I spent a lot of time this week thinking about hate and noticing left-folks responses to Florida’s escalating culture war. For people who wish to change the world for the better in their online interactions, here are two things to keep in mind.
1.) Hate is an addiction behavior
Hate exists because it continues to feel good and is tied to survival. This study connects the dots through nearly a hundred interviews with people who left white supremacist groups.
Former [white supremacist group members]
who described their struggles in
terms of addiction narrated an involuntary
lingering of white supremacist thoughts, feel-
ings, physical responses, and, in some cases,
unwanted behavior. Their residual involved
more than a sense of longing for comradery
and other aspects related to group dynamics;
it was also a deeply ingrained default to hate
that could be overridden or repressed but not
completely erased.
This is to say, that if we did want lasting change and fewer hate groups in the world, being self-righteous about our politics will not help.
NPR did a story digging into this study back in 2019. I cannot find that, but more research and writing exploring this concept has been done since.
2.) This pain existed before our politics
The modern world, and the US in particular, is a culture of trauma. The first European immigrants in what is now known as the United States were avoiding religious persecution. Europeans moved to a new world and reenacted all that they’ve known. Long before Western civ set sail, the Great Pyramids were built through slave labor and humanity’s ability to be “fine with it.” We are currently living in the results of thousands of years of imbalanced power dynamics, and the people in power have trauma, too (why else would they have to cling to their power?)
Yes, this is all very simplified. That’s the point. Drop academic words. Stop hiding behind facts (real or imagined.) Interrupt the comfort of talking points. If you are going to have these conversations online or in person, reciting numbers and political items will not help you. Nor will your pride or echo chamber.
Put aside your comfort. Use privilege to keep you safe, if you got it. Start the conversation, but know that you can’t “know” your way into understanding. Clearing hate to create space for authentic expression isn’t mind work. This shit is heart work.
The hard work is the heart work.
Please don’t put that on a pillow.
But if you do, I get a 60% cut
I can get more into these conversations. And I don’t want to get into them now, but I watched a lot of right-wing YouTubers that angry folks recommended, felt good about having what felt like mutually constructive conversations, and then got called a groomer a lot. Onward and upward!
What is my life right now?
Workin’
I replenish snacks and drinks at a day-trading company. I’m not a fan. First of all, my start time is 7 am which makes open mics difficult. Secondly, there’s the war profiteering. I’m working out a plan to do later/lesser hours and seeking added summer work. I will likely be overworking for a little bit, and I’m okay with that (see below: Travelin’.)
Clownin’
I got a scholarship to attend Mooseburger Clown Camp in July. This is part of an ongoing saga of understanding subcultures and the history of foolishness as a social good. This saga makes me sound smart, though I truly just want to be a silly person without a need to justify actions with logic. Still, expect some gonzo journalism.
Jokin’
So hey, last year I was accepted into the Plano Texas Comedy Festival. It quickly got postponed due to the delta hike and will come back in October of this year. More details on that will arise soon.
Travelin’
I have a deep desire to travel simply and for an extended period of time. It feels strange that I’m aspiring to “live in a van down by the river” for a little bit. Funds are needed, so I’ll be in super-savings mode for the next few months.