I agree with everything you said but how come you left out voting (for allies)? Isn't that the most powerful and genuine act of defiance aganist injustice?

@T1J

4 жыл бұрын

I should have added voting, you're correct. I mention voting in my last video!

@gidodyas

4 жыл бұрын

Voting is within the confines of the status quo, and for a certain political mentality/ideology it relegates voting as the only feasible act of political expression

@BecomingTuba

4 жыл бұрын

@@T1J thank you. I am glad we are on the same page.

@misterdemocracy3335

4 жыл бұрын

George Cuba Everything happens within whatever the status quo is so voting is just an addition to whatever other strategies we’re engaging in.

@map2001luvskitties

4 жыл бұрын

voting is of course important, but no where near enough! we have to do more to pressure the candidates to make changes and garner support for the movement through educating and mobilizing. sadly, democracy is running thin and voting is not the end all be all. but still, good point

getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is the most important lesson one can learn in life.

@nj552455

4 жыл бұрын

I agree! The more you get used to something bringing you discomfort the easier it is to question why it makes you uncomfortable.

@bekkahboodles

4 жыл бұрын

"Comfortably uncomfortable needs to be our new normal" has been my mantra recently thanks to Michael Todd at Transformation Church!!!

@ashleybrock5228

4 жыл бұрын

Well said.

@Sirmenonottwo

4 жыл бұрын

That is how I feel about hemroids too.

@Noah-lo9vb

4 жыл бұрын

I'm 14, trying to learn this lesson myself. Any tips for how I can do so? Struggling with it a little, I have to admit.

I feel like there's a difference between murals painted by ordinary people and mayors of cities painting Black Lives Matter on a street. When ordinary people make protest art (especially when that protest art is graffiti on a building they don't own), that IMO serves basically the same purpose as chanting as a protest: it puts pressure on the people in power to change things. It's a disturbance in the way things normally are. But the people in power aren't doing it to pressure the people in power. They're doing it to relieve pressure on themselves. They're doing it in the hope that it'll appease the protestors and they won't have to make any material changes. There's a reason why the mayor of DC painted "Black Lives Matter" on a street but protestors added "Defund The Police". The mayor would never have painted "Defund The Police", because "Defund The Police" pressures the mayor to do something she doesn't currently want to do. When the protestors paint "Defund The Police" on a street, that proves there are enough protestors to take over a section of street and paint on it. That implies there are lots of voters who want it, and it also implies that until the demand is met protestors are gonna keep on making life difficult for the city government until they get what they want.

@omechron

4 жыл бұрын

This. I remember a while back in Canada there were news stories about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joining in with an environmental protest. Dude we are out here marching to get YOUR attention. You're the Prime Fucking Minister. Quit marching and actually fix the problem!

@pinkmapviolin

4 жыл бұрын

This is really well-put

@99sins

3 жыл бұрын

This comment really struck a cord with me on how important it is for the left to make sure to use calls to action in their slogans. Anybody can say black lives matter but not doing so by defunding the police says way more than a black square. I think moving forwards this should be more of a thing; very specific calls to action to take steps towards tackling larger systemic issues instead of broad claims that just kinda point fingers at those systemic issues.

@renaigh

3 жыл бұрын

while going against Authority can send a radical message that causes people to think, Officials who allow it to happen help to legitimize that "Radical Thought" and increase the chances of the culturally relative status quo to be lifted and bring forth a more progressive norm.

Yea, i know a guy who called me a n*****lover and a couple of months later posted a black square

@cinnamondan4984

4 жыл бұрын

I had a change of heart

@charliekahn4205

3 жыл бұрын

Maybe the dude realized that he, too, fit the description of what he called you.

@invisiblespeedrc

3 жыл бұрын

No it’s a performative thing that the ”im not racist but...” crowd can join into, and use as evidence.

@theangrycheeto

3 жыл бұрын

Geez.. to play devils advocate, I do think its possible that people have changed for the better and are now acknowledging those changes. Definitely not talking about the person you mentioned specifically. But I guess there's an optimistic part of me that would like to think that some of those people have learned from their past and become better and that should always be welcomed with open arms.

@ieshaali7577

3 жыл бұрын

What is his social media?

My principal in high school would openly say “I am an ally for LGBT students” when I did events to support those students, but when I literally did a whole presentation for him on how we should change our nondiscrimination policy so it includes sexual orientation and gender identity, I was met with nods and no action. This is the same guy who said the n-word in front of one of my school’s only black students, and even after getting called out by the local news, he faced no punishments and is still the principal now. I just heard that the school board finally decided to change the nondiscrimination policy... a year after I graduated. I’m glad it’s there for posterity, but goddammit Doug. Do what you fucking preach. The only reason I didn’t fail is because I showed up to class despite being harassed and patronized by my teachers.

@awesomeousmaximus1524

4 жыл бұрын

Same I had a teacher 3 years ago who said she was open minded to everything. But when her daughter came out as a lesbian she was totally against it. XDXD

@Memory_Blanks

4 жыл бұрын

The notion of a young mind and a big heart. It has always been the cannon fodder of choice for those who hide behind The exclusive orders. You seem to be making sense of things in a general sense. Are you okay? Can you walk away if not?

@Merahki3863

3 жыл бұрын

@@awesomeousmaximus1524 maybe they believed they were open minded but didn't realise they would feel different when it was their own kid.

@cinnamondan4984

3 жыл бұрын

Being patronised should not keep you from graduation 🎓

@cosmicspacething3474

3 жыл бұрын

Yikes, hopefully your college years will be better

"thoughts and prayers" "We see you we hear you" "black squares"

I'm trying to be supportive the ol' fashioned way - cash money. Been buying from local black-owned businesses. And my band raised over $10,000 this week for two different causes, which I'm very proud of. I try not to fall for the trendy, meaningless performative stuff...but I do sometimes.

@misszombiesue

4 жыл бұрын

That's what I was thinking, too, that donating money is the best thing I can do, but then I read someone going off on twitter about how that's performative too because you're not risking anything like the protesters are, so... I donno. I don't know how to be the best ally I can be. I try to just do what I think is right at the time (and what I have energy for after my very demanding job) and not pay attention to social media too much, but on the other hand, I don't really have great sources to check my behavior against besides social media.

@LoadPast

4 жыл бұрын

@@misszombiesue Donating money may be somewhat performative, especially if its done publicly. But if it will genuinely help someone, it's always a good thing. People also try to get you to not give money to homeless people, because "it's just performative" or "they'll use it to buy booze" but if it will help make that person's life easier, even momentarily, I say why not?

@professorthread

4 жыл бұрын

Restaurants in my city have started posting signs in their windows if they support BLM with a portion of profits.

