occasional reflections on culture & politics
The original post already addressed the notion of sin, as well as some possibly religious approaches to wokeness. Here, I will expand on these. First, I would like to preface this with a caveat. I am neither a theologian nor a religious official. I grew up Catholic, and have since widened my scope and have… Continue reading #249: The Resistance Against Wokeness, Part II: Addressing Religious Objections
I have been agonizing about what the anti-wokeness complaints and critiques are all about. What about “woke” is offensive or problematic? To be “woke” means to be “awake” to the danger of racist discrimination, that is all. That is how the word has functioned since at least the 1920s, until it became more popularized in… Continue reading #248: The Resistance Against Wokeness, Part I
People seem confused about equity. Some claim equity means the equality of outcomes, and are calling instead for an equality of opportunity. Others see the call for equity as a socialist plot meant to destroy society. Amongst those who profess ignorance on the issue are even people like Senator Bernie Sanders, who should know better.… Continue reading #233: On Equity and Equality of Opportunity
https://youtu.be/AasjWiIFu_g If you see yourself as a believer in justice, as dedicated to the fight against oppression and exploitation, ask yourself: What is the biggest justice? What is the purpose of the fight against oppression and exploitation? The answer can probably only be as follows: The preservation of human life, ideally of all life, in… Continue reading #229: Fighting for Love in Times of War
I am puzzled by the resistance against female protagonists in the science fiction and superhero genres. For years now, we have seen a welcome diversification in what used to be a rather male-dominated sphere. Sometimes, this has meant bringing known formats to the screen with much fanfare (such as Wonder Woman or She-Hulk), creating new… Continue reading #222: Science Fiction and Comics Have Always Been Woke, or: Of Course Women and Minorities Can Be Heroes!
Diversity work - like any form of political speech - cannot just focus on what needs to be said, it must also take into account what people are able and willing to hear. Why is that? Should we really aim to speak in a way that may limit our own expression, tone or message? Is… Continue reading #215: Commonsense Diversity
I. Identity politics is bad, or so it goes. Everybody should be treated as an individual, judged on their own merits, and without any consideration of group identity, history, present politics, representation etc. In theory, that certainly sounds good. We are indeed all individuals. Whatever group we may belong to should also be our choice,… Continue reading #210: Why (Some Degree of) Identity Politics is Necessary
Erratic Attempts 