Intro: I apologize for not blogging for quite a few months. As this entry is, it points to a memoir I am writing. Work has me busy and during this time I don't want everything shared here to be filtered through the lens of the book I am writing, although this is too important to skip and is filtered through the subject of my memoir. Even though it's painful to listen to Bill Maher's seeming ignorance about race and apparently, any oppressed people and the solutions they want. And I haven't been a fan of how some people want to make rules and create performative and strict codes of conduct for the behavior of others to address social injustice, where he and I may agree, I have always been interested in the views of those with whom I disagree vehemently. I don't dismiss them and don't prefer to live in an echo chamber which is why I brace and continue to watch Real Time each week. Fifteen to twenty years ago, I used to watch Fox News for the same reason. I think I finally understand what Bill has been promoting besides atheism. Some people got quite upset when I called out atheism for being arrogant a couple years ago. While I support their right to believe, or not believe in this case, I believe something represented by the Dunning-Kruger affect is what concerns me for all humans today.
And the arrogant side of it may get at the crux of why people keep warring. And I am sick of war in all its forms. It shows our lack of maturity as humans in my view.
I am pretty sure I sound naive to many, including my colleague who recently argued for the ratchetness of humanity in a conversation with me. I plan to revisit this conversation with her when I have a chance. I hope to foster environments where everyone can bring their best to our society and discourage those who seek to bring their worst to our global society. When I say "we can do better", that's what I mean.
Back to Bill Maher. He recently did an editorial about the Zionist/Palestinian conflict.
In this editorial he referenced Zionists as Jews, which I never do. All Jews aren't Zionists and all Zionists aren't Jews in my forty year experience with this subject. It seems that the extremes in most groups want to paint all with the same brush in speaking for others. Even though I haven't heard it as much on the left versus the right, I have noticed that white people and white identified pigmented people say "I think we can all agree..."quite a bit. Only someone with the delusion of monolithic agreement would say that phrase.
Those in touch with the true diversity of our world will understand that no one of us can speak for all of us. A certain dominance posture assumes agreement. Those of us who respect the diversity of humanity lean into collaboration versus implementing hair brained ideas impatiently without negotiation and buy in versus opting for force. Maybe it is what running on coffee has done to our solutioning. Maybe it is why we don't have the patience to honor the humanity in our business solutioning.
Bill seems to accept that people are evil and shit happens and what are ya gonna do about it. I am posting this because it is a legitimate, albeit cynical point of view. Some people seem to want us to just get on with life and stop standing against injustice. He seems to be promoting the idea that you win some and you lose some. My only issue with this is that those who want to live in peace without force keep being violated by those who want peace by war, and it seems to work out with the pigmented oppressed and the less pigmented and their lackies on the other.
Instead of letting love rule, we seemed to be encouraged to let power rule by any means necessary. What will we do? What do we really want?
I am sticking to using my power for Good.
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