@GBfanatic15

4 жыл бұрын

literally, put your money where your mouth is, and if you can't donate, uplift the voices of black people, share things, etc

@Memory_Blanks

4 жыл бұрын

Performance is all you have

Re: pronouns in bio: When I get into a argument with people who stalk my socials because all they've got is ad hominem, people will often use the fact that I have my pronouns in my bio as "proof" that I am trans (I'm cis.). Trans is the new fat when it comes to angry boys online, but it's fascinating to me how they find "proof"in my photos. Trans KZreadr Mia Mulder has said that the fact that she's been getting clocked more in past couple of years is a strangely positive sign awareness. And if some transphobic jerk-off is telling me what about me seems masculine to them, they're not causing ME dysphoria and maybe I'm taking their bullshit off some trans person for a few minutes or hours.

@kadenfoley3514

4 жыл бұрын

yes! exactly - the more people who have pronouns in their bio, the less easy it is for trolls to target and/or doxx trans and nonbinary ppl by identifying who's trans/nb through them having pronouns in their bio

@bongle3726

4 жыл бұрын

i thought when people said "pronouns in bio, your opinion is bad" they meant "you're an sjw" not "you're trans"

@reeceenglish5201

4 жыл бұрын

@@bongle3726 having pronouns in your bio is something most trans people do, so no, they're specifically clocking someone as trans. though, "sjw" and trans are basically the same thing to them so w/e

@matthewlove4082

4 жыл бұрын

@@bongle3726 She said that they then proceed to point out "proof" in her photos that she is trans. So, clearly the angry boys she's talking about aren't mad about "SJWs," but trans women specifically.

@kadenfoley3514

4 жыл бұрын

@Tally Ho i understand why but if that's true it really defeats the point of putting your pronouns in your bio as an act of trans allyship

I'm sick of the fact people post a black square and they think the've fixed racism???? People! Get off your but and actually help!?!

@misterdemocracy3335

4 жыл бұрын

Squicx I also hate how all the “woke” corporations get labeled in normie-land as left wing and make us look bad. Our brand of anti-racism is not cancelling paw patrol and having a black person in whatever position of power. We want real changes, systemic changes, deep policy reforms.

@_yak

4 жыл бұрын

Do people who posted the black square think they've fixed racism?

@Squicx

4 жыл бұрын

@@_yak Unfortunatly yes.

@ThrottleKitty

4 жыл бұрын

I agree to this, but I'll admit a number of my site backgrounds and profiles are now blacked out with pride flags, but each for the same reason. Pride flags don't "fix homophobia", and are indeed used by hollow companies and virtue signalers more often than not. Just like the blackout image. But they are also a not-so-subtle way of declaring your position of not tolerating discrimination against minorities, if at least on a personal conversational level.

@jimbolic0809

4 жыл бұрын

Many people aren't in a position to help. I think the black square helps to identify allies.

Another example of easy solidarity, I saw Tina Fey (whom I know you’ve criticized before) requested her 30 Rock episodes featuring blackface be pulled. Like, she knew blackface was racist when she used it for laughs, she knew it was racist when she kept getting checks for those episodes. But now that she might face consequences, she doesn’t want to be associated with blackface any more. She didn’t say she’d be donating all the money she made on those episodes to civil rights/social justice organizations. Just that she doesn’t want to be seen as racist. It’s not allyship, it’s damage control.

@astaiannymph

4 жыл бұрын

I think it's probably better than keeping them out there and it's possible she's changed her mind or learned now, but you're right in that she would have to do something more substantive to really make things better.

@KCAssassin98

3 жыл бұрын

Because satire doesn't exist in 2020. Nobody can predict the social norms of the future. It's bad now that doesn't mean it was bad then. Btw I'm not saying black face was acceptable back then just that people didn't have the same disdain for using black face in a context that was not mocking black people.

My husband works at an airport and wore a large safety pin. He found that people who were obviously Middle Eastern sought him out when they had questions because they felt comfortable speaking to him in an environment where they are used to experiencing prejudice.

The safety pin thing happened straight after brexit vote and was mostly to show European immigrants (which are mostly white) that the person who wears it safe to sit next to on public transport. It probs also helped people who didn't vote out and who were terrified by immediate outbreak of vile racism and xenophobia days after referendums results were public to distance themselves from those who didn't mind discrimination. It was nice touch and as an European immigrant to UK I actually appreciated it as it really allowed me to relax when I saw people on tube wearing it. I don't see how this solution would fit into wide and deep problem of structural racism in USA thought.

@anomalina7860

4 жыл бұрын

At least in NYC, right after Trump got elected peepsOC were getting punched on the subways, yelled at, told to go back where they came from and shit. The emboldened racists right after the election... I wore the pin to signal to any train riders that I got their back if some shit is starting. Also to remind and psyche MYSELF up when I looked in the mirror before the morning commute, yo, be vigilant and step up, put your body in the way if need be... Nothing ever happened tho.

@lynnhettrick7588

3 жыл бұрын

Ja Zy Yes, my understanding was that the safety pin was for immigrants to know they were safe around people with the pins.

@deszeldra

3 жыл бұрын

The pin was supposed to be a commitment to step up and support people experiencing racism. Which I was already doing so I wore the pin. Unfortunately it did become meaningless pretty quickly with too many wearing it but doing nothing so I stopped wearing it.

@GlowstoneWolf

3 жыл бұрын

this is actually extremely sweet, i haven’t heard of this until now

@Dogen70

Жыл бұрын

@@anomalina7860 you are fukn epic for that

“Discomfort is good. It inspires change and growth” A very helpful reminder!

Shout out to Rockstar games who shut off the severs to GTAV and RDR2 for two a whole hours in honour of George Floyd. They actually did that and expected to be praised.

@T1J

4 жыл бұрын

lmao

@michaelotis223

4 жыл бұрын

I.....you're punkin me, right? Did that really happen?!

@anniedangerface

4 жыл бұрын

That...is weird.

@Fortigurn

4 жыл бұрын

Rockstar, one of the least ethical game companies in the industry.

@rutedantos9552

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah that really help a lot

All of this to be honest, has made me realize how tuned into the US I am, to the point where I barely know what’s going on in my own country. I don’t think that’s a good thing. There’s very little I can do beyond “performative wokeness,” about the conditions in a country where I don’t live but I can have difficult conversations about racism in my country.

@Taletree92

4 жыл бұрын

I'm in the same situation. But I can't have difficult conversations about race except w friends because as soon as anyone says anything anti-racism the conversation dies here. Ppl love talking about "all the crime nowadays" though......

@nergregga

4 жыл бұрын

@@Taletree92 It is difficult, but I think it is useful to at least say, that you don't agree.

@TCt83067695

4 жыл бұрын

@@Taletree92 you gotta start somewhere bruh...

@YggdrasilAudio

4 жыл бұрын

Well there are petitions and organisations you can donate to.

@FallingStary

3 жыл бұрын

I dont think you should move on from learning about the turmoil of other countries. Though there are things you have no control over and that some problems can only be fixed within not by a foreigner. These culture driven problems can reflect in similar, opposing, or relatable ways to your life. Like how you can be in a different country and still face sexism. Its a good reminder to take things into consideration and gain different perspectives on complex human problems and how people see one another. We are all one day going to be the ancient generic human the modern human references back to one day.

