Karmakin wrote:Yeah, the divisiveness was never really Watson's fault. That said, I don't think the rift had to be THAT divisive...there always was a possibility for people to agree to disagree and keep things non-tribal, but things didn't play out that way at all. What's interesting is that I think theoretically po-mo beliefs should be more non-divisive and non-tribalistic, but it NEVER plays out that way. Which is why I think that the Po-Mo Critical stuff is basically an excuse for tribalism and elitism, rather than the tribalism and elitism coming from various conflicts.
I disagree. I think that the fundamental ideas of po-mo Critical stuff are divisive by nature. Giving power to "lived experiences" and making lists of "microaggressions" is divisive: people of any race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality are petty, carry grudges, act irrationally and are ready to blame anyone but themselves for their failures. Giving people excuses to feel like a perpetual victim creates a culture of victimhood which feeds into the worst, most petty and small-minded part of humanity.
There's no better way to create tension and inhibit empathy than to create a narrative of victimhood. Nazi Germany was a result of the culture of German victimhood at the hands of the "November Criminals" and of the Zhe Jeeeewz due to the Dolchstosslegende. Legitimate grievances about the Treaty of Versailles were mixed together with a lot of bullshit, big lies and half-truths to create a narrative where the poor Germans had been betrayed and humiliated unjustly and now it was time to pay it back. Hitler used this narrative to great effect.
Po-mo Critical Race Theory creates a culture of victimhood in the "oppressed groups". Someone didn't smile at you? It's because you're gay. The cashier was rude? It's because you're latino. The policeman stopped you? It's because you're black. A man earn more than you? It's because you're a woman.
Also the idea of "dogwhistles" breeds paranoia. Anything can be a "deconstructed" as "problematic": men who sit in a way that doesn't, you know, break their balls are "manspreading", all nooses are a clear sign of the Ku Klux Klan, "hard work" and "meritocracy" are "privilege-splaining", etc. etc.
If you see the world through feminist/SJW glasses everyone is a threat to you, your future, your dreams, your identity, your life. This is divisive as fuck: the SJW revolution cannot be civilized. Here's a useful Patri-Archie comic:
http://patri-archie-comics.tumblr.com/i ... 9205013977
I'll say it again. I blame Zvan, Laden and Thiebault primarily. And I'll stand by my statement. Keep them unaware of SRS/Goon culture, and a whole lot of shit plays out entirely differently, up to and including the election of Donald Trump. Now, I understand this is really fucking tin-foil hat...but at the same time, at least to me it's pretty obvious that the social and cultural patterns that IMO make up much of the political climate really formed in and around the Atheism+ bullshit.
Atheism Plus was just a part of a larger social movement. Few people gave a fuck about atheism, a lot of them cared about what was preached in universities, repeated in the media, introduced in the justice system, supported by politics. The SJW phenomenon is much larger than atheism, atheism was just a subset of the SJW infiltration into the media, popular culture (games, books, fantasy, etc.), politics, society at large which started from academia and was started by academics.
Let's face it, we atheists aren't that important. Universities are much more important than us. The justice system is much more important than us. Politics are much more important than us. Watson was a minor figure in a minor movement. She was, and is, largely a nobody to the world at large.