|
I will start this rant by telling you about a friend of mine. This friend has spoken publicly about a controversial issue, has appeared on various television programs and has garnered a lot of press recently. His opinions on the issue are strong enough that he literally has hate sites online dedicated to disparaging him personally and professionally by those who disagree with him. Perhaps you have experienced being hated before - but I guarantee that you have experienced nothing like this. After having your character publicly attacked, your intentions recolored to fit a malicious stereotypical profile just because you happen to be of a particular profession, and having individuals who don't know you actively pursue having you removed from your job, you then will understand the true nature of HATE.
As humans occupying this planet, we have many failings, but the worst of those is failing to admit that that we are irrational creatures, and that this irrationality drives us to pursue beliefs that don't comport with available evidence, nor stop to listen to contrary opinions. All of us carry the imminent potential of irrationality, and because we fail to acknowledge our individual irrationalities, we project that irrationality onto others. ("THEY'RE the problem, not ME.")
Our irrationality also fuels a strident need to protect oneself: our interests, our beliefs, and our goals. We are the centers of our individual universes, and this selfishness fuels much of the hate I referred to above. It's a hate driven by the irrational, yet human need for self-preservation.
The Internet culture magnifies this irrationality twenty-fold. Only on the Internet can those who are extreme and irrational express their discontent publicly and group with those few others who also feel the same. A fragmentation of interests has arisen in our culture - each of these groups clamoring to dominate the day's agenda and public discourse. ("MY needs take precedence!") Many call this identity politics, and I agree. A particular group stridently politicizes its importance in order to garner political pull.
I have posted many strong opinions on DU, and have experienced many nasty exchanges with those who have disagreed with me. Admittedly, I'm rough around the edges at times and rather assertive. But I'm human. I have many failings, but that is not all of me. Referring back to the friend I discussed above, if his detractors actually met him and experienced him as an individual, they'd find a complicated, emotional, and friendly man who believes just as firmly in his cause as they do. But they refuse to afford him that opportunity. They refuse to see past their hate. Over the last several months, I have gotten into spats over racial stereotypes, woman's body images, public breast feeding, and an assortment of other very individualized issues. And each time I discover that (and I certainly am not innocent here) that the conversations take a nasty, personal tone that transcends the topic and resorts to HATE as a means of discourse. But the truth is, hate never functions as a form of discourse. Hate merely divides, and the two arguing resort to castigating the entire person instead of finding common ground. If you ever met me in person, you'd find that I smile often, am quiet (perhaps shy) and an obsessive thinker. I am a whole person, and wish to be judged that way, as I struggle everyday not to judge others - even those with whom I've angrily disagreed. I am certain that everyone on DU, or those speaking publicly for that matter, wish to be judged similarly.
So please forgive my rant. I needed to get these thoughts off my chest.
Writer.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
