"You don't like to be touched, let alone kissed."

[greygirlbeast]

I have been aware for at least a couple of years now that I very rarely use this journal to write about the sorts of things I ought to write about. Not word counts and what I had for dinner last night and watching Blade Runner for the four hundredth time. Sure, it's nice to look back, a year or two or seven from now and be able to see what I was

Comments

[whiskeychick]

Thank you, thank you for this. These are words the entire nation needs to read. Hell, good chunks of the planet.

I wish I had some idea, some words, some THING, to show hope that we're progressing, that we as a species are evolving. But it seems that we are doing the opposite.

[greygirlbeast]

Thank you, thank you for this.

You're welcome. You can help pick the bullets out later.

But it seems that we are doing the opposite.

Yup.

[whiskeychick]

See and that's also what's wrong. The world used to look to its storytellers to shine a mirror on itself. Shooting the messenger is again, regression. Ugh.

But I'm here cheering you on to use your words as swiftly as Thor's hammer. You're the only one that can wield it and there is mighty reason to do so.

[greygirlbeast]

Shooting the messenger is again, regression.

But they all want to be the One True Messenger, it seems.

But I'm here cheering you on to use your words as swiftly as Thor's hammer.

Art is a...

[ext_1294083]

I was just thinking about these issues while writing my own stories (worrying how people will perceive some things as -ism/-ist). But then I remembered that fiction is art. And that art is a mirror: people can only see in it what they've already got in themselves.

We can't control how people interpret what we create but we must remember that, whatever they do see in it, it's their own problem. If you try to be too politically correct, too polite and change your art because of that, you're not being sincere. And that would be the worst kind of art to anyone (creator and consumer).

Thanks for reminding me of that.

[greygirlbeast]

If you try to be too politically correct, too polite and change your art because of that, you're not being sincere. And that would be the worst kind of art to anyone (creator and consumer).

Generally, yes. For better or worse.

As for the mirror thing, that gets complicated. But, again, in general, yes.

[ext_1294087]

This needs to be said. I appreciate very much the risk you take in saying it. I think the atmosphere you describe is creatively smothering, and breeds fear, and encourages intellectual dishonesty. It can be very difficult to argue the point you've made here only because people tend to misinterpret it as an argument against the core impulse, which is noble, good, and essential. The internet, unfortunately, is not forgiving of nuance.

[greygirlbeast]

I think the atmosphere you describe is creatively smothering, and breeds fear, and encourages intellectual dishonesty.

Yes. It is intellectually stifling. A generation is willingly accepting that it should be stifled for the Greater Good.

It can be very difficult to argue the point you've made here only because people tend to misinterpret it as an argument against the core impulse

That whole thing about McCarthyism and the "Red Menace": You try to defend yourself, that's an admission of guilt.

Icon directed at the hyper-political, professional outrage types

[matrixrefugee]

Preach it, sistah! You worded it perfectly and as far as I can tell, you said what Someone Desperately Needed To Say about the situation.

I'm a fanfiction writer myself, and lately, I've been terrified to Write Things, due to the influx of hyper-politicization in my various fandoms. I'm even terrified to *talk* online due to people jumping down my throat over perceived "ableism": I once used the word "insane" in a metaphoric way and had someone scream at me for being ableist, since the screamer has mental health issues. I've got a mild to moderate depression problem as well as neurological issues, but I also have the ability to laugh at the wacky things that my health problems can cause; if I didn't laugh at myself sometimes, I'd probably have killed myself by now!

It's especially bad on Tumblr: something about that site causes people to be nerve-fiber trigger in their fury about :: insert demographic:: not being included. I saw someone on there yelling about *underwear models* who weren't visibly disabled or of particular sizes.

Re: Icon directed at the hyper-political, professional outrage types

[greygirlbeast]

I once used the word "insane" in a metaphoric way and had someone scream at me for being ableist, since the screamer has mental health issues. I've got a mild to moderate depression problem as well as neurological issues, but I also have the ability to laugh at the wacky things that my health problems can cause; if I didn't laugh at myself sometimes, I'd probably have killed myself by now!

Speaking as someone with relatively severe mental-health issues (I call it "crazy"), I can only say that I'm sorry. But DON'T LET IT STOP YOU. I never would have written The Drowning Girl if I'd been that intimidated by these people.

I saw someone on there yelling about *underwear models* who weren't visibly disabled or of particular sizes. Eesh!

Case in point.

Re: Icon directed at the hyper-political, professional outrage types

[matrixrefugee]

Thank you for the kind -- and fittingly forceful! -- words of encouragement: I've had a bout of writer's block lately due to a lot of factors (some health-related, some idiot-induced stress-related), but I'm finally getting the block to shrink down to a size where I can pick it up and use it as a doorstop or something to toss out the window to shut up the neighborhood wildlife when I'm trying to work.

Re: Icon directed at the hyper-political, professional outrage types

[lady_tigerfish]

Tumblr is the absolute worst with this, I agree. I eventually abandoned the site for use as anything other than an aggregator of cool art and pictures.

[aeazel]

Oppression Olympics (such as what you seemingly describe) make me a sad bunny.

[greygirlbeast]

Oh, dog. Maybe there is a term for them after all. Thanks.

[activistgirl]

"Beginning a round of Oppression Olympics is generally seen as Derailment or even as a Silencing tactic, as it attempts to prevent or deflect discussion of one kind of oppression by denying its legitimacy or existence, downplaying its importance, or simply switching the focus to another." <<<---- Full 'o win, as is this post. I think they are afraid of the truth. Unsure of the solution myself. Maybe it is a social phase, like a collective indignant "terrible twos" or something. Derailment is certainly the perfect word for it.