I don't do snarky anywhere and I rarely do anything in any social media apps because of all of the people you just described. What does motivate me is what I learned about my past 23 years ago that made me take a hard look at where I have been in my past that made the way I was at the time and I didn't like it. The hard part was deciding that I didn't want to fit in anymore. To the Army, to my country and to the people I had thought were my friends. It turned out that they weren't my friends. We were only friends as long as there was a mutual benefit from it. In other words, a sort of profit derived from that comradeship.
The hard part was learning how to undo all of that mental conditioning and chart a better path for myself. The struggle was massive and I still fight it a little after all of these years. That instinct to want to fit into a tribe somehow. It's almost like fighting an addiction in some ways.
Now I work hard to try and make reparations for those I hurt when I was part of that tribe and followed orders to go to places around the world to do very bad things to people in the name of American imperialism. I will carry that guilt with me the rest of my days but now I can protest and use my voice to say this is wrong, whenever I can, as part of my reparations to those I did bad things to without understanding why at the time. I will protest as I can for as long as I can until someone tells me I can't anymore but, knowing me, I doubt that will stop me. When I set my mind to something, I usually find a way around to doing what's right, even if the authorities tell me no. I had a little trouble with that as a soldier, which made me a little unpopular with my seniors, but for those I was responsible for, they knew I had their backs.
Now, even though I am not commanding any troops anymore, I still fight for what's right in this world, even if someone doesn't like it.
Which is one of the reasons I like reading your articles. You are not afraid to tell people the truth and offer some hope and good advice. I like to think I am a truthteller as well. Even if it hurts.
This is the best thing I've read in I don't know how long. The degeneration of interaction on social media is evident. The time it takes to get to name calling seems to average just a couple replies. It's notoriously worse on Twitter, sometimes the name calling starts in the OP. And it feels like everyone is doing it. So many seem so willing to write off this group or that one.
I mean, I understand the urge. I'm far from perfect but I can see where this might go and I want no part of it. So I try to sit with it or journal it out or go for a walk or scream into the void or whatever. I just try to see it, catch it, slow it down.
Dehumanizing behavior is always dangerous. While some is obviously worse than others, things that pull us towards righteous indignation and tribalism are taking us further down a dark path.
"I'm glad I'm paying for this" was my first internal response while reading. Also kinda validating because I've always felt weird for constantly thinking "okay, but what is the plan?" while scrolling across hundreds of "The Leopards Ate Their Face" posts. I mind being stripped of my basic rights a lot more than looking stupid...I appreciate the education on just how deep "social identity concerns" go - clears a lot of things up that I've been confused by my whole life in one post. <3
I was 16H, 11B, Air Mobile, Pathfinder, the whole @#$% thing. I resent this system more than words can say. My generation was turned into murderous mercenaries for oil and exotic metals. Wrong clan?!? We murdered for them. The anger & betrayal are off the leash for me! I was a dumb kid. Everyone told me I was heroic, or at least utilitarian, for doing what we did. Personal Guilt? Nope. Universal human Shame? Yep.
I felt like adding something when it got liked: Despite having front-line kinda jobs, I only did bloody investigations & shady guard duty for the Death Star. I saw an A-10 Warthog light up a valley from afar. Heard awful things on radio & report. That's it! I"m still beyond enraged. Now imagine how actual participants in combat feel..
It's really hard, and I think there's definitely a place for sharp, even sarcastic commentary at times. These days, the stupid often comes to us and we don't have to look very hard for it, but yeah I'm trying to exercise a little more restraint because there's just too much noise and nonsense that triggers my temper, and I can't respond to it all.
I don't do snarky anywhere and I rarely do anything in any social media apps because of all of the people you just described. What does motivate me is what I learned about my past 23 years ago that made me take a hard look at where I have been in my past that made the way I was at the time and I didn't like it. The hard part was deciding that I didn't want to fit in anymore. To the Army, to my country and to the people I had thought were my friends. It turned out that they weren't my friends. We were only friends as long as there was a mutual benefit from it. In other words, a sort of profit derived from that comradeship.
The hard part was learning how to undo all of that mental conditioning and chart a better path for myself. The struggle was massive and I still fight it a little after all of these years. That instinct to want to fit into a tribe somehow. It's almost like fighting an addiction in some ways.
Now I work hard to try and make reparations for those I hurt when I was part of that tribe and followed orders to go to places around the world to do very bad things to people in the name of American imperialism. I will carry that guilt with me the rest of my days but now I can protest and use my voice to say this is wrong, whenever I can, as part of my reparations to those I did bad things to without understanding why at the time. I will protest as I can for as long as I can until someone tells me I can't anymore but, knowing me, I doubt that will stop me. When I set my mind to something, I usually find a way around to doing what's right, even if the authorities tell me no. I had a little trouble with that as a soldier, which made me a little unpopular with my seniors, but for those I was responsible for, they knew I had their backs.
Now, even though I am not commanding any troops anymore, I still fight for what's right in this world, even if someone doesn't like it.
Which is one of the reasons I like reading your articles. You are not afraid to tell people the truth and offer some hope and good advice. I like to think I am a truthteller as well. Even if it hurts.
This is the best thing I've read in I don't know how long. The degeneration of interaction on social media is evident. The time it takes to get to name calling seems to average just a couple replies. It's notoriously worse on Twitter, sometimes the name calling starts in the OP. And it feels like everyone is doing it. So many seem so willing to write off this group or that one.
I mean, I understand the urge. I'm far from perfect but I can see where this might go and I want no part of it. So I try to sit with it or journal it out or go for a walk or scream into the void or whatever. I just try to see it, catch it, slow it down.
Dehumanizing behavior is always dangerous. While some is obviously worse than others, things that pull us towards righteous indignation and tribalism are taking us further down a dark path.
"I'm glad I'm paying for this" was my first internal response while reading. Also kinda validating because I've always felt weird for constantly thinking "okay, but what is the plan?" while scrolling across hundreds of "The Leopards Ate Their Face" posts. I mind being stripped of my basic rights a lot more than looking stupid...I appreciate the education on just how deep "social identity concerns" go - clears a lot of things up that I've been confused by my whole life in one post. <3
I was 16H, 11B, Air Mobile, Pathfinder, the whole @#$% thing. I resent this system more than words can say. My generation was turned into murderous mercenaries for oil and exotic metals. Wrong clan?!? We murdered for them. The anger & betrayal are off the leash for me! I was a dumb kid. Everyone told me I was heroic, or at least utilitarian, for doing what we did. Personal Guilt? Nope. Universal human Shame? Yep.
I felt like adding something when it got liked: Despite having front-line kinda jobs, I only did bloody investigations & shady guard duty for the Death Star. I saw an A-10 Warthog light up a valley from afar. Heard awful things on radio & report. That's it! I"m still beyond enraged. Now imagine how actual participants in combat feel..
" A deeply angry society is a deeply guilty one".
" So what are you angry about"
Society " Whatda' Got" ?
- Sorry, James Dean/Jim Stark
It's really hard, and I think there's definitely a place for sharp, even sarcastic commentary at times. These days, the stupid often comes to us and we don't have to look very hard for it, but yeah I'm trying to exercise a little more restraint because there's just too much noise and nonsense that triggers my temper, and I can't respond to it all.