This morning I found my friends list approximately 170 pounds lighter. One of my friends, that I've spoken to (off and on), for the past two years unfriended me.
Why?
Well, I happen to like the music of David Bowie.
As you may have heard, just a few days ago, David Bowie died. I was taken aback being that I've always been a casual fan of Bowie's. So, whenever I like something, I tend to take the time and share it on MY TIMELINE with my friends. It was a show of love and support for the fallen rock star (who is not legendary).
Well, this insipid cow felt it prudent (not even 24 hours after Bowie's death) to inform me that, back in the 1970's, David Bowie had sex with a 16-year-old groupie (at the time David Bowie was 20. At the time rock and roll groupies were as common as electric guitars onstage) and was basically, her words, "A rapist child molester who does not deserve to be lionized" by me or anyone else for that matter.
::Insert confused Scooby Doo face here::
First of all I had no clue that David Bowie slept with a teenager (As I stated before I am a casual fan. I don't follow him enough to know his sexual inclinations back in the 1970's), one (for all of my life he's been with Iman).
Two, unlike Bill Cosby supporters, I know how to differentiate between the artist and his product (MAJOR distinction. No, I am no fan of statutory rape; however, Bowie's art--which I find completely brilliant and hold in high regard--was made for the masses to enjoy).
Well, this insipid cow felt it prudent (not even 24 hours after Bowie's death) to inform me that, back in the 1970's, David Bowie had sex with a 16-year-old groupie (at the time David Bowie was 20. At the time rock and roll groupies were as common as electric guitars onstage) and was basically, her words, "A rapist child molester who does not deserve to be lionized" by me or anyone else for that matter.
::Insert confused Scooby Doo face here::
First of all I had no clue that David Bowie slept with a teenager (As I stated before I am a casual fan. I don't follow him enough to know his sexual inclinations back in the 1970's), one (for all of my life he's been with Iman).
Two, unlike Bill Cosby supporters, I know how to differentiate between the artist and his product (MAJOR distinction. No, I am no fan of statutory rape; however, Bowie's art--which I find completely brilliant and hold in high regard--was made for the masses to enjoy).
Three, where in the hell were all of you when Bowie had a thriving career (for the past 30 years)? How is it now that he's dead he's gone from avant garde glam rock star to pedophile child rapist/predator who locks little girls in dungeons in the span of 24 fucking hours? Seriously, where in the hell do you people come from? He's dead and now, suddenly, he's this monster that NO ONE should be able to identify with simply because YOU said so?
The shit wasn't making any sense to me whatsoever...
All I said was, "No, I was completely unaware that David Bowie had sex with an underage girl. However, while I don't approve of that I still enjoy and celebrate his music."
It is that simple.
No cognitive dissonance required.
If I based my enjoyment of an artist's work based on their personal lives then I would need to stop listening to music, period.
Yes, I despise R. Kelly and his kiddie diddling ways but if I hear "Honey Love" on the radio I am not going to turn the channel, trust. Roman Polanski did some terrible shit but "The Pianist" is still one of my favorite films. I still watch "Mighty Aphrodite" despite the fact that Woody Allen married his adopted daughter.
It is quite easy to divorce the genius from the madness.
The art is ours.
The pathology belongs to them.
If I based my enjoyment of an artist's work based on their personal lives then I would need to stop listening to music, period.
Yes, I despise R. Kelly and his kiddie diddling ways but if I hear "Honey Love" on the radio I am not going to turn the channel, trust. Roman Polanski did some terrible shit but "The Pianist" is still one of my favorite films. I still watch "Mighty Aphrodite" despite the fact that Woody Allen married his adopted daughter.
It is quite easy to divorce the genius from the madness.
The art is ours.
The pathology belongs to them.
That said...
I woke up to find that we were no longer friends. To that end I texted her a "nice" little note (It said, "Fuck you too. Bye." I am petty as fuck) and let that be a wrap.
But this isn't even about mine and her's "friendship."
I woke up to find that we were no longer friends. To that end I texted her a "nice" little note (It said, "Fuck you too. Bye." I am petty as fuck) and let that be a wrap.
