small thoughts II: cut-off culture, deep art, online culture clash
In âsmall thoughtsâ posts, Iâm posting a collection of short thoughts and opinions that donât warrant their own post.
I think we took it too far with the advice of âcut everyone offâ and âyou donât owe anyone anythingâ. I remember these were things usually said in spaces where people deal with abusive loved ones, bullying, and low self esteem. They set themselves on fire to keep others warm, they were doormats, they thought they owed people enormous sacrifices and they got taken advantage of. The best advice for them was literally that - cut them off, you donât owe them anything after all that abuse, live life for yourself! But this advice escaped its context and space and I think it did some serious damage to interactions with people who uncritically apply that to themselves. It suddenly seems to mean that everyone who needs something from you is âdead weightâ you need to cut off, and you donât owe anyone basic manners or to align yourself with the rules of a space. You never have to apologize or explain disrespectful behavior and you cannot be held accountable for anything because youâll pull this UNO reverse card that no one can expect anything from you. I think that sucks.
When you expect every work of art you come across to solve a problem or transform your life, it is because you hold yourself to a high standard and either see yourself as the problem solver of your circle or are in survival mode. If everything around you, from books to TV to people all have to be overly profound, serious and wise in your eyes and are otherwise worthless, it is because you search for guidance, growth and stability. If you were secure and not in a state of emergency internally, you could appreciate the silly and frivolous for what it is. Not necessarily a waste of time, but a counter balance. But it makes sense that experiencing fears and uncertainty about your life makes you prioritize focusing on lifesaving information while shunning everything that doesnât directly aid you.
I donât like it when other people make their entertainment everyone elseâs problem. They tend to show up in spaces that are a bad fit for their goals and yell âHellooo, I donât find this funny! Have you forgotten you should dance for eachother and me? I came here from the clown factory expecting a circus and all there is is a library?â This makes sense because of how we got used to using our phones - funny memes, a stream of shitposts, escapism from real life - but I think it is futile to attempt to change a spaceâs culture to be more in line of what these people are fleeing from.
Published 08 Sep, 2024, edited 1Â week, 4Â days ago