Jedi School and laughing at the sick

[alias_sqbr]

My brain is utterly befuddled today. But two links before I forget:

A jedi uni course has opened in the UK

An interesting post about the way talk shows prey on the mentally ill Nothing new, really, but I hadn't quite thought of it that way.

Reading Across the Porn divide and the links on the side from an ex-radical-feminist got me thinking about the way all groups turn into dogmatic orthodoxy, and the difficulty of being someone who is in that group but doesn't want to 100% fit the mould. (Which is me with every group I join ever) Something she doesn't mention is the glee with which some people from the "other side" will embrace you only to reel back in horror when they realise no, you still disagree with/are not one of them, just not in the same rigid way as everyone else in your group. But I guess she was trying to be nice and build bridges, not take potshots at both sides :)

Comments

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

... is that really the right "mould"? I was going to say it wasn't, but now I actually don't know, maybe I'm the one who's wrong ._.

[alias_sqbr]

According the ever-reliable wikipedia, both are correct (and both are correct for the fungus, too). But I think "mould" is the aussie spelling.

[violetsquirrel.livejournal.com]

Huh, interesting. To me mould is the fungus and mold is the thing you pour into.

[alias_sqbr]

Well, you're WRONG.

Hmm, maybe one of them has switched to the american spelling and other not or something. Spelling is sometimes funny like that.

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

Isn't that three links? ;P

(They are all interesting though)

[alias_sqbr]

MATHS IS HARD

(I did say I was feeling befuddled :))

[vegetus.livejournal.com]

Across the Porn Divide was an interesting read. I think many groups have alot of diversity within them and so do occassionally loose sight of the bigger picture. It's the whole Judean Peoples Front and the Peoples Front of Judea (splitters!!) problem and I've seen it in the animal rights, animal welfare, vegetarian, vegan and environmental movements. I honestly believe petty infighting is what is holding left-wing groups back.

Her comments on language are quite good. Even though I am not a sex worker, if someone was to use the term "prostituted woman" I mentally put them in the "feminazi scum who don't have a fucking clue and need to get laid" basket because I do find that term patronising, disrespectful and damn right offensive.

[vegetus.livejournal.com]

And I hit post when I didn't mean too... but yeah, thank you for posting the link!

[alias_sqbr]

On the plus side, I think petty infighting holds right wing groups back too, sometimes :)

[debi-crow.livejournal.com]

"Something she doesn't mention is the glee with which some people from the "other side" will embrace you only to reel back in horror when they realise no, you still disagree with/are not one of them, just not in the same rigid way as everyone else in your group."

I haven't mentioned that because I haven't experienced it (not yet, anyway!) - if I had I would almost certainly have said so. The people from the "other side" know I still believe many of the things I used to believe, and they are fine with that. The only thing I've completely changed my mind on is trans issues, and not minute too soon!

[alias_sqbr]

Oh, yes, sorry, I went off a total tangent to your actual point pretty quickly there :) If you haven't experienced that in this particular context well good for you: neither have I, actually, I'm just bitter after bad group experiences which have absolutely nothing to do with feminism. But yes, it wouldn't have been appropriate for your post, I wasn't thinking very clearly when I wrote this. (I think my lj login should include an iq test or something to prevent me posting when I'm brain-fogged)

Also, totally random, but I had a look at some of your other lj posts and found your one about "uterus art" really interesting. Even as an uncomplicatedly cisgendered woman I think the common emphasis on biological femininity can be problematic, though I do see the benefit of celebrating that which has traditionally been treated with disdain/disgust.