Posts I should not write: a partial list

[minoanmiss]

Probably not here, definitely not on Tumblr (many of these are in response to things I saw there)

1) The "they're just fictional characters" concept has a caveat or two, one of which is when people's discussion of fictional characters reveals how they probably think about real people. Someone who says that writing Frodo/Sam slash is insulting to Frodo by making him weak and feminine and no longer a real hero -- what does that say about what they think of actual men in same sex relationships? Someone who says that there's no way Martha Jones was intelligent enough to be a doctor, or that Uhura is ugly and looks masculine and is incapable of being intelligent enough for Spock -- what does that say about how they view actual Black women? Like me? (All synopsized from actual statements I have read in fandom.)

2) That guy wearing the MAGA hat shows that he thinks the increases in freedom for various overlapping groups (women, people of color, people who aren't Christian or able-bodied or straight or cis and I could go on and on) have diminished America's "greatness". Maybe he wouldn't actually approve of rendering same-sex marriage illegal, knocking down and stripping hijabis, empowering vigilantes to forcibly enforce who gets to use which bathroom, shooting Black kids in the street, denying women access to healthcare, denying vast swathes of Americans access to healthcare, etc, but he's certainly signaling approval to people who want to do all these things and more. SO yeah, he's comparable to a Death Eater.

3) That said, I do not accept that we have no right to be annoyed when people find metaphors of us sympathetic but refuse to find real people sympathetic. As I said to a dear friend, I have some idea of how many people find House Elves sympathetic but think my ancestors were done a favor by being enslaved.

[those last two would be in response to the same discussion.]

4) When a man says he's anti-feminist, or a White person decries Black Lives Matter, or a cis person complains about trans and intergendered people existing in public, what I hear them saying. [This one would be ugly.]

5) A recurring pattern in fandom of X thing (Frodo/Sam, Kirk/Spock, Tony Stark) attracting a particular obnoxious kind of outspoken condemn-all-else fandom (and why sometimes thet means I can't stand X thing anymore and sometimes I can -- for example, I know quite a few Steve/Bucky fans are obnoxious, hating on Sharon Carter, dismissing Sam Wilson as meaningless or at best 'just a bro' -- but I still love the pairing, so does that make me a hypocrite?)

6) Why do people have to talk so much about what they hate and so little about what they love? So many people on Tumblr/in fandom seem to be in it primarily to piss in other people's Cheerios, as the useful phrase cereta taught me goes.

7) Struggling with wanting, NEEDING to do more about sociopolitics but being unable to engage without damaging my mental health. (An old and continuing problem and one which would be purposely misunderstood on Tumblr)

8) .... I can't think of any others at the moment. Maybe now my brain will settle down and let me enjoy pretty pictures.

Comments

[caitri]

So many people on social media, period, seem to wait for moments to piss in other people's Cheerios--which is a phrase I am also going to start using now. I know its easier said than done, but if possible, do your damnedest to ignore it, or at least limit it by ranting to trusted and agreeable parties. Obviously you're not always going to be able to do this--there will always be the straw that breaks the camel's back, or the particularly egregious thing said about a Beloved Text, but frankly, self-care is important too, and sometimes self-care is ignoring ignorance and hate and hypocrisy and purists, and putting your energies towards other things! <3

[ilthit]

:(

[cmcmck]

You sum up pretty well why we tend to stick to people who think the way we do ('they' do it too, of course)

Trying to talk to people like that could get me damaged.

Pretty pics over on mine if you want pretty pics! :o)

[gingicat]

FWiW, coworker N coined "yuck my yum" which is a phrase you could use around the kids. *g*

And I love it when you write these sketches, they make me think.

[sabotabby]

I dunno, I'm into reading about all of these things. I like your rants.

[amaebi]

...yeah.

[princessofgeeks]

HUGS

[corylea]

Idiots will be idiotic; the trouble with the Internet is that it gives idiots an easy way to display their idiocy.

If you have trouble being easy in your mind until no one on the Internet is an idiot, you will be angry and sad for the rest of your life, and I really wish better than that for you!

