pathways into sts

regrets

i was supposed to be deep into helldivers, but the wireless card driver (i guess?) running on my bootcamp partition was acting up last night. in the middle of what was supposed to be fun time, i check twitter—like you do while windows decides to install ‘updates’ for 10 minutes instead of restarting like you asked.

the feminism brand

when someone criticizes my explications, my opinions, in a private space

I am able to process that feedback in a private way. I can meditate, mediate, talk-back, accept, reject, and ultimately move on. the criticism ultimately fades or becomes part of my newfound way of thinking;

when someone criticizes me in public

there is nothing private about the processing of that feedback. everything about that process becomes entertainment for someone I don’t know. I become a circus performance.

I’ve been following the “feminist infighting” (brief guide). the language about “toxic” culture is horse shit, unless you’re more concerned about your brand than the way your message is received by others.  branding is negatively affected by critical engagement with your ideas and messages. branding is affected long term when you offend another person inadvertently. people are able to grow from criticisms, form new relationships with each other, apologize, and learn—but brands are destroyed and must be rebuilt over time. 

on Twitter everyone has a branded identity, but not everyone is invested in their brand. those who are—those who benefit financially—are naturally going to perceive criticism as inherently toxic.

bullying is a form of harassment.

criticism can certainly feel like harassment, but if you identify

“hey, what you just said was hurtful”

as harassment….

you’re going to have a bad time on the internet.