To see is to change.
Jun. 4th, 2007 12:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pandora_parrotInspired by a conversation from here, but it applies to so many many things like gender, sexuality, human rights, personal habits, how we choose chocolate vs. vanilla ice cream, etc. etc.
To truly look deep into something. To question it and really LOOK at it. It takes courage, grace and tact. Especially when they are certain "taboo" subjects.
You're looking into things that people prefer not to be seen. They don't want to see. And by you seeing, they are forced to look. They have to consider the possibility that they are *wrong.* That they have caused pain. That they are lying to themself about who they are.
That hurts them and terrifies them, so they lash out at you. Because you are the "source" of their pain. It's not about being right or wrong. It's about *LOOKING* somewhere you're "not supposed to." It's about asking the questions, not giving the answers.
To see is to guide others to sight.
Learn how to do that gently, and you will change the world.
And you'll also learn a fuck of a lot of awesome things about it.
You'll change time and again. You'll discover that you're wrong about nearly everything you believe. And you'll grow.
Clarification:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ophidios called me on the bias inherent in my original language on this topic, quite rightfully so. This entry was, in part, an attempt to make sure that the point was understood. "Looking" at something basically means to question it. I'm pointing out how important it is to constantly question and check and watch who you are. I'm pointing out how questioning yourself leads others to question themselves, and how that can be a scary thing for some people. Walking any path changes those around you. The more visible your path is, the more it changes others. A path that is "taboo" or well reasoned will affect people in very strong ways. Learning how to control that can affect positive change in the world.
At least, that's my opinion. I believe that any time you cause someone else to think harder about what they do, you've done a good thing, even if you've strengthened their resolve in opposing you. For example, although I base a lot of my animal rights theory on Peter Singer's Animal Liberation, I'd say that the majority of my feelings on the matter stem from conversations I had with anti-animal-rights-activists on USENET. I learn the most through opposition, introspection, and questioning. And I keep learning, all the time. I keep finding out where I'm broken. What I'm hiding from. What I'm trying to avoid learning. And I try to turn the spotlight right onto that. If I feel uncomfortable about a topic, I FOCUS on it.
And I get the most out of when other people do this to themselves, and I learn from them.
That's the point of this post. :-D
To truly look deep into something. To question it and really LOOK at it. It takes courage, grace and tact. Especially when they are certain "taboo" subjects.
You're looking into things that people prefer not to be seen. They don't want to see. And by you seeing, they are forced to look. They have to consider the possibility that they are *wrong.* That they have caused pain. That they are lying to themself about who they are.
That hurts them and terrifies them, so they lash out at you. Because you are the "source" of their pain. It's not about being right or wrong. It's about *LOOKING* somewhere you're "not supposed to." It's about asking the questions, not giving the answers.
To see is to guide others to sight.
Learn how to do that gently, and you will change the world.
And you'll also learn a fuck of a lot of awesome things about it.
You'll change time and again. You'll discover that you're wrong about nearly everything you believe. And you'll grow.
Clarification:
ophidios called me on the bias inherent in my original language on this topic, quite rightfully so. This entry was, in part, an attempt to make sure that the point was understood. "Looking" at something basically means to question it. I'm pointing out how important it is to constantly question and check and watch who you are. I'm pointing out how questioning yourself leads others to question themselves, and how that can be a scary thing for some people. Walking any path changes those around you. The more visible your path is, the more it changes others. A path that is "taboo" or well reasoned will affect people in very strong ways. Learning how to control that can affect positive change in the world. At least, that's my opinion. I believe that any time you cause someone else to think harder about what they do, you've done a good thing, even if you've strengthened their resolve in opposing you. For example, although I base a lot of my animal rights theory on Peter Singer's Animal Liberation, I'd say that the majority of my feelings on the matter stem from conversations I had with anti-animal-rights-activists on USENET. I learn the most through opposition, introspection, and questioning. And I keep learning, all the time. I keep finding out where I'm broken. What I'm hiding from. What I'm trying to avoid learning. And I try to turn the spotlight right onto that. If I feel uncomfortable about a topic, I FOCUS on it.
And I get the most out of when other people do this to themselves, and I learn from them.
That's the point of this post. :-D
