Education is seriously overrated. Being educated is at least as dangerous as being uneducated, and I would argue it is even more dangerous when it comes to cultural interpretive authority.
A major misconception, which apparently is culturally unquestioned, is that wisdom increases linearly with the quantity of knowledge. There is actually zero benefit to reading a large number of books or scientific publications.
Intuition beats "knowledge". It's that simple. You know the phrase "it's not that deep"? Well it's really not that deep. Because it's the childlike nature within us that lets us discover new things and expand our understanding of the world.
People like Newton, Darwin and Einstein didn't turn the world upside down by reading a lot. They did it by simply asking "what if?". Their conception of the world required absolutely no knowledge of their respective fields of expertise. Insight requires nothing more than intuition.
Knowledge is an instrument of power. The system dictates what counts as a "fact" and what *must* be accepted as such. To engage in this game for one's own political interests is either doomed to fail or its success was part of the plan from the very beginning.
When I'm confronted with the horrendous lies about MAPs and the legitimizing narratives that are responsible for the oppression of youth, I don't care how it's actually "factually incorrect", because it was never about "facts". It's about the power to define the narrative.
Truth requires no complex elaboration in form of countless repetitions. The truth does not need to explain itself at all. Because the truth is more beautiful than any lie could ever be. It just needs concrete action for it to unfold in the world.
@racyturtle "When I'm confronted with the horrendous lies about MAPs and the legitimizing narratives that are responsible for the oppression of youth, I don't care how it's actually "factually incorrect", because it was never about "facts". It's about the power to define the narrative. "
This has always been a shoving match between us and the great bovine mass of normies. Just as you say, racy, this is and always has been about power.
This is why I've learned about the markets and taught myself the heretical stuff I know about trading, investing, and finance. I know that money, if spent wisely, will help us build power because, holleeee shit, we need it.
@GavinPrynne I really like that you think of the financial aspect since I feel like most in the community don't realize that having power in form of capital is essential in this system to be able to truly represent one's own interests. Activism is all well and good, but if you ask me about the true reason why LGBTQ is normalized nowadays I'd say it's mainly due to the multi-billion dollar funding provided over the past few decades.
@racyturtle Being concerned with money or talking about money in any way that isn't about how one would never take it that seriously is a big no-no in left-leaning circles as I'm sure I don't have to tell you. :)
But rights, as any serious historian will tell you, were always fought for, won, and maintained (to whatever extent) by the vigilance of the motivated. Rights have never really been rights, despite the enlightenment rhetoric. They have always been concessions by power. Almost always under coercive duress.
Right up to the moment the sword is drawn, it's money that makes all this happen. If we don't wanna use the sword (and for MAPWorld, the sword is most definitely NOT an option) then money will be our path much more than anything else will.
We need offline community. We need high-profile platforms to speak truth to the world where the world can't silence us. We need protection. We need the ability to pursue redress when we are injured. All of these things cost.
They cost (shrugs)...some of them cost a lot. We have to start somewhere. Who's going to start? I can't be the only one although currently, I know of only one other person (in a different "province" of MAPWorld who thinks anything like me.)
@GavinPrynne @racyturtle If a wealthy young (or even old) map came out and they were an ethical map I would be so happy, I wouldn't even care who they were or where they were from, all my bigotry would evaporate in that circumstance. I hope a rich weirdo country royal comes out one day and uses his super money to make people stop mistreating maps.
@Jazzy_Butts @GavinPrynne I really relate to this.