The last bit reminds me of Luxander's video about how to be a NB ally. Like, saying your pronouns when you meet people is awkward and uncomfortable, but that discomfort is part of being an ally.

@SidheKnight

4 жыл бұрын

Honest, non rhetorical question: Do you really want to live in a world where everybody announces their pronouns when they encounter new people? Isn't that too cumbersome and unnecessary in more than 95% of situations? I'm honestly curious, it's not criticism, although I imagine it may sound like that. I'm all for supporting trans and NB people and respecting their chosen pronouns, but this (along with inventing new non-standard pronouns) seems a bit beyond reasonable to me.

@pastate

4 жыл бұрын

@@SidheKnight You'd only give out your pronouns in the same situations where you'd give out your name. So, announcing your pronouns to a random person you bump into at the grocery store is likely unnecessary, but imagine this conversation: "Hi, welcome to our book club! I'm Amy, she/her." "Nice to meet you, I'm AJ, they/them!" I don't think that feels cumbersome at all, and in situations where you'll be speaking to and about this person regularly, it absolutely is necessary to know how to refer to them. Also, you never know if the person you're speaking with is trans unless they tell you, so imo it's also necessary to create a space where trans/enby people feel comfortable coming out to you. Hope this helps!

@Nemo_Anom

4 жыл бұрын

@@SidheKnight sounds like hell, tbh. And it's more like 99% of the population, btw.

@anniedangerface

4 жыл бұрын

Yes yes yes. In the last, maybe five or so years I’ve had to endure many uncomfortable moments as I examine and work through racist beliefs I never knew I had. Things I had seen on tv and heard family members or friends say, that I just took to be true, really went deep inside me. I was never attracted to black men. And told myself I wasn’t racist, it was just a preference, but really it was because the culture I was part of and messages I was receiving about black men that made them “other” and so not viable as romantic partners. Just one of MANY examples. It can be embarrassing and shameful to recognize, but so what? Get over it, it’s the path to change. It’s one reason I’m not into people “canceling” public figures for one racist thing they said a decade ago. If you don’t allow room for growth, to allow people to humbly change themselves, is that actually healthy or even helpful? Anyway I just agree so wholeheartedly with the “discomfort” part of what you said!

@Hamletonium

4 жыл бұрын

@@SidheKnight Hey, non binary here. It's merely adding to the repertoire of casual manners and social signifiers we have in society, like thanking a cashier after a purchase. As far as changing your attitudes in favor of social justice go it's fairly minimal. If it's cumbersome for you to add an extra question to a few encounters, can you imagine how incredibly exhausting it would be to have your identity disrespected everyday because people default to one of two options you don't fit in? Or even if they know your preferred pronouns or name, defer to the wrong ones simply to cause you grief? Can you imagine having all your documents marked wrongly and the road to changing them being a long, costly and humiliating one? I don't use these rhetoric questions to be aggressive but rather to invite the discomfort T1J mentioned in the video. Like someone else in the thread said, it's not like you'd need it for every situation. Some people use their pronouns in pins to skip over needing to stop and ask. The only downside of the latter is it can be a giveaway you're trans and invite transphobic violence. Lastly, English at least allows for very non gendered language. So if you're not going to do the work of asking for someone's pronouns (which, no offense, is really basic stuff) then don't assume, at least, and talk neutrally in regards to them.

I never got the “It’s not my job to educate you” and “Google is free” rhetoric. I’m black and if I really cared about a subject and someone asked me about it, I would tell them what I know. So why not something as important as this ? Some people just need human interaction. Internet posts can be jaded and cynical asf, and when they hear how this actually manifests, it might click, or atleast plant a seed. I get it though, talking to white people can be frustrating asf sometimes lol

@YggdrasilAudio

4 жыл бұрын

I'm white and not even american, so I might be wrong here, but I think it all boils down to "there are good moments to ask things, and there are bad".

@Questionablexfun

3 жыл бұрын

It’s comforting to read this.. Ive become afraid to ask anyone (who is POC or black), even friends, because I have come across this rhetoric before I even knew it was a rhetoric. It’s really disheartening to get the cold shoulder or something when genuinely asking questions to try to learn directly from those with experience ... (made me want to be totally uninvolved and uninformed, ya know? Which is awful.. thankfully the feeling passed but it could have easily been avoided by meeting genuine questioning with knowledge&positivity. I want to continue to educate myself and be the best support that I can be)

@mohammedjalloh7658

3 жыл бұрын

Yggdrasil Ynternational True, but the impression I get a lot of the time is that it’s always a bad time haha

@mohammedjalloh7658

3 жыл бұрын

ArmedCadaver Is a children’s book illustrator Np ! Idk why this is so popular ... but anyway, good luck to you on educating yourself and making yourself a good citizen ! Take care ! 😊😅

@brittanygeren8881

3 жыл бұрын

As a white person, I want to have someone to talk to about racial tensions, but that is my privilege talking. I can't ask someone to speak on subjects if they don't want to. There are people online who are educators, black, white, and latino who are willing to discuss racial topics. It's our job to seek them out. The book White Fragility is a good starting point.

I wouldn't refer to the black square as "silly". I was just upset the weekend before Blackout Tuesday and use the black profile image that I had used previously. I was in Facebook fights with a couple of high school acquaintances (who have now been de-friended). I as moved when I went on Twitter and saw all the black squares. Suddenly I felt less alone. That helps.

@m.s.flores

4 жыл бұрын

That makes me feel better about this, I was getting annoyed with my white friends (im white, non hispanic) for what I felt was performance racial justice but insist they create no micro aggressions and aren't racist at all. And with all the black squares it just seemed like performance, and while I have no place getting annoyed by it. I did. But the thought that it may have helped one person just flat out feel better really warms my heart to it. My friend countered me the other day saying that no matter what it simply spurs forth a discussion which begets change. Thanks for sharing your experience, it helps open my eyes.

@zizi6538

3 жыл бұрын

omg same i was posting it on my ig story telling ppl to stop posting mf black squares (alot of ppl in my class was doing it) like if you clicked on the hashtags it was completely blacked out i was so upset and frustrated it generally felt like a joke being played on us literally sending a message to silence us

As a trans man, I really do appreciate when cis people declare their pronouns. As you said, it normalizes alternative gender identities and not assuming someone's identity based on their appearance or name. So I, personally, think pronoun declaration is extremely helpful and makes me feel more included and valued as a person. Side note: my lab director recently updated our patient intake forms to include diverse gender identities at my suggestion (I'm the lab manager). I've already seen it pay off and multiple patients have thanked us for being more inclusive. We also call trans and non-binary patients to ask how precisely they would like their gender displayed on test results. It's a small move, but it's a step in the right direction, I think.

" B o o t y O' s "

@mysryuza

4 жыл бұрын

Yes it's an actual brand.

