“I was headed right for the tree, but I didn’t slam on my brakes because they make a squeaking sound. I’m paralyzed now, but at least I didn’t have to listen to that damn squeak! See how much better a person I am than you because of my resolve?“
Me: “I slammed the brakes. I was on the way to a peaceful Tesla protest.”
Them: “How dare you press the brakes when cars are destroying the environment, you genocide apologist! You’re wasting your time, if you do not burn down a Tesla dealership you are morally repugnant you fascist supporter.”
It’s the “violent” nature of the protest and name calling that have turned me off from them. Not necessarily the content of their words. But also, like yes I believe in recycling even though we have bigger problems.
I feel like a lot of people are doubling down now because the Democrats on the one hand show utter incompetence and unwillingness to fight Fascism in the US and on the other hand keep up their support for Fascism and genocide by Israel.
Everyone understands in their subconcious but many deny in their conciousness that things will not get better without a struggle. So going down the “i did harm reduction, you were all wrong, lalalala” route makes them feel like they did something and helps to not come to terms that they have been strung along by the Democrats for all those years.
In a pluralistic society, individuals are rarely responsible for any measure of “change“. While we may venerate- and even idolize - such memorable figures in our history, and rightly so, the vast majority of change is both slow and takes place because of the concerted effort of a large amount of people who don’t really take any credit for it.
So, while your statement is, technically, correct, it doesn’t account for how such things typically come to pass. In other words, what you said makes sense logically, but practically, that logic plays a very small role in the reality of the situation because most people act illogically.
“Sure, I could have voted against murdering everyone in the bus, but I’m only one person, so what’s the point?” isn’t exactly the position I would expect. Or, for that matter, respect.
The analogy is of stopping a vehicle by hitting the brakes.
You object that one individual has all the control in the situation.
I point out that if it the brakes were only hit by a vote of everyone in the vehicle, it wouldn’t be less vile to abstain from voting than it would be to abstain from hitting the fucking brakes.
No, because the squeaking sound would still happen in the case of the crash if it was.
You didn’t avert Palestinian genocide by murdering other minorities. You literally opted to make it worse. Congratulations. The hundreds of thousands of additional dead and displaced Palestinians thank you for your concern.
“I was headed right for the tree, but I didn’t slam on my brakes because they make a squeaking sound. I’m paralyzed now, but at least I didn’t have to listen to that damn squeak! See how much better a person I am than you because of my resolve?“
These people…
Me: “I slammed the brakes. I was on the way to a peaceful Tesla protest.”
Them: “How dare you press the brakes when cars are destroying the environment, you genocide apologist! You’re wasting your time, if you do not burn down a Tesla dealership you are morally repugnant you fascist supporter.”
It’s the “violent” nature of the protest and name calling that have turned me off from them. Not necessarily the content of their words. But also, like yes I believe in recycling even though we have bigger problems.
“we deserve non-squeaky brakes, and I won’t use the squeaky ones!”
I feel like a lot of people are doubling down now because the Democrats on the one hand show utter incompetence and unwillingness to fight Fascism in the US and on the other hand keep up their support for Fascism and genocide by Israel.
Everyone understands in their subconcious but many deny in their conciousness that things will not get better without a struggle. So going down the “i did harm reduction, you were all wrong, lalalala” route makes them feel like they did something and helps to not come to terms that they have been strung along by the Democrats for all those years.
Talk about careful wording lol. Very well done.
Better light myself on fire! That’ll show those Dems!
Yes, the cognitive dissonance is astounding. As are the consequences.
The analogy does not hold up when change can be affected by the individual.
In a pluralistic society, individuals are rarely responsible for any measure of “change“. While we may venerate- and even idolize - such memorable figures in our history, and rightly so, the vast majority of change is both slow and takes place because of the concerted effort of a large amount of people who don’t really take any credit for it.
So, while your statement is, technically, correct, it doesn’t account for how such things typically come to pass. In other words, what you said makes sense logically, but practically, that logic plays a very small role in the reality of the situation because most people act illogically.
“Sure, I could have voted against murdering everyone in the bus, but I’m only one person, so what’s the point?” isn’t exactly the position I would expect. Or, for that matter, respect.
Was this responding to my comment because I don’t see any logical connection?
The analogy is of stopping a vehicle by hitting the brakes.
You object that one individual has all the control in the situation.
I point out that if it the brakes were only hit by a vote of everyone in the vehicle, it wouldn’t be less vile to abstain from voting than it would be to abstain from hitting the fucking brakes.
I object that you oversimplify to gross misrepresentation.
Hardly surprising
Is the squeaking sound in your analogy the genocide of Palestinians?
No, because the squeaking sound would still happen in the case of the crash if it was.
You didn’t avert Palestinian genocide by murdering other minorities. You literally opted to make it worse. Congratulations. The hundreds of thousands of additional dead and displaced Palestinians thank you for your concern.
[nearly-supernatural level of eyeroll]