“Micro-aggressions” is manipulative terminology designed to rationalize censorship and self-censorship. The goal is not to protect the Oppressed, but to shelter the Woke from having to confront reality or differing opinions.
Only people with malevolent intentions would invent such a concept.
Only naive and cowardly people would believe in (or pretend to believe in) such a concept.
#4 (I have flat out told people they are wrong) is interesting.
If someone had said at the training they don't view that to be a microagression and the facilitator responded it is, then the facilitator has committed a microaggression according to their own definition of the term.
1. On names. Whatever happened to, "You can call me anything, just don't call me late for dinner"?
My Danish grandfather could never hit the vowel in my simple name: Pam. It sounded like Puh'm'. Grampa, the old white male, clearly micro-aggressed me, the vulnerable female child. My youngest son, then a wee lad, pronounced our Danish friend's name, Jorgen, as Urine (after many tries to get it right). Much to the peeing-herself-laughing delight of Jorgen's (Inuit) wife. Clearly my youngest was rehearsing his role as a white male oppressor. Small wonder Danes have among the most stringent naming laws in the world. It's just that those names don't travel well.
Some people pick up languages easier than others. Sometimes it's particular sounds that are hardest to imitate. I coached an Italian friend to make a [th] sound he couldn't hear. We stuck our tongues out at each other and blew spit-laden [th]razzberries so he could get the feel of it, and hopefully not need to exaggerate the sound production so much while providing services to tourists. Although, that would be funny.
Why would an Italian learn English? Some would call Italian superior to English, at least in its musicality. The language of romance. Well, English is useful around much of the globe. Italian is useful in Italy. And on a date anywhere in the world when you can impress your partner by ordering from an Italian menu using those delicious alveolar trills.
Anyway. On point with my opening line (don't call me late for dinner). English speakers muck up each others' names all the time. How many Deirdres are heard to say, "It's DEER-drey, not DEE-drey!" Or Care-ee not CAR-ee. I believe there is a skit in The Incredibles that plays out this latter mispronunciation. Leigh is another common misspeak. I heard one white native English speaking woman correct a receptionist to say Lee rather than Lee-ah. "You don't know how many people get my name wrong," she blustered, red-faced, "my whole life!" As for me, I get "Pat" instead of "Pam" quite frequently. That's okay. I don't particularly like my name. Unless it's spoken in Italian when it becomes "Pah-MEL-lah." Music. (Don't get me started on English last names and Junior high school, like Cox, Crack, and Dingle.)
2. I've come to refer to Micro-aggressions as The Death of Small Talk. For socially awkward people like me, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I didn't inherit the Scandinavian stand-offishness, I'm just shy and bumbley. But it's my bumbliness meeting another's in a laugh-filled awkward greeting that's led to some cherished friendships. One where we share our hurts in the COURSE of those friendships. Yes, yes. In Charles Fritz's community of sufferers, some people forge friendships over shared trauma. But I don't think a survivor group for "I like your hair" is what he had in mind. As for purported historical trauma related to that phrase, I know a white woman whose back is scarred in ropey welts from her daddy's belt. She's in a better position to say what a slave felt like when his skin met leather than is his university educated great-great grand daughter. She, my friend, was also always one of the first to compliment others. I've lost touch with her, but think of her often. I hope she hasn't micro-aggressed too many people along the way.
Anyway. I leave off with some of my Mother's wisdom: 1)You won't like everyone, and not everyone will like you. 2) Life isn't fair.
Mom, that wisdom isn't a perfect fit. E.g. the battered wife. But, thanks for attempting to instil a sense of proportion useful for navigating life as a social animal. May that wisdom prevail.
This is the landscape created by narcissists. They want you to walk on eggshells. It gives them power over you. Their "offenses" give them power over you. They cognitively distort to put you down. I worked with one on a project and it was living hell. During the George Floyd debacle, I did further research and discovered that MRT (the knee on the shoulder) was a sanctioned restraint for perpetrators high on drugs who could go into excited delirium. The narcissist responded: Oh, you think murder is OK....
