Shut Up and Listen
whatever.scalzi.com
Shut Up and Listen
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Re: Shut Up and Listen
#2Even giving all benefit of the doubt, what's the solution then?
If you don't personally treat anyone differently based on attributes outside their control, what else are you obligated to do?
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#3Even giving all benefit of the doubt, what's the solution then? If you don't personally treat anyone differently based on attributes outside their control, what else are you obligated to do?
Looking for a 'solution' is the wrong angle to take. There is no easy answer to any question that involves privilege. You can't make a decision about how it can be fixed and just fix it. It's an ongoing process and a living conversation.
That's why he says that it's not just about shutting up when you're called out on your privilege, it's also about listening. Accept that there are things in the world, and positions people are in, that you can't just argue out of existence.
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#4That's a good old post by Scalzi, but the people who most need to pay attention to it are the ones least likely to pay attention to it.
EDIT: He also has a current post: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/03/21/two-simple-observation...
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#5Even giving all benefit of the doubt, what's the solution then? If you don't personally treat anyone differently based on attributes outside their control, what else are you obligated to do?
Looking for a 'solution' is the wrong angle to take. There is no easy answer to any question that involves privilege. You can't make a decision about how it can be fixed and just fix it. It's an ongoing process and a living conversation. That's why he says that it's not just about shutting up when you're called out on your privilege, it's also about listening. Accept that there are things in the world, and positions…
People are all privileged in different ways and in different circumstances. I think this idea is what tends to get swept under the rug when pointing to some overarching Privilege.
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#6Even giving all benefit of the doubt, what's the solution then? If you don't personally treat anyone differently based on attributes outside their control, what else are you obligated to do?
You are not obligated to do anything. If, however, you believe groups that use 100% of the available sapients will always outcompete groups that use 50% of them you will probably, of your own conscience, gravitate towards those groups that do not tacitly exclude those 50% and avoid those that do. When one side tacitly approves of rape threats and murder threats for people who speak out they make it pretty darn easy for me to choose.
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#7Yet another HN article on Social Engineering.
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#8Great, another guilt ridden diatribe against John Scalzi from John Scalzi. I've never read someone who is more obsessed about being a "privileged white male" than he is. I wish he would take his own advice or at least the first part of it. I'm not going bother arguing with him because really what's the point, this self-flagellation obviously gets him off and as usual it's all about him. Is "self-hating narcissist" a thing?
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#9Yet another HN article on Social Engineering.
I enjoy this weird HN approach of taking ordinary life, applying weirdass labels to everything, and then trying to somehow "optimize" all of the various little categories.
This is about treating other people like their grievances are legitimate, and accepting that your own perspective on the world is not the only one that exists. "Social Engineering"? really?
Re: Shut Up and Listen
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Looking for a 'solution' is the wrong angle to take. There is no easy answer to any question that involves privilege. You can't make a decision about how it can be fixed and just fix it. It's an ongoing process and a living conversation. That's why he says that it's not just about shutting up when you're called out on your privilege, it's also about listening. Accept that there are things in the world, and positions…
People are all privileged in different ways and in different circumstances. I think this idea is what tends to get swept under the rug when pointing to some overarching Privilege.
Sure, you can downvote me but any married man will tell you that it's always best to have the wife ask for something from someone else because women are perceived as being "nicer" and usually get such favors. When men ask, it's either intimidating to a woman or invokes a power trip with another man.