Tag Archives: Political Correctness
Virtue-Signaling vs. Eco-Shaming
Which of these two strategies is more useful for educating the divisive and reactionary members of our globally diverse society? Let’s briefly examine the two approaches:
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Virtue-signaling is effective when trying to compassionately guide the unenlightened into a more conscious and socially-aware mindset, for example: an acquaintance lets you know they voted for Trump in November; you gently remind them that they are a misogynist racist Nazi buffoon and that fascism must be resisted by our enlightened choices. You then affirm that you are proud to have voted for the female candidate, who represented diversity in a progressive and global context. This clearly and publicly shows a more compassionate and humane choice and attracts like-minded people to the Good side.
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Eco-shaming is a desirable strategy when confronted by unsustainable financial collaboration on the part of environmental criminals. Imagine yourself at Whole Foods. Someone is observed about to pick out a whole-wheat vegan frozen pizza. You, however, are aware of this particular brand and the inherently unjust social practices involved in its production. Rather than rebuke or denigrate your friend, you can gently steer them toward a more humane choice by saying something like: wow — I can’t believe they even SELL that brand here. That is a totally environmentally unsustainable pizza produced in a sweatshop. Great choice. Way to perpetuate social injustice… then scowl and walk away. This may help the would-be purchaser to reconsider and thus support a more conscious vendor. You can then feel good about having contributed in a small way toward the moral evolution of a less-developed soul.
It’s up to you which method to use depending on the situation. Be creative and see if you can come up with other compassionate ways to help move our society toward a dystopic Politically-Correct Orwellian nightmare.
And Now for Something Completely Sensible
Incensed
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
To the one we are the savour of death unto death;
and to the other the savour of life unto life.
II Corinthians 2:15, 16
I take an ember from the pyre
and consecrate this smoldering fire:
a glowing coal on which to burn
an aromatic thought, and earn
a crown, perhaps… or a stampede:
mad hooves to make a poet bleed.
An ode to the dull-wit herd’s defensors:
self-appointed poetic censors.
Where would we be without the squeal,
their rolling eyes, their bovine zeal?
Quick to enforce what’s orthodox –
(upon their coward souls a pox)
swift to castigate dissent
their peeved opinions swift to vent –
lest people think that poetry
should harbor strength or liberty…
They offer up their condemnation
spiced with righteous indignation:
“Racist, sexist, bigoted too!”
(which means they disagree with you)
Their catch-all battle-cry for trouble:
“INTOLERANT !” (They are intolerable.)
“It’s narrow-minded, mean-spirited, hateful.”
Such input ought to make us grateful.
Theirs the reactionary faction:
poetic thought-police in action.
To stand opposed, reviled by such
may indicate perhaps, a touch
of true and living inspiration
causing unsympathetic vibration.
If wit in rhyme has touched a nerve
for bold opinion, dissident verve,
then let their frowns be crowns of laurel
rather than further cause for quarrel.
Accusation by the herd
is compliment enough. Preferred
to empty praise for vapid lines
from toilers in depleted mines.
Cows are fattened for the feast.
They have a space to moo at least –
then comes the reckoning at the end.
But a Poet’s curse is to defend
inviolate, his chanted word
against the corn-fed lowing herd.
When they, in turn, inflict their verse
no vengeance dare we take, nor curse.
But calmly, let us pour upon them
words that build into an anthem
strengthened by scorn, a song of change
to goad their dullness, and derange
their poetaster fantasy
exposed as moral bankruptcy
symptomatic of a dying nation
set against lyrical liberation.
I pray my words may rise to heaven
free of rancor, void of leaven
a fragrant smoke of life to life
ascending God-ward through the strife.
(But let them rot, a charnel breath
to dying souls as death to death.)
CONNECT/HOOK 