Read on Twitter
Hello, logged to check DMs and noticed that Portland Twitter seems to be on fire
A gentle reminder that human interactions are by nature painful since they involve 2+ people with agency who won't always agree and may want different stuff
This is not abuse. This is life
A gentle reminder that human interactions are by nature painful since they involve 2+ people with agency who won't always agree and may want different stuff
This is not abuse. This is life
A reminder that we all grew up within power structures that punish and otherize, every single one of us, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, regardless of privilege or lack thereof
And that if we aren't careful we WILL recreate those power structures on each other as a default
And that if we aren't careful we WILL recreate those power structures on each other as a default
A reminder that although impact outweighs intent, intent still matters
That unless we want to recreate the same dynamics of the system we claim to oppose, the goal should be to teach and not to punish
Victims shouldn't be expected to do that work. Others definitely should
That unless we want to recreate the same dynamics of the system we claim to oppose, the goal should be to teach and not to punish
Victims shouldn't be expected to do that work. Others definitely should
A reminder that people can disagree on something without one side being maliciously evil
Some things aren't complicated (Nazis are Bad, Actually)
Some things are pretty complicated and require some nuance
Some things aren't complicated (Nazis are Bad, Actually)
Some things are pretty complicated and require some nuance
A reminder that mistakes do not necessarily indicate hidden evil
They may indicate a mistaken idea or some unexamined prejudice but it's both unsurprising and normal to have such ideas and prejudices. We ALL grew up in this system and ALL learned maladaptive shitty things
They may indicate a mistaken idea or some unexamined prejudice but it's both unsurprising and normal to have such ideas and prejudices. We ALL grew up in this system and ALL learned maladaptive shitty things
If we're going to toss people out for internalized racism or transphobia or antisemitism guess what, we're all out
Yes, you too
Me also
We have to WORK on these things, we can't let them remain blind spots, but having them? A byproduct of living in this world at this time
Yes, you too
Me also
We have to WORK on these things, we can't let them remain blind spots, but having them? A byproduct of living in this world at this time
When called out for a mistake the right thing to do is retreat, sit with the criticism, ponder it, and learn something if there's a lesson there
It's still the right thing when the callout is an attack ("you are a shitty person," not "you did a shitty thing") but it's not easy
It's still the right thing when the callout is an attack ("you are a shitty person," not "you did a shitty thing") but it's not easy
Ideally people learn from the critique anyway. I have, in the past
But if the goal is to teach instead of punish it's a very unproductive way to start, and it's the default online, and it leads to a lot of really unnecessary escalation and the loss of good people
But if the goal is to teach instead of punish it's a very unproductive way to start, and it's the default online, and it leads to a lot of really unnecessary escalation and the loss of good people
Anyway I'm going to get back off Twitter now, feel free to yell at me for being on here in the first place and/or for this take, but also consider not ripping the community in half any time there's a disagreement ok thank you bye