But this isn't even about mine and her's "friendship."
This will be about the type of person that she is, the type of person that I am sick and tired of coming across in the realm of Social Media (that I almost always invariably do).
Who is it you ask?
I am tired of these fraudulent ass Social Media Militants that play this ridiculous pseudo philosophical role of online social justice warrior in their WONDERFUL (yet horrifying) world of: intersectionality, oppression, identity politics, tone policing, and all of those other obnoxious social media militant buzz phrases that are supposed to emphasize the dire straits of the oppressed and tell the so called "privileged" to "check themselves." Basically, ANYONE can fit into this designation, anybody. You can have the tip of your index finger severed and be considered a disenfranchised minority that comes complete with your own buzz words and specific concerns. I despise people like this, completely. And it is always my luck that they befriend me thinking that I am one of them.
Granted, I am all about calling out discrimination and inequality. I occupy my own intersectional space as well (Black, Gay, Atheist, and Geeky, hello?). And I am more than capable of letting people know that, "Hey, what you said is completely inappropriate and offensive to me as a _____" if they are in the wrong.
Racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and various other isms are an unfortunate part of our reality. We are constantly in a fight against them, which is why I teach people how they need to treat me (if they want ANYTHING to do with the subject of me).
The people who are willing to embrace that and learn from the experience are those whom I like to stick around.
Who is it you ask?
I am tired of these fraudulent ass Social Media Militants that play this ridiculous pseudo philosophical role of online social justice warrior in their WONDERFUL (yet horrifying) world of: intersectionality, oppression, identity politics, tone policing, and all of those other obnoxious social media militant buzz phrases that are supposed to emphasize the dire straits of the oppressed and tell the so called "privileged" to "check themselves." Basically, ANYONE can fit into this designation, anybody. You can have the tip of your index finger severed and be considered a disenfranchised minority that comes complete with your own buzz words and specific concerns. I despise people like this, completely. And it is always my luck that they befriend me thinking that I am one of them.
Granted, I am all about calling out discrimination and inequality. I occupy my own intersectional space as well (Black, Gay, Atheist, and Geeky, hello?). And I am more than capable of letting people know that, "Hey, what you said is completely inappropriate and offensive to me as a _____" if they are in the wrong.
Racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and various other isms are an unfortunate part of our reality. We are constantly in a fight against them, which is why I teach people how they need to treat me (if they want ANYTHING to do with the subject of me).
The people who are willing to embrace that and learn from the experience are those whom I like to stick around.
The other people?
Well, they can go about their merry way. I also realize that not everyone is a horrible person, some of them simply don't know any better. Change is a daunting task but if the individual is making the effort, and I was the unwitting catalyst for that, then I am flattered.
I lead my life this way AND in the realm of social media. Who I am online is who you will meet offline, period. I don't just talk about it. I AM about it.
These other niggas?
These online social justice warriors who probably won't utter a peep about half the shit they talk on these outlets are a whole other story entirely...
For the Social Media Militant there is no redemption for ANYBODY!
Do not pass go.
Do not collect two hundred dollars.
In their eyes you are the enemy if you even make a typographical error that looks like an affront to them. Everything is a trigger phrase. Everything is a personal slight. Everything is a fucking think piece waiting to be born.
"Cotton Candy offends me as a militant homosexual Nerf Herder" by Militant Homosexual Nerf Herder, The Huffpo)
If you are not one of them (Basically, if you don't fit into the exact same intersectional identity and possess a dire worldview) then you are their enemy, period. Even a slight difference of opinion is taken as an affront to their person-hood. Everything hinges on you being sensitive to every single aspect of their person hood or else you risk being "drug" by them and their acolytes (the hangers on who act as the chorus to their madness).
These other niggas?
These online social justice warriors who probably won't utter a peep about half the shit they talk on these outlets are a whole other story entirely...
For the Social Media Militant there is no redemption for ANYBODY!
Do not pass go.
Do not collect two hundred dollars.
In their eyes you are the enemy if you even make a typographical error that looks like an affront to them. Everything is a trigger phrase. Everything is a personal slight. Everything is a fucking think piece waiting to be born.
