Indeed.

[the_future_modernes]

Same ableist shit, different day

Seriously, people. I know we on the blogging left like to get all high and mighty about how awesomely smart we are – what kind of idiot votes for National because they like John Key’s smile, right? Who seriously watches Fox News [unless it's for awesomely cool hipster lulz, y/y?]?

But it seems like we lose sight of the fact that the people who do vote in a way we don’t like, who do trust news sources we scoff at … are still people. People probably getting just as, if not more, fucked on by capitalism as the rest of us. People who don’t have the privilege of time and spoons for political awareness and sarcastic bloggery.

Those people are not insane. I mean, do I even have to say that? Apparently.

Because it’s not insane to be raised in a culture with ideals and memes about journalism and the news, and believe what the news tells you.

And it’s not mentally ill to accept that politicians who get elected to office, or people who write books which become bestsellers, or people with big fancy letters after their names, are people we are meant to listen to, or people who are assumed to have integrity, or people whose status indicates knowledge and entitlement to lead.

And maybe if it’s not insane to watch the news, to trust journalists, to listen to politicians, in general terms … it’s probably not insane to end up with a general sense of unease and distrust and xenophobia. It doesn’t take mental illness to become convinced that basic democratic principles are under threat wherever one may be, and it’s not subnormal to be swayed by rhetoric and propaganda techniques developed over fucking centuries and which societies have become pretty good at using to perpetuate their own values and avoid change.

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via: hoydenabouttown

Comments

[goodbyebird]

It doesn’t take mental illness to become convinced that basic democratic principles are under threat wherever one may be, and it’s not subnormal to be swayed by rhetoric and propaganda techniques...

Wow. Subnormal. Beneath normal/mental illness=same same. <-- what you add in at the end because you haven't possibly been a big enough asshole already.

[the_future_modernes]

I think I might be confused? Are you complaining about the use of the word in the essay or in leftist rhetoric?

[goodbyebird]

Just that the person not only uses people with mental illness as the go to for something beneath normal people, but then caps it off by straight forwardly lumping them together with 'subhuman'. Sorry for the bad wording. I just got angry.

[the_future_modernes]

If you are talking about the essayist, I believe she is responding to rhetoric that she has seen?

[the_future_modernes]

I interpreted the argument as saying that we must stop calling people insane or whatever else when they become mass shooters. But am I missing something?