I attended a DEI "anti-racist" workshop recently, which I intend to write about on (DOG L's "Offensive" Stories). The unmitigated pettiness peddled as enlightenment was nauseating. Any healthy response shared on the foibles of human nature were written off by the idiot facilitator as "racism." She/"They" was a one-trick, low IQ pony. That she had to straighten her hair? "White supremacy." Racism was responsible for everything -- without any evidence or context -- what I gathered was that this first-generation American was simply resentful that mainstream American culture and values don't revolve around her culture and values. "Consider yourself part of the white group that is detrimental to society," she told us.
That's narcissism. YOU are flawed. They have to rein you in and control you. It's sick and for my part, absolutely creates fear rather than comfort with one another, which ought to be obvious to everyone. What's worse is that spewing this mean-spirited philosophy earns this poor "oppressed" victim of "racism" a 6-figure salary.
....“in a time of talent shortage, workplaces are diversifying more quickly than ever, and those who cannot adapt to a more cooperative, inclusive mindset could be left behind.”
Translated into English: nice career you've got there, it'd be a shame if something happened to it.
If you refuse to be a loyal and obedient member of the Party and properly recite all our slogans, I heard McDonald's is hiring.
1. Offense, like art, is in the ear (eye) of the beholder. If you are offended then you are the one who decided to be offended. You have the power to not be offended.
2. CRT, DEI, etc. are and never have been about authentic care and consideration of another. These are facades, garments worn by those who need to compensate for and/or hide their insecurities and/or sense of inadequacy.
The Left behaviors and beliefs (and proselytations) are promoted as care and concern for others. This is their appeal and why so many adopt them. The actuality is that Leftism is egocentrism. Everything they do is to support and promote themselves. This is distinguished from narcissism. Pick any topic, e.g., obesity. Who actually cares more about the person? Person 1: Telling someone he is fat or overweight is hate speech. We all need to accept you as you are. Person 2: You are overweight and that condition is harmful to your health.
Note: Leftism is not Liberalism. The latter champions the individual. That former champions the self.
“Micro-aggressions” is manipulative terminology designed to rationalize censorship and self-censorship. The goal is not to protect the Oppressed, but to shelter the Woke from having to confront reality or differing opinions.
Only people with malevolent intentions would invent such a concept.
Only naive and cowardly people would believe in (or pretend to believe in) such a concept.
For more on the joys of DEI:
https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/whats-wrong-with-diversity-equity
#4 (I have flat out told people they are wrong) is interesting.
If someone had said at the training they don't view that to be a microagression and the facilitator responded it is, then the facilitator has committed a microaggression according to their own definition of the term.
1. On names. Whatever happened to, "You can call me anything, just don't call me late for dinner"?
My Danish grandfather could never hit the vowel in my simple name: Pam. It sounded like Puh'm'. Grampa, the old white male, clearly micro-aggressed me, the vulnerable female child. My youngest son, then a wee lad, pronounced our Danish friend's name, Jorgen, as Urine (after many tries to get it right). Much to the peeing-herself-laughing delight of Jorgen's (Inuit) wife. Clearly my youngest was rehearsing his role as a white male oppressor. Small wonder Danes have among the most stringent naming laws in the world. It's just that those names don't travel well.
Some people pick up languages easier than others. Sometimes it's particular sounds that are hardest to imitate. I coached an Italian friend to make a [th] sound he couldn't hear. We stuck our tongues out at each other and blew spit-laden [th]razzberries so he could get the feel of it, and hopefully not need to exaggerate the sound production so much while providing services to tourists. Although, that would be funny.
Why would an Italian learn English? Some would call Italian superior to English, at least in its musicality. The language of romance. Well, English is useful around much of the globe. Italian is useful in Italy. And on a date anywhere in the world when you can impress your partner by ordering from an Italian menu using those delicious alveolar trills.
