Mychal is such a joyful, passionate person and amazing advocate that libraries are for everyone. And he's proof of how society will viciously harass people who seem outside the norm. And it's...
Mychal is such a joyful, passionate person and amazing advocate that libraries are for everyone. And he's proof of how society will viciously harass people who seem outside the norm. And it's devastating to watch his videos where he's addressed his mental health after all this harassment.
Mr Rogers would be disappointed in us I think.
Edit: I hate autocorrect and/or my brain before caffeine
I haven't seen his videos but reading the article, it's tragic to hear what happened and I'm glad he's taking time to get better and is going to continue what he's doing. I've worked/volunteered...
I haven't seen his videos but reading the article, it's tragic to hear what happened and I'm glad he's taking time to get better and is going to continue what he's doing.
I've worked/volunteered with nonprofits most of my adult life. I used to be very optimistic about the world. I still work in a nonprofit and do what I can but I'm incredibly jaded about the world, especially post Trump. The derision and malice I've seen towards homeless, addicted, impoverished, different race or sexual orientation is shocking. But worse is the casual indifference. I've had people speak to me like I'm stupid for choosing a lower paid career or that I'm naive for helping people they think can't change.
There's a song by Rage Against the Machine called "In My Eyes". It's about addiction but I think it also is about their activism. One part goes:
You tell me that I make no difference
Well at least I'm fucking trying
What the fuck have you done?
This is often how I feel now. People's indifference is a self-fulfilling prophecy. People can't be helped because there isn't community and support for them. I feel the rage in that song against people's apathy.
I'm thankful for people like Mychal that can continue.
He's just so passionately inclusive. I work in social work/mental health/higher ed. I couldn't work in education if I didn't believe we could be better people. I also hit a wall regularly about...
He's just so passionately inclusive. I work in social work/mental health/higher ed. I couldn't work in education if I didn't believe we could be better people. I also hit a wall regularly about how awful we are to each other.
Take care of you, take breaks, and find the people that do bring you joy 💜
I will check him out! I could definitely use some more positivity in my life. I also love and believe strongly in libraries. Thanks for the encouragement.
I will check him out! I could definitely use some more positivity in my life. I also love and believe strongly in libraries. Thanks for the encouragement.
I don't think it's quite right to label the whole society as the perpetrator. Society, people, humanity etc. aren't homogenous. A group of people I'm not a part of nor support did this, and I...
I don't think it's quite right to label the whole society as the perpetrator. Society, people, humanity etc. aren't homogenous. A group of people I'm not a part of nor support did this, and I don't feel any blame for it.
I'm not asking you to feel any blame for it. I don't feel personal blame for it. But the people doing it are equally a part of "our" society. (I don't know where you're from so take this as...
I'm not asking you to feel any blame for it. I don't feel personal blame for it.
But the people doing it are equally a part of "our" society. (I don't know where you're from so take this as general). And it is all too common for people who are perceived as odd to be harassed so broadly that it's less useful to limit it to the specific individuals rather than as a societal problem.
I didn't think you were trying to personally blame anybody, so no harm done there, but I do think a shared blame is very much implied in the words chosen. From my point of view, there is no "us"...
I didn't think you were trying to personally blame anybody, so no harm done there, but I do think a shared blame is very much implied in the words chosen. From my point of view, there is no "us" in any society. There are a collection of individuals and groups, and it's taken as granted to define oneself based on these shared identities, but I do not do that for the most part. I don't feel any shared identity toward any nation or religion or humanity*.
In other words, there are many awful individuals and groups in every population. Why would I identify myself with them, and feel the shame or blame for what they do? Especially since I don't subscribe to the most common shared identities. I don't feel any commonality, and it's what they chose to do.
I think, my point is, sharing in the blame reproduces and reifies these shared identities. When in reality, the shared identities aren't universal, they can put unnecessary burden on somebody, and they hide the heterogenous reality of the said populations. So, for example, by refusing to identify with a nation-state's shared identity, a person stops reproducing and reifying these identities.
By humanity I mean humanity as a socially constructed concept and the sweeping declarations made about it, e.g. "Humans are selfish/stupid/ignorant."
I don't agree that identifying in the same group as people that do horrible things somehow shares shame or blame. I think it shares responsibility, but that's not the same thing. I believe that I...
I don't agree that identifying in the same group as people that do horrible things somehow shares shame or blame. I think it shares responsibility, but that's not the same thing.
