’ve actually watched the video you sent me and while I appreciate it, the opinion is rather niche. There isn’t really a corresponding political faction or identity to really latch on to.
I also personally haven’t experienced this lack of intersectionalism when I “touched grass”. In general there is such a tight coupling of all things political to the point where you can do things like guess someone’s opinion on the middle east by how they feel about bat roosts in suburban areas. To be fair, that has faded significantly since immediately post covid. However, it’s still strongly present. There simply aren’t people I meet in real life who espouse those kind of unique political values.
At the end of the day, I’m sort of in a rut. I can avoid certain people who behave in what I define as a toxic manner, but I can’t really avoid all of this toxicity in the context of modern society. Identity politics coding is everywhere, and on some level I need to “pick a side”.
I didn’t link a video lol and your own political circles revolving around intersectionalism does not mean that is all there is; I think there’s been a lot of manipulation in the media to make it center of mind because it gets clicks and serves to distract; but if you want that badly to be conservative and make judgement calls on people individually that extend to their entire sex instead of holding more nuanced opinions about issues that can be solved systemically then go for it, I can’t stop you.
Identity politics coding is everywhere, and on some level I need to “pick a side”.
No, you don’t. That’s what I’ve been telling you. Who cares if it’s niche. It’s better than giving up on all your other values and saying you’re conservative or “more” conservative than liberal just so you can bicker about which sex is more oppressed than the other. Maybe you’ll be the person that makes someone else see the light if you do the work to better contextualize what you’re trying to say, and then your ideology is that slight amount less niche.
I feel you’re being disrespectful of my viewpoints, and intentionally being obstinate in refusing to understand them.
I am mad about toxic behavior that is justified by liberal rhetoric. It is more egregious when it comes to sexism, but that is not the only issue. These behaviors are upsetting to watch, and it is frustrating to live in an environment where this is not only justified but portrayed as moral.
This post is about the real world. As in, in person social interactions. That limits your options, and means you have to on some tolerate things that frustrate you or become a hermit.
I live in a city of moderate liberals. I am a nerdy college educated millennial. While I have made a choice to avoid the worst of it after witnessing a lot of things that just crossed the line for me, on some level I simply have to live with elements of liberal culture that I find toxic.
I have no idea where you live that you can find people that perfectly match your political/moral philosophy in such numbers where it’s possible to meet people and strike up friendships, but let me assure you that isn’t how it works where I live.
A lot of my friends are good people overall, but do or believe at least one thing that frustrates me. I consider that part of life. However there’s some line I have to draw. In my experience the type of people who are extremely vocal about being liberal and how morally awful conservatives behave in really shitty ways, but get away with it by leveraging progressive rhetoric.
I have made a decision that on some level that rhetoric is bullshit, and to not involve myself with people who do things that I think are beyond the pale regardless of their justification. That by definition means rejecting or displaying extreme skepticism in regards to some parts of liberal culture. Hence the “more conservative”. You seem hung up on the words conservative, so you can use the term “less liberal” if it makes you feel better. I am friends with a grand total of person who defines themselves as conservative in absolute terms.
dude, your argument about women denigrating men is based on women complaining about men denigrating women in exactly the same way. You stand up for what you see as the losing side, just as they do, but your argument is on the same grounds. You’re no better than they are. And that’s not me taking sides, that’s just what this argument boils down to.
Perhaps picking your battles and searching for the root of your beliefs, so you can express something meaningful without coming off like a raging sexist (their words, not mine), would make it a lot easier to broach this topic with your liberal community in a more rational manner. People are going to criticize you, that’s part of having beliefs, but presumably there are other things on which you agree with these people, meaning there must be a common foundation between your ideas which stands up to criticism and can be a means to a mutually beneficial end.