Anyone who can look at either Nichelle Nichols or Zoe Saldana and NOT see how gorgeous both those women are is someone who's too far gone to be swayed by mere words, so your rant would be wasted, anyway. (I have a Star Trek calendar hanging in my kitchen, and May's picture is a screenshot of Spock and Uhura from "The Immunity Syndrome." Every time I walk through the kitchen, I think, "Okay, Nichelle Nichols was -- and is -- always gorgeous, but she seems especially stunning in this shot." (You can see that picture here.)

Some people ARE educable, but trying to educate the entire freaking Internet will exhaust and overwhelm you. I'm wondering if there's a way for you to pick a place to direct your energy, so that when other things clamor for that energy, you can tell yourself, "I'm spending my sociopolitical energy on Place X."

As an analogy, there are SO many worthy causes out there, and some days it seems as if every single one of them sends me mail asking for money. If I sent all of them what they deserve, I couldn't send the mortgage payment to the bank. I'm choosing to focus my charitable contributions on the ACLU and Planned Parenthood right now, and when some other worthy group contacts me, I squash the guilt feelings with, "I'm spending my charity money on the ACLU and Planned Parenthood." I'd love to see you able to tell yourself, "I'm spending my sociopolitical energy on Place X, so I don't have to feel bad for not spending some here at Place Y."

*hug* *hug* *HUG*

[thnidu]

Okay, Nichelle Nichols was -- and is -- always gorgeous, but she seems especially stunning in this shot.

Oh God yes. I'm going to download this and save it. Thank you.

[corylea]

Glad you like it! I'm always happy to share Uhura love. :-)

[corylea]

A follow-up on the Spock/Uhura thing --

In the TOS episode "Who Mourns for Adonis," the communications system has been fried by an alien who used to appear to the ancient Greeks as the "god" Apollo. Since several officers (including the captain of the ship) are down on the planet with Apollo, and the fried communications array means that the people on the ship can't contact the people on the planet, this is a problem.

Partway through the episode, we see Uhura underneath the communications system, tinkering with the wires, fixing the system. Spock and Uhura have this exchange:

SPOCK: Progress report?

UHURA: I'm connecting the bypass circuit now, sir. It should take another half hour.

SPOCK: Speed is essential, Lieutenant.

UHURA: Mr. Spock, I haven't done anything like this in years. If it isn't done just right, I could blow the entire communications system. It's very delicate work, sir.

So, does Spock say, "Then step aside, Black human woman, and let my mighty Vulcan maleness fix the communications system"? Of course not! His actual line:

SPOCK: I can think of no one better equipped to handle it, Miss Uhura. Please proceed.

Spock doesn't think that HE could repair the system faster than Uhura. He doesn't think that the engineering staff could repair the system faster than Uhura. He thinks that Uhura is the best possible person to repair this system even though she hasn't done anything like this in years. Anyone who thinks that Spock doesn't respect Uhura's intelligence doesn't remember their TOS.

Okay, I'll stop Star Trek geeking. For the moment. :-)

[minoanmiss]

You don't even know how much better both your comments have made me. hugs you so gratefully

[corylea]

I'm so very happy to know that! Thanks for telling me. *hug*

[corylea]

By the way, if you'd like to see Uhura underneath the communications console, clearly fixing some very complicated stuff, there's a screenshot of that here.

[corrvin]

Please never stop geeking. This was the best thing I've read all day.

[corylea]

Aw, thanks! That's sweet of you to say.

[thnidu]

Hugs, dear friend. And more hugs.
And a chocolate chip cookie, if you like.

[danae_b]

*hugs* *writes you an email* <3

[lb_lee]

I am not a Bucky fan, but have you seen that tumblr webcomic where he has a big boofy service dog named FUBAR? I thought it might please you! :D

[minoanmiss]

Oh I adore the adventues of Bucky and FUBAR. :D

[ineptshieldmaid]

I feel many of these feels. And when not these feels certainly the 'the urge to shout about this is nigh overwhelming but shouting at Tumblr is the least constructive form of communication ever' feel.