Just Another Day, It Seems

1. I totally agree with your first point. What I was getting at in this piece is that people shouldn’t assume that just because I am not directly addressing something or “taking a side” than I am in support of the side they feel I should be speaking out against. That is lazy thinking and trying to use manipulation to shame someone into supporting their agenda. This is in reference to the fact I have received more than one communication from people who have told me that as a writer, I have a social responsibility to speak out against certain things. I don’t have a responsibility to anyone or anything. I will write whatever I feel like writing. If I ever have the drive to write something political, then I will. If I don’t, then I won’t. Simple as that.

2. Again, I agree with what you outline in #2. What I am referring to is when people use their definition of morality to justify their lack of compassion and demonization of other people. The whole mindset that if you don’t think exactly the way I do, then you are a bad person. It’s labeling and dehumanizing people who think differently than you to push one’s own agenda. I don’t like that. It can be difficult to dismiss a human being, but dismissing a label, well, that’s a lot easier. I see people being reduced from an individual to merely a member of a group. And if that group has been identified, based on your moral high ground as immoral/evil, then you can justifiably do whatever you want to do to that “person”. Similar to what you said, we have to be willing and open to listening to people who’s opinions differ from ours.

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