Anyway. On point with my opening line (don't call me late for dinner). English speakers muck up each others' names all the time. How many Deirdres are heard to say, "It's DEER-drey, not DEE-drey!" Or Care-ee not CAR-ee. I believe there is a skit in The Incredibles that plays out this latter mispronunciation. Leigh is another common misspeak. I heard one white native English speaking woman correct a receptionist to say Lee rather than Lee-ah. "You don't know how many people get my name wrong," she blustered, red-faced, "my whole life!" As for me, I get "Pat" instead of "Pam" quite frequently. That's okay. I don't particularly like my name. Unless it's spoken in Italian when it becomes "Pah-MEL-lah." Music. (Don't get me started on English last names and Junior high school, like Cox, Crack, and Dingle.)
2. I've come to refer to Micro-aggressions as The Death of Small Talk. For socially awkward people like me, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I didn't inherit the Scandinavian stand-offishness, I'm just shy and bumbley. But it's my bumbliness meeting another's in a laugh-filled awkward greeting that's led to some cherished friendships. One where we share our hurts in the COURSE of those friendships. Yes, yes. In Charles Fritz's community of sufferers, some people forge friendships over shared trauma. But I don't think a survivor group for "I like your hair" is what he had in mind. As for purported historical trauma related to that phrase, I know a white woman whose back is scarred in ropey welts from her daddy's belt. She's in a better position to say what a slave felt like when his skin met leather than is his university educated great-great grand daughter. She, my friend, was also always one of the first to compliment others. I've lost touch with her, but think of her often. I hope she hasn't micro-aggressed too many people along the way.
Anyway. I leave off with some of my Mother's wisdom: 1)You won't like everyone, and not everyone will like you. 2) Life isn't fair.
Mom, that wisdom isn't a perfect fit. E.g. the battered wife. But, thanks for attempting to instil a sense of proportion useful for navigating life as a social animal. May that wisdom prevail.
This is the landscape created by narcissists. They want you to walk on eggshells. It gives them power over you. Their "offenses" give them power over you. They cognitively distort to put you down. I worked with one on a project and it was living hell. During the George Floyd debacle, I did further research and discovered that MRT (the knee on the shoulder) was a sanctioned restraint for perpetrators high on drugs who could go into excited delirium. The narcissist responded: Oh, you think murder is OK....
I attended a DEI "anti-racist" workshop recently, which I intend to write about on (DOG L's "Offensive" Stories). The unmitigated pettiness peddled as enlightenment was nauseating. Any healthy response shared on the foibles of human nature were written off by the idiot facilitator as "racism." She/"They" was a one-trick, low IQ pony. That she had to straighten her hair? "White supremacy." Racism was responsible for everything -- without any evidence or context -- what I gathered was that this first-generation American was simply resentful that mainstream American culture and values don't revolve around her culture and values. "Consider yourself part of the white group that is detrimental to society," she told us.
That's narcissism. YOU are flawed. They have to rein you in and control you. It's sick and for my part, absolutely creates fear rather than comfort with one another, which ought to be obvious to everyone. What's worse is that spewing this mean-spirited philosophy earns this poor "oppressed" victim of "racism" a 6-figure salary.
....“in a time of talent shortage, workplaces are diversifying more quickly than ever, and those who cannot adapt to a more cooperative, inclusive mindset could be left behind.”
Translated into English: nice career you've got there, it'd be a shame if something happened to it.
If you refuse to be a loyal and obedient member of the Party and properly recite all our slogans, I heard McDonald's is hiring.
1. Offense, like art, is in the ear (eye) of the beholder. If you are offended then you are the one who decided to be offended. You have the power to not be offended.
2. CRT, DEI, etc. are and never have been about authentic care and consideration of another. These are facades, garments worn by those who need to compensate for and/or hide their insecurities and/or sense of inadequacy.
The Left behaviors and beliefs (and proselytations) are promoted as care and concern for others. This is their appeal and why so many adopt them. The actuality is that Leftism is egocentrism. Everything they do is to support and promote themselves. This is distinguished from narcissism. Pick any topic, e.g., obesity. Who actually cares more about the person? Person 1: Telling someone he is fat or overweight is hate speech. We all need to accept you as you are. Person 2: You are overweight and that condition is harmful to your health.
Note: Leftism is not Liberalism. The latter champions the individual. That former champions the self.
Thanks for this rare reasonable and thoughtful analysis.
You don’t have to participate in the fantasies of others