I believe that I have a responsibility to try to make this group I'm in better. That can be through my work - I provide care, advocacy, and support for students; I provide training on topics revolving around empathy, identity, and equity; and I work to address policies that are not serving our students or staff. Or through my personal life or just trying to live kindly and support people who are doing the same.
So I think that is key, but also I think holding the "horrible" people apart from us - dehumanizing them, calling them monsters, insisting how different we are - is the road towards becoming "them."
I get that this isn't your philosophy, but it's why I find talking about society as an entity and ascribing us all responsibility is useful and necessary. Society can be wonderful and horrible in alternate breaths. Both are true.
Mychal is such a joyful, passionate person and amazing advocate that libraries are for everyone. And he's proof of how society will viciously harass people who seem outside the norm. And it's devastating to watch his videos where he's addressed his mental health after all this harassment.
Mr Rogers would be disappointed in us I think.
Edit: I hate autocorrect and/or my brain before caffeine
I haven't seen his videos but reading the article, it's tragic to hear what happened and I'm glad he's taking time to get better and is going to continue what he's doing.
I've worked/volunteered with nonprofits most of my adult life. I used to be very optimistic about the world. I still work in a nonprofit and do what I can but I'm incredibly jaded about the world, especially post Trump. The derision and malice I've seen towards homeless, addicted, impoverished, different race or sexual orientation is shocking. But worse is the casual indifference. I've had people speak to me like I'm stupid for choosing a lower paid career or that I'm naive for helping people they think can't change.
There's a song by Rage Against the Machine called "In My Eyes". It's about addiction but I think it also is about their activism. One part goes:
You tell me that I make no difference
Well at least I'm fucking trying
What the fuck have you done?
This is often how I feel now. People's indifference is a self-fulfilling prophecy. People can't be helped because there isn't community and support for them. I feel the rage in that song against people's apathy.
I'm thankful for people like Mychal that can continue.
He's just so passionately inclusive. I work in social work/mental health/higher ed. I couldn't work in education if I didn't believe we could be better people. I also hit a wall regularly about how awful we are to each other.
Take care of you, take breaks, and find the people that do bring you joy 💜
I will check him out! I could definitely use some more positivity in my life. I also love and believe strongly in libraries. Thanks for the encouragement.
I don't think it's quite right to label the whole society as the perpetrator. Society, people, humanity etc. aren't homogenous. A group of people I'm not a part of nor support did this, and I don't feel any blame for it.
I'm not asking you to feel any blame for it. I don't feel personal blame for it.
But the people doing it are equally a part of "our" society. (I don't know where you're from so take this as general). And it is all too common for people who are perceived as odd to be harassed so broadly that it's less useful to limit it to the specific individuals rather than as a societal problem.
I didn't think you were trying to personally blame anybody, so no harm done there, but I do think a shared blame is very much implied in the words chosen. From my point of view, there is no "us" in any society. There are a collection of individuals and groups, and it's taken as granted to define oneself based on these shared identities, but I do not do that for the most part. I don't feel any shared identity toward any nation or religion or humanity*.
In other words, there are many awful individuals and groups in every population. Why would I identify myself with them, and feel the shame or blame for what they do? Especially since I don't subscribe to the most common shared identities. I don't feel any commonality, and it's what they chose to do.
I think, my point is, sharing in the blame reproduces and reifies these shared identities. When in reality, the shared identities aren't universal, they can put unnecessary burden on somebody, and they hide the heterogenous reality of the said populations. So, for example, by refusing to identify with a nation-state's shared identity, a person stops reproducing and reifying these identities.
I don't agree that identifying in the same group as people that do horrible things somehow shares shame or blame. I think it shares responsibility, but that's not the same thing.
I believe that I have a responsibility to try to make this group I'm in better. That can be through my work - I provide care, advocacy, and support for students; I provide training on topics revolving around empathy, identity, and equity; and I work to address policies that are not serving our students or staff. Or through my personal life or just trying to live kindly and support people who are doing the same.
So I think that is key, but also I think holding the "horrible" people apart from us - dehumanizing them, calling them monsters, insisting how different we are - is the road towards becoming "them."
I get that this isn't your philosophy, but it's why I find talking about society as an entity and ascribing us all responsibility is useful and necessary. Society can be wonderful and horrible in alternate breaths. Both are true.
Mirror, for those hit by the paywall:
https://archive.is/deIlk