@frmcf

4 жыл бұрын

That poster is grievously offensive and very difficult to look at... ...and not just for the apostrophe before a plural 's'

@somniatic

4 жыл бұрын

Pancake Power is better

@charliekahn4205

3 жыл бұрын

@@frmcf An apostrophe following a plural "s" is acceptable in the situation where it's used here, since the thing it's pluralizing is one letter. When pluralizing one character, you can put the character in quotes or use an apostrophe, because using nothing doesn't make much sense in many situations.

@frmcf

3 жыл бұрын

​@@charliekahn4205 Interesting! I've never heard that reasoning before and I don't think it's used where I come from or in any of the teaching materials I've used in 10 years as an English teacher. Can you link to a style manual that sets out this rule, or an authoritative example from a dictionary or a respected publication?

I think these memes like blackouttuesday whilst annoying and low effort are a good way for a large number of people to declare which side they are on, which helps corporations and politicians to take note of which way the wind is blowing and act accordingly. It also helps put social pressure on people who don't believe black lives matter to feel uncomfortable with that belief because it goes against the norm. It would be better for people to take the time to educate themselves and take more active actions in support, but perfect is the enemy of good and people shouldn't discourage other people from taking small steps in the right direction

Hey T1J, just a note on the safety pin thing. In the UK, when it was originally conceived at least, the pin was anything but just performative. Post Brexit there were reports of minority folk being harassed in public due to the validation racists felt Brexit had given them. This was especially true on public transport. The safety pin idea was that by wearing one, anyone being harassed could recognize sympathetic people who they could turn to for help. Now obviously, how much this was needed, how much it worked in practice, and how much the original meaning got diluted down to just being a symbolic act (especially in translation to other countries like the US) is up for question, but I just thought I'd point out that original intent. Thanks for all the vids. Matt

@T1J

4 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a similar situation to the black squares, which also started with a more meaningful intent.

@BexPhaedraRowan

4 жыл бұрын

Right this is what I remembered was that - it made it to the US as an idea as well - the safety pin was supposed to be a safety signal so people would know they could rely on you for safety.

@AnaMaria-wt3ix

4 жыл бұрын

And then they started selling safety pins for 25€. That was fun.

@AnaMaria-wt3ix

3 жыл бұрын

@White-Van Helsing yep. And yet, back then, pretty soon after brexit, somebody started selling 'ally packages' that had a safety pin and a sticker sheet with slogans on it for around 25 €

@charliekahn4205

3 жыл бұрын

@@AnaMaria-wt3ix Did they only take €? No one uses them in Britain.

There was not one time where one of your videos didn't educate me. Thank you so much for taking the time to do so. And sorry if I made any mistakes, English is not my main language. Much respect from Argentina.

@lunacouer

4 жыл бұрын

Beautifully written ❤️

@FaiaHalo

4 жыл бұрын

@@lunacouer thank you so much, kind person. I strive to improve my English each day. Hope you have a great week end.

@lunacouer

4 жыл бұрын

@@FaiaHalo You're welcome. I completely agree. T1J is one of my favorite creators, because I learn and grow in some way or another every time I watch. He's also built a fabulous community in the comments. 😊 I hope you have a great weekend too.

@sheranlanger247

4 жыл бұрын

Your written English is great. Even better than most lazy English speakers'.

@Michael-kp4bd

4 жыл бұрын

I didn't understand your comment at first, but it's because i haven't slept in 30 hours. I read it again and it's very well stated!

I see your point exactly: symbolic gestures can be valuable, but if people start spending energy debating with each other about the precise correct way of doing these symbolic gestures, been that energy could have been better spent on efforts that lend direct assistance

Art is performative by nature, but it's absolutely NOT in the same way wearing a safety pin or changing your profile photo is Art is provocative, art shouts at you to look and pay attention. It takes time and effort to create. I thought it was a joke that some people are calling this art "fake activism" How dare someone actually believe that? That is some nerve. Art is the voice of the opressed, it is a way to fight back with your own creativity. Fight with your art, absolutely.

I think we need both: Think pieces *and* activism with a very low entry point. The former educates and directs people on what we can do to change the current situation, the latter creates more people who are open to the think pieces.

Solidarity and awareness is great and all, but it has to be in support of something. Organization, action. Seems to me, the most significant aspect of the police protests is that, once upon a time, cops were "the good guys," and anything they did was, definitionally, an act of justice. Every person posting "black lives matter" is one more person saying "listen, cops, you had us going for a while there, but I'm just not buying it anymore." Racism isn't so straightforward as the sentiment: "black ppl deserve police abuse." Rather, racism is someone who hears about police abuse of African Americans, and assumes the cops were justified. It's not just a matter of despising an ethnic group, it's granting the benefit of a doubt to one party over another.

I actually talked about people posting blackouttuesday with my friends. I actually thought about the blackout Tuesday as a thing to post so that people won’t use their time on social media and instead use the time on educating themselves on this topic. I actually used my time like this so anytime I saw such a post on my feed I’d instantly go on educational posts and sites or read about the topic. But after talking to my friends I realized that I think I was the only person who thought of it that way. Which then led me to educating them at least.

“Virtue signaling” and “arm chair warrioring” actually do have a place, it just can’t be the substance. It’s the icing. The icing is tasty and the most ‘fun’ but we need a lot of cake underneath.

@realgena1

4 жыл бұрын

Great analogy!

@vinceknox4425

4 жыл бұрын

Well said!

@binura

4 жыл бұрын

That's a dope way of puttin it

@brittanygeren8881

3 жыл бұрын

That is the best comment about virtue signaling I've ever read. May I quote it?

@ezm1173

3 жыл бұрын

Brittany Geren Sure! :)

The idea about being comfortable with being uncomfortable lines really well with one of the first things I learned that anthropology is supposed to do: to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange. Really great video as always, it’s good to learn more!

@ieshaali7577

3 жыл бұрын

Wtf you uncomfortable about?

I remember a black out years ago on tumblr. It was about white me shutting up and following black users and creators. The 'black out' was filling the space with black Face's. It was really good.

I think a lot of people have difficulty with the ambiguity of some of the demands. I have an example, though it is between two politicians so take that how you will. Amber Rudd, someone I'm not really a fan of, went on the radio and was discussing hate mail: Host: I've got a lot of tweets printed out, lucky me, of things that have been sent to you. And the question is, give that all people in the public eye seem to get horrible tweets from strangers, whether it's worse if you're a woman. Rudd: It definitely is worse if you're a woman, and it's worst of all if you're a coloured woman. I know Diane Abbott (a black politician from the other side of the political spectrum) gets a huge amount of abuse, that's something we need to call out. And the media absolutely blew up because she said "coloured woman." And Diana Abbott, who Rudd was defending, said on Twitter: "The term "coloured", is an outdated, offensive and revealing choice of words." This to me seems like nothing more than virtue signalling and point scoring. It's clear that Rudd misspoke by saying "coloured woman" instead of "woman of colour." And this was made out to be revealing enough that Rudd is actually super racist. Again, I know this is between two politicians, but leftist rhetoric about progressive topics often happen like this where someone is caught out saying something they shouldn't have and it becomes a shame game where they really should've known better or that this proves how bad they are, and not attempt is made at educating them. It would've been so much better if the response was "Thank you for defending me, I agree that hate mail is an issue. Just so you know though, "coloured women" is an offensive term, you should use "women of colour" next time." But the left (and I say this is a lefty) doesn't give room for people to make mistakes like this, it's always black and white (pardon the pun), whereby you're either the enlightened or contributing towards the deaths of marginalised people. I think demands of getting educated and that Google is free is a bit.. dismissive and counter productive. At one of my jobs, this group of people found out that I'm gay and started asking, in good faith, some pretty outdated questions. My response was to be respectful and answer them as truthfully as I could and pointing out how some of their questions are frowned upon, and I think I made some LGBT allies that day. If I had sneered at them and said they should've known better to ask those questions, how telling it was that they asked them, that they're offensive and homophobic, that Google is free and they should Google this and learn for themselves, like omg how have they not done so already? Like can you see where I'm going here? I know it's not my individual duty to informal all the ignorants in the world, but if you stumble upon something that can be so easily rectified in like five minutes with some patience and compassions, we on the left would have way more allies.

