There are insights I’ve learned through my life as a Buddhist and neurodivergent person I’d like to share on platforms, and occasionally, some contemporary topics I’d like to weigh in on for the same reason. I’ve also been encouraged by different people in the space based on what I’ve shared.
Politically I’m a Centrist, with most of my opinions being politically correct; Anti-Trump, Pro-choice and pro women’s issues in general, No problems with how people live their lives sexually or otherwise in terms of LGBTQ. I’ll vote left cause there’s no alternative, but dream of a non-two party system.
But I honestly don’t feel like sticking my neck out in the current culture. It doesn’t feel to me as if the “bad people are being cancelled”, while that does happen, it feels more to me that we’re “waiting for someone to trip up”.
And once you’re out, you’re out. There seems to be no space for people making mistakes, learning, and growing. It’s like we’re all meant to be perfect and there’s no learning curve whatsoever.
And occasionally I like to question topics or nuance views, and that just gets hit with these extremely tribalistic opinions where I’m either “with us or the fascists”, which just doesn’t reflect where I’m coming from at all.
As an example, sometimes as a neurodivergent you really can get far by developing strategies around your weaknesses, but I see people getting torched for “victim blaming” and all kinds of really strong reactions, based on them just trying to help, not at all trying to minimalize anyone’s experience as far as I can see.
So honestly I’m just staying out. Everything I’ve learned in my life has been through trial and error, being wrong and then getting wiser, and I just don’t feel safe in this culture. I feel like everyone’s waiting for you to trip up, and if I was to make a mistake, or have a bad opinion, there’s no chance to grow, it’s just instant banishment and goodbye.
Anyone else feel like this?
Edit: Upon reflection, it feels like we live in a “Suspicion Culture”.
Being a “centrist” isn’t a principled political position, it’s triangulation. As fascism continues to gain purchase and move the Overton window rightward within the imperial core, the “center” lurches rightward along with it.
Centrism is a right-wing position. There is a bright line between the left and the right: who should own the means of production, the working class or the capitalist class?
This feels exactly like the kind of “You’re either with us or the fascists” rhetoric I talked about.
Because they’re right. And now we all know which side you choose.
There aren’t any sides man, there are just humans like you
That’s because there isn’t a secret third option between fascism and antifascism. You actually do have to pick a side, and the history of the last century shows which side “centrists” virtually always pick.
I don’t know what to say to this, it’s like talking to a religious fanatic.
Like a religious inquisitor or something. Like you can’t see the human anymore.
Don’t want to take sides? Crying about cancel culture?
Is that you Ed Sheeran?
If I may.
My country has a multi-party parliament and after the local flavour of fascists found its way into it, the parties that defined themselves as center, either center-left or center-right and center-center, diverged sharply into authoritarian (even if more or less subdued or veiled) rethoric and strong-arm policy, resorting to the fascist party for support for implementing policies, being those parties currently in office.
The “left” is still what it always was: pro humanitarian, sensible to the plights of the workers, immigrants, women, LGBTQ+, etc, but gets thrown the usual mixed bag of insults and dismissals to keep the public entertained and enraged against those parties and maintain the status quo.
I understand you position but it is an unsustainable one. You have to define your stance on issues and fully reject labelling. As you carry your position it is a handful of nothing. And I do understand and respect your remark on seeing such matter reduced to tribalisms because they are but defining oneself as being right, center or left is equivalent to subscribing to a political horoscope: it’s reductionist, generalist and simply stupid.
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i like to ask people if they are pro fascist or antifascist. you cant be both.
i think we see where you are if you refuse to admit it. not making choices means choices are made on your behalf. your inaction is your decision.
I don’t think that’s a very healthy society: “Profess your innocence!”
But of course I’m anti-fascist. My utopia is a world-government wherein feeding and housing everyone is the top priority, so I’m probably further left than most people if we consider that to require a form of socialism or communism.
Then what views to you have that you would call centrist?
I’m not an ideologue, I don’t vote based on tribalism, but on practical solutions to problems.
I’m not fixated on progressiveness for the sake of progressiveness, nor on conservatism for the sake of conservatism.
I want progress when something isn’t working, and I want conservatism when things are working as they should be working.
You can’t even provide a single example.
How would you know? Did you ask for one, or did you go straight to assumptions?
Right now, are you proving that we’re not living in a Suspicion Culture?
You made a claim and then have nothing to back it up.
Did I ask for one?
Yes, literally in the post you responded to where you gave empty platitudes. I didn’t go straight to assumptions. I asked a question and you skirted around it like in every other response in here.
Suspicion culture is something you just made up. You make a claim, I asked for details around it, and you deflected. Yea, people are going to be suspicious when someone comes off as trolling and won’t support their claims with specifics.
Hey, just circled back around to check on you. Don’t get pulled into a debate with these people. They don’t care if you’re neurodiverse, they’re on something. Go, and be free