"Cotton Candy offends me as a militant homosexual Nerf Herder" by Militant Homosexual Nerf Herder, The Huffpo)
If you are not one of them (Basically, if you don't fit into the exact same intersectional identity and possess a dire worldview) then you are their enemy, period. Even a slight difference of opinion is taken as an affront to their person-hood. Everything hinges on you being sensitive to every single aspect of their person hood or else you risk being "drug" by them and their acolytes (the hangers on who act as the chorus to their madness).
"By celebrating David Bowie's art you are enforcing rape culture!" (No I'm not. I like his music. I don't support a rape culture by doing that. Statutory rape, bad. Moonage Daydream, one of the greatest songs ever written).
"You are Triggering me!" (If you can have a nervous breakdown from posts online then social media is not the place for you. That's a whole other therapy session)
"If you don't agree with me then I have no use for you!" (I bet you won't say that to anyone else outside of your online collection of bodies...excuse me, "Friends")
And so on and so forth...
I always fall out with these niggas, always. I finally know why now. I know that the world is nuanced. I know that there is no such thing as all or nothing. There are shades of gray and not everything is either or. That is not real life. And I pride myself on being a realist.
When I hear people speaking in absolutes all I see is them swimming in their cramped little fishbowl that they concocted for themselves within the realm of social media.
"You are Triggering me!" (If you can have a nervous breakdown from posts online then social media is not the place for you. That's a whole other therapy session)
"If you don't agree with me then I have no use for you!" (I bet you won't say that to anyone else outside of your online collection of bodies...excuse me, "Friends")
And so on and so forth...
I always fall out with these niggas, always. I finally know why now. I know that the world is nuanced. I know that there is no such thing as all or nothing. There are shades of gray and not everything is either or. That is not real life. And I pride myself on being a realist.
When I hear people speaking in absolutes all I see is them swimming in their cramped little fishbowl that they concocted for themselves within the realm of social media.
Yes, I am quite aware that we need these spaces where we can simply go and be ourselves (I support forums that cater to niche groups. Everyone needs somewhere to belong. We are not as original as we like to pretend to be). However, when it is to the point where you cannot see beyond those parameters then what good are you to ANYONE (well except sitting alone to nurse your narcissism)?
Hearkening back on this I am glad she unfriended me. I don't think I could possibly stand to be around someone that impossibly: stupid, myopic, narcissistic, and self centered.
To that end I am sick and tired Social Media Militants and the inanity that they bring to the online community.
Anyway...
Here is how to spot one...
- #BlackLivesMatter is all over their FB page. You gotta have the hashtag to let everyone know you are down (when in actuality you won't catch these niggas in the street. Too busy taking selfies and pretending to be about the cause).
- Their whole life centers around their intersections. You can't meet them at the stop sign even if you pulled up in Metro Bus.
- They say "Intersection" or "Intersectionality" at least three to four times in a sentence.
- You're a misogynist if you think a woman's dress is ugly.
- You're a transaphobe if you hate Caitlyn Jenner.
- You're enforcing black hetero-normative patriarchal values if you think Jaden Smith looks hideous in a dress.
- You gotta look the part too, like you just came back from an Afropunk festival. No fade or perm. You gotta be all natural.
- You must loathe Beyonce (seeing as she wears blond extensions and has a lot of money).
- You support a rape culture if you happen to bop along to R. Kelly's "Ignition" when it comes on the radio.
- If you don't agree with them you are a: rape culture supporting, heteronormative, patriarchal, transphobic, homophobic, misogynistic, misandrist, pedophile, and all around horrible person.
- If you aren't maudlin and wallowing in the misery of the discrimination that your intersection creates then they hate you, period.
As I've said before I am going to keep my eyes peeled for these fools because I am not investing my time or conversation in another one of them.
Yes, I am a Black Gay Atheist Man in America; however, my physical identity is not the sum of all my parts. And I refuse to view life solely within the context of my tapestry of identities.
Prince Todd.
P.S.
And don't you EVER get on my timeline and tell ME what I can and cannot post, ever.