@samkeiser9776

4 жыл бұрын

I agree that talking to a person and using google aren’t going to be the same experience. But there seems to be a trend of white people, who while “activists” are kinda lazy in their activism. I think that at this current moment, I fall into this category, as someone who is sympathetic to the oppressed but unwilling to actually look into issues concerning race, gender, sexuality and the likes due to it being uncomfortable for me. It’s something I could remain ignorant to that probably wouldn’t noticeably directly impact me because of my privilege. That being said it shouldn’t be the oppressed’s job to make things easy or comfortable for those with privilege, and maybe it is helpful, but if someone actually wants to be an activist they need to actually be... well... *active* about it. There is a difference between sympathy and support, and while both are good things, sympathy without support is just a bunch if empty words.

Thank you so much for the time and energy you put into educating us!

You nailed it when it comes to the shortcomings of symbolic gestures , it's the "I'm not a racist" racist's that we need to have these hard conversation with . Because they are the ones that make excuses for their prejudice , and with a bit of pushing in the right direction we can change their views .

It warms my heart that you included nb people in your pronoun talks. I'm glad the algorithm thought I would like you. I love what I have seen so far! Stay safe my friend.

As a white person I'm trying. I'm trying to be aware of my biases. I'm trying to expand my understanding of people of color and the struggles my privilege has allowed me to ignore for so long. I'm trying to build my racial stamina and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I don't want you to feel like your holding my hand but I want to thank you for pointing me in the right direction, helping me find youtubers of marginalized groups and expanding my perspectives.

I'm becoming skeptical of "educate yourself" especially when you don't give a person a starting point. Cause listening to black people could mean pulling down a Candice Owens video or Jessie Lee Peterson or David Clark or any other person who's black but who's platform is all about spreading anti black propaganda

@downsjmmyjones101

4 жыл бұрын

And that's even if people learn from black people. If you're the average white person educating yourself, you're gonna listen to Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, or Stephen Crowder first. We need to educate people because when you tell people to educate themselves, people like Stefan Molyneux and Jared Taylor are all to interested in stepping in.

@robinisomaa

4 жыл бұрын

@@downsjmmyjones101 In the words of Contrapoints (I think): "No one has ever said 'It's not my job to educate you about white genocide'".

@Kobolds_in_a_trenchcoat

4 жыл бұрын

This is why I love thought slime's all eyeballs video. It wasn't the topic for white voices and saying nothing isn't helping either so directing viewers to loads of black creators who deserve a good shoutout is a great middle ground.

@thereallocke8065

4 жыл бұрын

@@robinisomaa yeah I saw a similar sentiment in the Sh0eonhead Vaush stream. She was talking about how she unlisted old continent that didn't fit her views to not pipeline people towards bad ideas. And how basically on the left people tell you to go educate yourself but on the right people are far to happy to say "I'll educate you"

@moncielvariable

4 жыл бұрын

I think "educate yourself" is a good self mantra. You should not put the burden of your education on a random friend who is just living their live simply because they happen to belong to a demographic you want to educate yourself about. BUT! I feel you cannot call yourself an activist and shout "educate yourself" to someone who seems genuinely willing to learn. You have to have the conversation. You have to answer questions. If you are too tired, say it, and postpone the conversation, it's okay! You can also direct them to KZread channels or interesting articles. But saying "Google is free" (while true) is not necessary good advice because it can lead people to "educate themselves" listening to your political ennemy...

This is a question more for people in the comments section who have the energy to offer advice, and not for T1J himself (since honestly the dude does enough by prompting these discussions), but how can people who are broke and/or disabled--and thus cannot donate or march--contribute to the cause in a meaningful way? (EDIT: Fixed a typo.)

@abracadaverous

4 жыл бұрын

We can start by having those difficult discussions about racial injustices and police brutality with people we know or come across on social media. We can stay in touch through phone or text with friends who are going out to protests, and help put out the call to other friends if they find themselves in trouble. And even if we don't have a lot of money to give, we still have a little money to spend on necessities, and we can choose to give our custom to BlPOC-owned businesses. It could even be as simple as refusing to buy brands with stereotypes as logos. We can still engage according to our ability.

@anniedangerface

4 жыл бұрын

Check out the official Black Lives Matter website, they have info on what to do if you can’t contribute monetarily!

@renownedbandanawearer1345

4 жыл бұрын

You can also donate views/clicks via things like KZread fundraisers. There are several channels releasing videos that showcase black artists or otherwise discuss black issues/anti racism that are donating the ad revenue of those videos to appropriate organisations. It gives you a chance to hear from more POC while also financially supporting the cause. You can also continue to replay the video to build more revenue/exposure but there are methods I don't know off the top of my head that make the algorithms work better - worth a google. I believe many of the fundraisers have ended by now, and KZread is cracking down on gaming views so it's not ideal, but keep an eye out for any channels that create new fundraising vids or offer to donate ad revenue from any of their videos, and learn how to best game views/create exposure for them. This is obviously only a small thing in the grand scheme and shouldn't replace all the other suggestions here but it's something you can be running in the background of your computer for hours and hours providing you have the internet data to accommodate (I'm not sure where you are or how readily available/affordable data is there)

@jaceygaither2581

4 жыл бұрын

Educate yourself and others you know well enough to have in-person conversations. Read black authors like Angela Davis and Ibram Kendi. Learn how class and race are connected and VOTE for progressive politicians who support populist agendas and policies like Medicare for all and basic income.

@n.l.g.6401

4 жыл бұрын

I'd like to thank everyone for the replies. These responses mean a lot. I'll be taking these strategies to heart and sharing them with others who can't march or contribute monetarily.

Thank you for this video!! As a white person who wants to be a good ally, this kind of content helps remind me that I can't ever do "enough" and that discomfort is an important catalyst for useful activism. Love what you do here and hope your audience will keep growing!

