Yeah, I figured that out when I reread the exchange.
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Sure, agreed… but if people are educated and still resist understanding that, because they LIKE the privilege that they get, and they believe they deserve it just for existing, then I’m not sure what we do about that. That’s getting to be a larger portion of conservatives and even some liberals in this country right now. They are eagerly tearing down programs that have been designed to give others a chance at success, because they want to preserve that privilege for themselves.
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i agree with that, and i also know people who struggle with the concept of privilege; who believe things like “affirmative action is unfair.” i feel like the right has successfully invented/leverage the myth of “american individualism” and that myth is one of the tools they use to radicalize people and tear down programs that would help.
breaking that myth down is pretty hard. and i do think some more accurate – less individualized – language around privilege might help. even though i don’t know exactly what that language or idea might be.
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This is how I usually explain it, since it resonates with the kind of people who are blind to their own privilege. This is by no means the right way, but it’s worked for me in very limited situations.
Such people tend to understand transactional thinking. So I frame it as every interaction is a transaction, with a very negative/negative/neutral/positive/very positive exchange. It helps them understand that when they (as a white man) walk around and get the benefit of the doubt in small or big ways, that they should assess whether the positive outcome was earned or unearned. Then they should also observe whether women or POC receive positive or negative exchanges, and whether those outcomes were earned or unearned. For people with open minds, it really sinks in after only a few days of examination.
Now the final trick is to get them to detach from the idea that such interactions are a zero-sum game, and that being kind to all people is free. I’m still working on that part with a few friends who’ve opened up to the first part.
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I think leveraged is a better term, because that sense of rugged individualism has deep roots in American culture. It’s been relatively easy fro them to leverage it due to that… Because the myth works in that the rugged idividual is always a brilliant white man, and many white men wish to see themselves in that myth…
I agree and it’s what DEI programs were in part invented to do… which is why the right is pushing so very hard to get rid of them. They are furious that their institutions are crawling with “undeserving” people in their spaces…
Again, maybe for some, but the reality is that the people tearing these programs down want that privilege as their preserve, because they believe that they are indeed the natural “leaders” of humanity. We’re here in part because we never fully rooted out systemic racism in our institutions.
But at some point, we have to accept that some will never be “educated” no matter how we frame things, because they do not want to be educated. They WANT to keep their privilege, because they like it and they see others succeeding as taking something away from them.
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that makes sense ( and i get why you brought up micro aggressions now too. ) i’ll see if i can keep that in mind. because yeah, i also have a few friends/acquaintances who kind of understand the situation, but also… not really.
it is important, like you say, to know that some people are dead set. because those sort definitely use things like “good faith discussion” to waste time, misdirect, and spread lies. and all the gop politicians and talking heads are in that camp.
what gives me some hope – weirdly – are the attacks on dei and training. maybe that shows that for some subset of people* those kinds of programs can change minds, and that’s why the fascists are so scared of those programs.
(* maybe that subset is mostly younger people, but i think things like diversity training can be good even for old crusty people too )
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What worries me, though, is that the attacks are seemingly to be successful right now.
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Mitchell’s guide to tactical debating. Part 1 - when a Nazi refuses to occupy a shared reality, gather a group of right minded people and punch the Nazi in the face. Then immediately deny you ever punched them right to their still knuckle-imprinted face, as the gathered witnesses all agree the Nazi was in fact never punched in the face. For bonus Nazi-debating points, don’t stop punching them to make your denial.
Part 2 - when a Nazi deigns to occupy a shared reality, punch them in the face hard enough they wish to exit your reality as fast as they can…
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I think most Ds agree that every Republican here would be a terrible president, but that Trump’s history of plotting coups to overthrow the government makes him a unique danger. Nonetheless, I’ve seen some on the broad left who are worried about a Haley win because she might be a stronger general election candidate. She’s not under indictment; she’s young, she appears more moderate and more reasonable than Trump. A Politico analysis in December found that she’d do better against Biden than Trump would.
I think Politico, and Haley fearers, miss some important context though. Namely, Trump won’t accept a Haley win. Which means that if she somehow is victorious, the GOP is likely to tear itself apart.
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i definitely think him losing the primary would be a good thing. every time he loses is good, and it increases the chance of him going to jail.
( although, it’s always possible haley would appoint him to head of something if she wins. probably not vice president, or we’d find a body on fifth avenue )
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There would be good odds that the GOP would break any rules to make T**** the nominee, anyway. They are T**** ride-or-die now.
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One must be careful about the meaning of “patriotism” in that quote. The term has been thoroughly hijacked for years now.
ETA: spelling
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Bought by the guy who owns Sinclair Broadcasting. 
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That’s what it looks like in Indiana and Michigan too.
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