Do their human personas have to pick up their poop or are they free to be totally in furry form in these parks?
(Also @zont I'd like to hear your opinion on this post)
Just for this curious- this is an article from 2016, it didn’t happen, and Hobbus is a satirical journalist who boasts 3 Nobel peace prove nominations and other grandiose awards as a riff on Steven Glass- a reporter for The New Republic who was exposed for flagrant and habitual fabrication. Hobbus’ other articles include gems like: Alex Jones kidnapped from pizza parlor by reptilians- or Barack Obama bans pledge of allegiance in schools.
Now here’s the real fun one: Sean Hannity and Donald Trump both were quoted on record to the public saying that 250,000 Syrian refugees were set to be relocated to the US. It was big news. Who wrote it? R Hobbus- in a satire piece.
Here’s the terrifying irony. Hobbus started doing satire because of “fake news” and click bait. He noticed that people read only headlines, often shared false stories on platforms like Facebook because they’d read only the headline. Got outraged and formed opinions off of... just headlines. They seldom read on and even less seldom bothered to do any real fact checking or verification of what they were seeing- even when it was patently outrageous.
And then you have world leaders and supposed journalists quoting his work- his work made up to be outrageous and point out how people don’t bother to think before acting. It’s bad enough you or I might be fooled beyond a moment by this- but the people who are supposed to supply verified information to us, who make and inform huge decisions on a national stage- are just as guilty. Or some at least.
You probably won’t read this either. Perhaps someone will come along and make some snarky comment about the length of my posts. My only apology to these folks is that I am sorry I think you are better than you are. I’m sorry I believe that you can be better, that I have faith that perhaps people can break these widely known and spoken of biases and failings by engaging and thinking. I’m sorry you need any information you receive in a soundbite or copy print format, and that asking critical thought and active participation beyond being told what to think is too much.
I read it, good work. Maybe you should go to reddit, where you will be appreciated. I don't spend as much time here anymore because time here can be time wasted. It hurts to see the transphobic posts that are always posted.
Yeah, the transphobic stuff that gets dragged in from some of the other sites really makes me question whether I should be here or not, especially when some users agree with it.
There’s been some really strong transphobic or otherwise ignorant currents lately- and in general I’ve felt that even users who used to be pretty tolerant or at least balanced and respectful have been shifting towards more fundamentalist or intolerant views. I’ve asked myself the same question because frankly- it’s not “fun” to see people be torn down or to see determined ignorance, it isn’t “fun” seeing propaganda passed off as humor, or to see jokes that support a social current of social, and possibly material or physical harm to people.
Folks may say “it’s just a joke...” but... when you go to the comments and see people agreeing with the supposed joke- that blows that at of the water. I’m not saying racial jokester holocaust jokes etc. are ok or not. But I’m saying that if someone makes a holocaust joke and 3 people in the room chime in “yeah. That’s right!” It’s not “just a joke.” So when you post a “joke” about gender, race, etc. and the comments are in line to the joke but serious in tone- it’s not “just a joke” to those people is it?
But what keeps me coming back asides some hope that might change is that ignorance thrives in vacuum. Without counter balance, without any challenge or differing view you get an echo chamber of ignorance or intolerance and that echo magnifies.
Fear is a major cause of these things- fear of change or the unknown. Next up is that many people who are ignorant or intolerant just don’t have regular exposure. They aren’t close to anyone or even know anyone in whatever group. They’ve never really seen or experienced first hand what struggles there are for those groups. Without a face, without seeing the tears and fears of various people- seeing the similarities and the good in people- without a real and personal connection to a group where they can say: “so and so is my friend and I understand and want them to be happy...” they just see a faceless stranger and whatever perceptions media and others have given them or their biases in life have cooked up.
The greatest cure is seeing and getting to know different types of people. Having those perceptions challenged and seeing there’s a face and a real person behind that label. In the end it’s at the mercy of the empathy and compassion of the receiver of the message. If they can understand they are hurting others and are able to relate that they don’t enjoy being hurt. Teens tend to be worse at empathy than older folks- much to do with mental and physical development and other factors. It’s why that age group has always been the prime target for radicalization and hate groups.
Throughout history this has tended to be the prime demographic because of a lack of empathy and life experience, a pliability, a general feeling of social alienation and desire to find a personal and group identity. With that age group the primary audience for memes, in the modern age memes have become a strong tool for those looking to introduce ideas to the demographic- especially ideas which in more traditional forms are recognized easily or rejected due to known associations with hate.
It’s innocuous to sneak thoughts in as “jokes” and memes- usually stripped of any or most source and context. Very few people are going to listen to a skinhead unless they were already inclined- but the anonymity of memes allows that person to gain an audience and deliver s message. Even if we know something isn’t true; it’s patently false, if we see it enough the overall tone sticks with us and influences us.
That's exactly it. Choosing to be apolitical is like choosing to stand idle and watch as someone gets jumped.
It's a joke, it's a joke, it's a joke- until it's not. Now there's plausible deniability when posting propaganda. "It was just a joke, I don't actually want to kill trans people" Jokes that punch down do damage. It's not gallows humor if the audience of the execution are the ones cracking jokes.
Every time I log on here I feel like I have to debunk some false headline posted, or provide valuable context. People say I'm being too serious, but I can't just watch the spread of false information that often has malicious intent.
I respect and appreciate your vigilance, and very well phrased reply. Cracking a joke about Sylvester Stallone might hurt his feelings which is bad- but he’s still got his millions of fans, dollars, huge career, and everything else. He’s not in real danger of losing his job, being beat up, going broke, or spiraling into depression because some comics or late night hosts take some jabs at him or at actors. But... the same can’t be said of many folks we like to make fun of, and who can’t just run out and get instant validation or even acceptance from society. Largely isolated, marginalized folks who have to defend just existing. It wears at people.
(Also @zont I'd like to hear your opinion on this post)
It's a joke, it's a joke, it's a joke- until it's not. Now there's plausible deniability when posting propaganda. "It was just a joke, I don't actually want to kill trans people" Jokes that punch down do damage. It's not gallows humor if the audience of the execution are the ones cracking jokes.
Every time I log on here I feel like I have to debunk some false headline posted, or provide valuable context. People say I'm being too serious, but I can't just watch the spread of false information that often has malicious intent.