Honestly I totally agree with the skepticism... I remember when I was in high school, spending a summer attempting to support the protests in Ferguson (as a child with v unsupportive parents... This was near impossible) and just seeing... Nothing. Seeing people treat the protesters like shit, seeing the protesters die mysteriously afterwards... And I was just a very young white kid, so if that was disillusioning for me, I can only imagine how much harder this is for people who are older and whose lives are actually on the line... It's hard to believe change when you aren't on the other side yet, and have kept being beaten down. (Appreciate the pronoun discussion! I do agree tho that it often gets misconstrued as just a simple "hey this shows I like trans people" esp by cis people... You can see plenty of people w pronouns in bios being transphobic... Work doesn't end with raising awareness I suppose)

Anti-racism is a long game I'm playing. I'm going to commit fouls, get benched, be penalized, and maybe (if lucky) have a couple of great assists. It's a game worth being in the field and playing.

You should do a podcast, You have a good tone of voice. I could listen to you doing a deep dive on something for an hour easy.

Thank you for consistently putting out videos like this that make it easier to have those hard conversations with well meaning but ignorant family, friends, and coworkers. ❤❤❤

About "virtue signaling." Complaining about virtue signaling is itself a form of virtue signaling. If virtue signaling is bad, them complaining about virtue signaling is also bad, and you shouldn't do it. If virtue signaling is not bad, then what's the point of complaining about virtue signaling? Complaints about virtue signaling is inherently self-refuting. I like "performative wokeness" better.

@Aster_Risk

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for typing this out. I've had similar thoughts, but didn't know how to articulate them.

@SidheKnight

4 жыл бұрын

"Complaining about virtue signaling" is a form of virtue signaling only on some social circles that I would prefer not to be part of. That said, it's related, but not the same thing as performative wokeness. Performative wokeness is a form of virtue signaling. Other forms of virtue signaling signal different virtues to different groups. For example, a conservative politician on campaign will mention their faith in Jesus all the time, even when it's not relevant, to signal a conservative virtue (Christianity) to their audience.

@seto749

4 жыл бұрын

I call a number of things Vice Signaling.

I found funny the expression "blank black squares in support of BLM" Blank comes from white in french. So white black squares

I guess performance theater is more popular than authentic legal and economic change. "I used to think this country was a tragedy, then I realized it was a Comedy." - Joker probably.

I’d love to think the red dreads make it an intentional an-com thing

@archibaldmoore4514

4 жыл бұрын

T1J does no like ancoms at all

@T1J

4 жыл бұрын

@@neo-jacobin6170 I also oppose being a dick to people on the internet.

I JUST found your channel and I'm obsessed. Such great content 🙌🏽

Back when it was Juneteenth, many people I know were saying that I should go up to people who are black and say happy Juneteenth and congratulations on your freedom. But to me that felt like it would be tokenism and just overall wrong? I know this isn't a great correlation, but as a Mexican I would be uncomfortable, if not offended, if someone came up to me and said happy Cinco De Mayo or congratulations on living in America. I dont know, I just want other people's opinions because it felt like it wasn't the right thing for me to say to people.

patiently was waiting for your input :3

Thank you so much for this video. Something I've been focusing on that helps me big time is not taking myself too seriously. Understanding that the stakes are not high the way I've grown up thinking they are. Like, the stakes are very very high in terms of racism of course. But I mean if I try to be an ally and I fuck it up and someone calls me out - yes I want to correct that behaviour immediately but I don't need to lose sleep and hate mysef for making a mistake. Understanding that people don't sit around and think about times I did something mediocre or silly. Understanding that if I'm doing everything perfectly than I probably am not growing or learning anything. I find allyship hard because sometimes I don't know the answer and I don't always know where to find the answer and I just don't want to look bad. But each day I'm doing my best, and taking my mistakes in stride is a big part of that. Anytime I take criticism well, I consider that a huge success. Anyway, thought someone else may benefit from reading this too. :) Thanks T1J!!!

I've been following you for years and I'm so happy that you are getting some support. I agree with everything you say.

You just made my day with, “anthropomorphized pop tart” Thanks for the information-packed video - your videos are awesome! I agree with what you’re saying in this video 100%

Not gonna lie, I literally thought blackout Tuesday was a bug in my android app.

This is the first time I’ve ever used an influencers referral link for anything. Favorite youtuber privileges 😂💗

A discrete pin in the jacket, on our case specifically the binder-pin, was used as a resistance against German occupation during WW2, in particular since open protest was illegal. We considered the pin a Norwegian invention (now thought to be inacurate). Norwegians went through several symbols of resistance, such as a big, red ball-topped hat, considered sortof cultural here. It became illegal to performatively move away from a bus-seat, if a German soldier sat down next to you. Finally, the small, discrete pin became like a secret wink, something German troops were unlikely to spot. As a teen, I sometimes saw the pin reoccur amongst punk-anarchy types, re-using old symbols of resistance.

Totally digging your channel man. It's great to hear a calm and rational voice that can put forth strong arguments and acknowledge his own blindspots.

Love this channel, agree with most everything, etc. BUT. Here's my concern. This is a very common take - black squares are dumb, safety pins are dumb, T1J likes the big black lives matter street murals but others think they're dumb and performative, and so on. This all feels like the kind of purity testing that is unique to the left. If someone claims to be an ally, IMO the correct response is: "Good to hear! Here are some candidates that you should vote for and charities to donate money to. Glad you have you with us, we need your help!" Instead it's always: "you're doing it wrong. The black square is dumb. If you really were an ally you'd spend the time to learn how to be an ally in a better way. You should feel bad." The right doesn't do this kind of thing. They know that the game is power, and every warm body that they can get they'll keep. This moment is an opportunity. Why waste a second of it berating people when all they're trying to do is show that they want to take part in the movement. Maybe in a clumsy or half-hearted way, but so what? The game is power, and this all reminds me that we're shockingly bad at it.

@sjoerdmanshanden5162

3 жыл бұрын

The right is considered to be conservative which amounts to wanting to preserve the status quo or restoring the old status quo. So they generally dont want to challenge eachother like the left does, who want to try new things. They have a set of guidelines and it shouldnt be deviated from too much. They have a frame of reference. They know what they basically want, because its pretty much what it is now or what it used to be like. MAGA translates to make it like it was 30 years ago. Leftists on the other want to try something almost completely new. They want M4A, UBI, Justice Reform, reparations or a green new deal or at least some less radical versions of that. Noone really knows how that is really going to play out or if it will remotely work out. So they keep tweaking it because its more of a gamble to see where its headed. So thats why I think WHY theres so much purity testing on the left. But that means the left also has to be more forgiving and openminded towards their own if they wish to stand a chance. They need to try harder to empathize and be sooner to forgive. The downside of that is that the left could seem soft and wishy-washy to people sitting on the fence. Its a difficult thing to balance

I understand the criticism is valid. But on blackout Tuesday, I saw some black friends and loved ones express surprise and joy at seeing the black squares. They didn't expect people to do even a symbolic gesture. It was a moment to listen that day. And I am sad to see people that had positive experiences feel shamed afterwards. To me, if my black square was received positively by the black people I care about, that's much more important than the criticism from influencers I don't personally know who think I'm virtue signaling. So I don't regret it and I won't delete it, but I am doing my best to put action behind my symbolic gestures. IDK, being white I feel unqualified to even express this opinion, but there were positive experiences from it that I think are valid.

