#but oof that last part about the loneliness and paralysis that comes from knowing/believing on some level you have nothing to intellectuall

[broomsticks]

was reading some of the things @thistlecatfics linked here

(... long story)

and this essay was such an interesting read

There is a lot of emphasis in “social justice” culture on learning, [a 'learning'] framed not as curiosity, collaboration, innovation, or creativity, but as the memorization and recitation of the correct “takes.” This passive relationship to learning promoted and enforced in “social justice” culture stifles critical and creative thinking. People passively consume ideas [and] feel like they are responsible political actors because they have memorized the current popular “takes” in “social justice” culture and even feel confident “letting people know.” Any thinkers who come to different conclusions or even ask open ended questions are treated with suspicion or are outright condemned. Learning isn’t about asking open ended questions in this framework, and it certainly isn’t about trying to come to our own conclusions about complex social and political questions. […] Learning isn’t about becoming responsible for our own capacity to think deeply and carefully. It’s about accepting what we are told. [...] A huge amount of what people now consider to be political action is actually censorship, the promoting of conformity, and the punishment of dissident thinking.

Discourse is serious, engaged thinking, discussion, and debate. Discourse is the flow of ideas between intellectuals, scholars, artists, and engaged citizens. Discourse is not a series of “correct takes.” Discourse does not attempt to shut down dissenting views but sees disagreement as inherently generative. Discourse happens when people feel entitled to disagree, when people feel responsible for their own thinking, when people feel like they have something specific and unique to offer to the flow of ideas. Discourse happens when people are creatively and critically engaged, when they feel curious and excited about ideas, when they feel encouraged and allowed to contribute. Because we no longer engage in discourse, and instead practice repeating simple “takes”, educating each other about these “takes”, and slandering people who challenge these “takes”, we feel very threatened by innovative, dissident, creative, or unusual thinking. Many of us no longer know how to relate to ideas beyond passively “learning” the “right” ones or condemning the “wrong” ones as “violent.” We don’t know how to think deeply and at length, how to listen carefully and with curiosity, how to pay sustained attention, how to wonder, or how to ask generative questions. We are all definitely capable of developing these skills, and in fact, I believe our retreat from these practices contributes to our deeply felt sense of alienation and dissatisfaction with our lives. Our despair is in part derived from our lack of participation.