I agree on the moral bottom line: bigotry is bigotry, and it isn’t excused by someone’s past.
Where we disagree is whether the “why” matters. I’m not asking for pity or moral credit; I’m talking about causality because prevention requires understanding how these beliefs form and get reinforced. “Explanation” isn’t “justification.”
If you’re claiming trauma can’t be a contributing factor in any case, that’s a stronger claim than “it doesn’t excuse it,” and I don’t think it’s self-evident. Fear and threat-perception can shape ideology, and some people channel that into scapegoating. Especially so when insulated by wealth, platform, and echo chambers.
Also, bringing up genocide shifts the topic from mechanisms of prejudice to extreme hypotheticals. The point stands without that comparison.
If you don’t want to discuss causes at all, that’s your call. If so, we’re not actually disagreeing about accountability, just about whether analysis is worth doing.
I want to explicitly call out that your patience, understanding, firmness, and reason in this exchange were exemplary. Good work. Keep doing what you’re doing. This is the kind of interaction that really can help heal the world.
Nobody is perfect. We are all trying to make sense of a confusing and complicated existence. What matters is that we continue to try, continue to be a little bit better today than we were before. And even that isn’t a straight line. Some days, some months, we’ll miss that mark. But if we keep trying, and the trend over time is upwards, I think that’s all anyone can really do.
I’m glad my words have helped you. Thank you for telling me. I have my own struggles right now and this is a good reminder that I’m still able to add value to the world 💜
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I agree on the moral bottom line: bigotry is bigotry, and it isn’t excused by someone’s past.
Where we disagree is whether the “why” matters. I’m not asking for pity or moral credit; I’m talking about causality because prevention requires understanding how these beliefs form and get reinforced. “Explanation” isn’t “justification.”
If you’re claiming trauma can’t be a contributing factor in any case, that’s a stronger claim than “it doesn’t excuse it,” and I don’t think it’s self-evident. Fear and threat-perception can shape ideology, and some people channel that into scapegoating. Especially so when insulated by wealth, platform, and echo chambers.
Also, bringing up genocide shifts the topic from mechanisms of prejudice to extreme hypotheticals. The point stands without that comparison.
If you don’t want to discuss causes at all, that’s your call. If so, we’re not actually disagreeing about accountability, just about whether analysis is worth doing.
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I appreciate the reply. I have nothing to build on from here and I appreciate both your take and your willingness to be clear.
Thanks so much for the discussion.
I want to explicitly call out that your patience, understanding, firmness, and reason in this exchange were exemplary. Good work. Keep doing what you’re doing. This is the kind of interaction that really can help heal the world.
I think back to this comment a lot lately. I try, but I am for sure hardly perfect. I stumble often, and even recently, but I find solace here.
Nobody is perfect. We are all trying to make sense of a confusing and complicated existence. What matters is that we continue to try, continue to be a little bit better today than we were before. And even that isn’t a straight line. Some days, some months, we’ll miss that mark. But if we keep trying, and the trend over time is upwards, I think that’s all anyone can really do.
I’m glad my words have helped you. Thank you for telling me. I have my own struggles right now and this is a good reminder that I’m still able to add value to the world 💜