Your videos are like a breath of fresh air!

Thank you for explaining this clearly and in-depth! Everything you say makes so much sense and it helps me grapple with the complexities of this issue! I want to help in any way I can

Re PopTarts: I'm so confused when I see social rights being treated like a "cool trend." Like capitalism utilizing these issues as a way to be "on trend" with their brand (Coffee break did a video on "Woke Advertising"). Because I love to see social rights being "normalized" but seeing it being exploited for money disgusts me.

Very thankful I've found your channel.

Everyone on social media needs to watch this video, including KZreadrs. Thanks T1J, your message is very much needed.

I actually did have informative conversations online that day, learned the different experiences we all had in our mixed high school. Actually was informative to me

Hello. Could NOT stop staring at the Booty-O's poster in the back. Great video. Loved the message. Made me really think. But you got me at Booty-O's

Great video, thank you for sharing your perspective.

Thank you for the videos, they are very useful to pretty much everyone trying to understand what is going on.

One thing that symbolic gestures do is convince marketing teams to make changes. Some were kinda goofy like replacing voice actors and stuff, but some were important, like making sure more BIPOCs are hired for jobs. Marketers always always always follow trends (I used to work in marketing, kinda) and so to make a movement trend, especially when nothing else is going on, is a very powerful move.

Can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your videos. Thank you for carving time out of your life to educate us.

I was one of the artists that contributed to the murals is downtown Oakland. Initially, my two friends and I went to help clean up after the damage created by the looting. When we arrived, they said other volunteers had already done most of the cleaning. They suggested we talk with the mural crew so we headed over there. I had brought along some brushes and cleaning supplies specifically for the muralists, so I was headed that way anyways. The organizers were really nice folks. Everyone was in a good mood and focused on contributing something positive to the community. After several days of sheltering in place and watching the news, it felt really good to be out doing something physical and not just sitting at home looking at blacked out squares in facebook and instagram. After seeing the looting in the news, I had donated money online to black business owners in the area but I really felt the need to be doing something more. There were people of all races, ages and art experience levels working on the boards, listening to music and generally having a good time. While we were working on a board, multiple people that live and/or work in the downtown area came up to us and thanked us personally for making the art. We were also asked to pose for pictures. It turned out that a few of these people worked for the media because my friend was featured in at least two local newspapers standing in front of the artwork a day or two later. She normally does artwork with themes related to race issues, so I think this was an inspiring and encouraging experience for her. The Oakland Museum has also announced that they intend to keep some of the art and possibly display it once it is no longer needed in that area. A peaceful protest also occurred in the downtown area on the same day so I took some short video of that, as well as pictures of some of the murals and posted those on social media for people to see - people that were not able to go there themselves for one reason or another. Some of the commenters expressed genuine relief that the area had been cleaned up because we all care about Oakland, the culture and the people there and it was disturbing to see what had happened during the looting. All in all, I would say that the art murals and volunteer clean up day was a way for the people to gather together and show their solidarity over an issue that is of primary importance to that community,. And oh yeah, the art looked pretty good too.

It takes no effort, and just makes the person feel good, and confirm that they aren't part of the problem. It is lazy and doesn't help solve the issues at hand. Getting out on protest, talking to people in real life, donating, boycotting, and putting pressure on politicians are how changes come about. I'm an old school activist, this new trendy online activism just seems a great way for people to justify their inaction. Just reminds me of the old saying: actions speak louder than words! Your points are very well thought out and nice to hear how you strive to take what looks to be a balanced stance. You've got yourself a new subscriber.

(I loved the follow me sound, so am following) Saludos desde Chile!

Dude you have such a great way of speaking - I would totally listen to a podcast if you had one :)

thank u for making this video. it's really well done and covers the topic of performative activism w an incredible amt of patience, and i'll definitely be recommending it to ppl ❤️ i just want to expand on the topic a little more, if that's alright. speaking as a nonblack woc, i think it's important that we (nonblack poc) learn how to reconcile our identities as marginalized ppl who do experience, to varying degrees, white supremacy and violence w the fact that the Black community has consistently been the recipients of the worst of it. i've been seeing over and over again Black ppl specifically asking nonblack poc to take a step back and understand this, and over and over again we keep responding w the same bullshit that acts like we're all in the same boat. we're not. not all of us are being actively killed and targeted, it's just a fact. ur video addressed white ppl more specifically, and obviously white ppl do need to learn this discomfort more than anyone, 100% agree, but i think nonblack poc need to learn to hold that discomfort to a degree, too. we need to learn to hold the discomfort of knowing that we are often complicit in the suffering of our Black brothers and sisters while also holding the regular discomfort of being minorities in the west, and it's a tough balancing act, one that i will not claim to have mastered by any stretch, but the only way to start is by recognizing it. basically: there is no liberation w/o Black liberation, no power to the ppl w/o power to Black ppl. there is no freedom at the expense of other ppl, and we, as nonblack poc, need to constantly keep that in mind as we fight for our own rights. love and solidarity always.

I definitely agree with this video, and that allies need to do more than just post black squares, and actually do things. I do think that the helpful part of black squares was that everytime I just randomly opened up Instagram to pass the time, I saw the black squares. I ended up thinking alot more about the movement that day than normal, and I hope it had a similar effect for those who were maybe more on the fence.

ive been guilty of this to some extent, both profile pics and black squares. the profile pic is just a return to the pride one, but with an added blm banner, which i want to keep. the black square i posted very early in the day, after seeing ppl i saw as more informed than me and looked into it and thought it made sense. of course my fb and insta are private, but both actually lead to questions from my followers, who then posted and spread blm posts. which isn't much, but it's a start. as for me this made me more aware of the performative aspect, and ive become more aware. ive donated what i can, signed all the petitions ive found, spread information and support, and demonstrated the few places ive been able. i call out racism and i try to ally consciously, but it's a process, and it's a life long one. thank you for your perspective, ive learned a lot from you, and i continue to do so.

Hey lovely nice to see you on my home screen. Blessings on you and your loved ones

thank you for this video!! so so so important!

Great vid. Many people online see brands being performative, and direct their frustration at this towards progressives in general. A concice, relatable explanation of what performative allyship is, and why we don't like it either, is valuable af in debunking this "rainbow-capitalism" image.

I know this is old for you, but this was timely for me. Thanks!

When I first heard about the safety pin thing, it was supposed to show support for gay and trans people. Almost immediately after I heard about it, the clothing warehouse where I was working was shipping out overpriced jackets and sweaters with "fancy" safety pins already attached. Of course, when I was a kid, safety pins just meant "punk." It was a way of showing a rejection of fashion by keeping makeshift clothing together in the cheapest way possible. And almost immediately, high-end stores started selling overpriced "punk" clothing with fashionable safety pins.

