If I can do it, so can you!
NO. NO.
This kind of thinking is so f*cking wrong. I admit I get into it myself sometimes, but I shall try and remind myself that it is not the right thing to do, and listen to people when they call me out on it.
Examples:
If I can look things up on Google or in the library and find out small pieces of information or research whole areas of interest, then everyone can. No. This is wrong: it is both ableist and classist. I grew up with the encouragement to learn, to look things up in the dictionary, to use encyclopaedias, to use the library. This is a privilege that not everyone has. It's about one's parent's level and quality of education, and their aspirations for their children. Of course it is possible for people who don't have those privileges to break out that pattern, but I believe that it takes an awful lot of willpower to do that.
If I can walk around my neighbourhood at night with little fear, then everyone else can do so too. It was pointed out to me that some places are so dangerous that it is risky to do this even in the day, and I shouldn't be so critical of people who drive in their cars to get to the gym. (Of course I still believe that cars kill: kill cars.)
If I can find the motivation to eat less and exercise more, then so can other people. Oh nonononono. I've been coming up with this judgement recently, and it is so bad! It took me years to find a way to want to get healthy. Some people are never able to do it. Just because I can right now doesn't mean that you can right now.
What do you think about this? What examples of this irk you the most? Do you think I'm talking out of my arse?
This kind of thinking is so f*cking wrong. I admit I get into it myself sometimes, but I shall try and remind myself that it is not the right thing to do, and listen to people when they call me out on it.
Examples:
If I can look things up on Google or in the library and find out small pieces of information or research whole areas of interest, then everyone can. No. This is wrong: it is both ableist and classist. I grew up with the encouragement to learn, to look things up in the dictionary, to use encyclopaedias, to use the library. This is a privilege that not everyone has. It's about one's parent's level and quality of education, and their aspirations for their children. Of course it is possible for people who don't have those privileges to break out that pattern, but I believe that it takes an awful lot of willpower to do that.
If I can walk around my neighbourhood at night with little fear, then everyone else can do so too. It was pointed out to me that some places are so dangerous that it is risky to do this even in the day, and I shouldn't be so critical of people who drive in their cars to get to the gym. (Of course I still believe that cars kill: kill cars.)
If I can find the motivation to eat less and exercise more, then so can other people. Oh nonononono. I've been coming up with this judgement recently, and it is so bad! It took me years to find a way to want to get healthy. Some people are never able to do it. Just because I can right now doesn't mean that you can right now.
What do you think about this? What examples of this irk you the most? Do you think I'm talking out of my arse?