The art and murals also have the benefit of being a permanent reminder of what's happening, stopping it from being part of the 5 minutes flash of media. In line with your message of people are complicated we don't like to focus on uncomfortable things for long, so the art is a reminder of the discomfort and I hope encourages conversation and progress towards better world for everybody

I'm late, so you'll probably never see this, but I really appreciated what you said about cis people putting their pronouns in their bios. I'm trans, and it's great to see other people doing that, for exactly the reason you said--it makes me feel safer. Also, totally get what you briefly mentioned about how "blackouttuesday" clogged up the blacklivesmatter hashtag. I feel like that happens so much. If you go on a lot of lgbtq hashtags, you'll just find selfies and fan accounts saying things like "I think this tv character is non-binary" and it's sooooo annnoooyyyiiinnngggg. Love what you said about art, too. I think there's also something to be said about the commissioned art pieces in front of government buildings, though. In my city, they commissioned work like that in front of many buildings where the protests were, in order to discourage vandalism. So the intent can definitely matter too. Thanks for a great video! I subbed :)

Great video. To all my fellow melanin challenged brothers and sisters, acknowledging and acting on the *systemic* issues is the most good we can do as allies. Yes, personal choices and responsibility is important, but it doesn't change laws (written and unwritten). Not every white person is comfortable going to rallies and protests. That's fine. Other options include writing to or calling your political representatives... weekly. At the regional/state, national, and local level. Giving money and time to causes that support minorities and their communities. Personal racism being beat is not longer (and never was) enough. It's not enough to say, "I don't laugh at racist jokes, so I'm not a racist." It's time to be *anti-racist* and that requires direct action. In no way is this meant to speak for people of colour. Just if other people of privilege are looking for ways to help, these are the ones that I know and do.

Love the 4th edition Faerun map on the wall!

The podcast Reply All did a episode recently that touches on this topic. It was about white people sending small amounts of money to black people they know. It's more than worth to listen.

I rarely view KZread channel recommendations. Can't seem to figure me out. Pretty sure they think I'm a middle aged white man who golfs. But DAMN, so glad I viewed THIS recommendation. You're thoughtful & thought filled. WIN-WIN!

Great video! I agreed with every part except the end. It seems to me like you're saying that the path to anti-racist action for white people is to be made uncomfortable thinking about white supremacy and how they reap the benefits of it. My problem with this is it's essentially shaming white people and it's been pretty well proven that shame isn't a good motivator. Fat shaming is really bad at making people thinner for example. In addition, you can both be uncomfortable about white supremacy and have the extent of your activism be posting a black square on instagram. And even if shame did work, it's not realistic to expect enough people to devote their emotional energy toward shaming themselves for anything to come of it. People just can't focus that long on the horrors of society, they're paralyzing and if they feel implicated, even more so. So the pitch to white people is that they'll have to take it on the chin but they can help black people. If you're comfortably middle class and can take the hit, that might work (although historically the middle class is not very willing to give up anything materially). But if you're poor, you need every advantage you can get and that framework posits that racism is in their material interest. In a time when quality of life is degrading rapidly, if racism is the thing keeping you alive, it makes sense to support it. (I'm not saying that this is morally good, I think it isn't, but morality is a fluid thing and history suggests that it's very easy for humans to convince themselves that immoral acts are righteous so whether or not you want them to, people will do that) However, what might be a better motivator is the pitch that both black and white people suffer under the same system of oppression and so dismantling it is in both of their interests. White people need black people so helping them is in white people's best interests. My point is that the individual morality of the issue is unimportant because you can't control that, material conditions are what matter, so framing them in a way that is motivating for your cause will be a better strategy then trying to convince each person that they morally must do what's right. The point should be getting the best outcome. I'm not saying that the ends necessarily justify the means, just that none of this matters if the means don't lead to the end in the first place. tl;dr - white people are more likely to do real anti-racist action if they believe that it will benefit them than if they're made uncomfortable about the benefits they receive from white supremacy I would recommend you read the whole post if you get mad at that, It's hard for me to put this succinctly so I might have addressed your concern above.

@sjoerdmanshanden5162

3 жыл бұрын

After reading your text a great quote I once read from a teacher giving advice to a pupil comes to mind: "You dont have to save the world, if you just focus on saving yourself that can be enough." Ive forgotten the exact quote, but the jist of it that life can be hard and you shouldnt be to hard on yourself. Maybe we should just be mindfull of how we balance ourselves in feeling anxious and complacent. You shouldnt overthink things to the point where you feel lost in anxiety all the time. But some anxiety can be good. Similar to how boredom can be good.

Excellent video brotha. 😎

Saw some of the twitter profiles were D&D personalities and checked to see that you're into D&D on your twitter. Would love to see D&D content from you sometime, be it actual play, ideas for character or encounter creation, homebrew, lore, whatever. There's also recently been a lot of discussion about black voices in the community and how the game can move forward with regards to certain mechanics and depictions (like orcs having a negative intelligence modifier, drow being evil-aligned by default, colonial and orientalist depictions of certain non-European inspired places). Would love to hear your takes on those topics too.

Yay long video I’m proud

great video!

You're great T1J thank you for doing this important work

the poptarts bit killed me

Claro como el agua. Gracias.

I like this channel. The topics often make me feel defensive and uncomfortable, and I've realized over the past several months that that is something I need a little more of. It's always been difficult for me to finish videos like this for reasons that I won't go into here, but I'm learning to listen differently. And it's working.

I'm so happy you're getting the recognition you deserve.

I totally agree with this video and the sentiment that we have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable is so well put. However, I often experience debate being shot down and undermined when trying to argue for black rights. My parents will both say the N-word, and when I tell them that they really shouldn't because they are both very white they respond with ignorant things such as "Oh come on it's me, you know I'm not racist", and when I try to explain that that really doesn't matter they begin responding with things like "You're being offended on behalf of a group of people you aren't even a part of". My mom has also on multiple occasions tried to argue that "Black Lives Matter" is bad because it doesn't encompass all the people in the world who are suffering and need help, advocating for the use of "All Lives Matter" as it makes it clear that multiple ethnic, sexual and otherwise minorities or groups of people need help (which shows a clear lack of understanding about the origins of "All Lives Matter", which was meant to remove attention from the BLM movement). I know this is bad, but I have for the most part kinda given up on convincing them otherwise because they are so wildly ignorant on these topics. How can I start a debate on these topics without them being shot down? I really want to change their minds on this, but their understanding of black issues are clearly so basic that it borderline becomes impossible to structure proper debate. I have also tried to educate them on the issues, telling them to listen to black voices, read articles, consume black art, and watch documentaries about race issues, but they clearly don't care enough to actually put in the effort, because you know "We aren't racist".

I'm on a binge watch of your videos... but I gotta say, the reason I know these commentaries are so good are they all make me feel a little bit uncomfortable... and that's when you know you're not in an echo chamber, but in a place you can learn. Thanks.