I hear you, Mud. Click bait just offends me immensely as a writer. Corruption of communication trickles through everything, even relationships.
I think I'm kind of in-between on the issue of collective vs individual responsibility. I agree with you that each person is responsible in the most
direct sense for their own behavior and not for anyone else's. In a kind of legalistic way, all our hands are clean if we're not directly participating
in abuse, or belittlement or blaming of victims, or minimization of harm. But I think hyper-individualism can morph into one way to justify not truly
imagining the weight another walks under.
I also believe I share in a collective moral responsibility that I choose to accept or at least recognize. I don't always manage to do it, or do it consistently.
But my own concept of morality does include speaking up as often as I can when I hear or witness injustice. Sometimes, though, I'm too tired. Too depressed
by how ubiquitous it all is. Too overwhelmed by 65 years of wishing the world/systems/assumptions weren't sexist or racist in such massive part, for example,
despite notable and wonderful and I hope growing exceptions.
Or I feel hamstrung by an imbalance of power (do I challenge my boss every time he manipulates or exploits people or says sexist things, when I know he'll harm
me intentionally as a result?). No, I don't. But so much bullying and devaluing happens out of sight, in the dark...it's easier on us to not face it the way someone
on the front lines of the devastating damage does.
I'm too cowardly to speak always, act always, defend those who deserve defending always, guide or try to correct the nastiness of others always. I've got enough of
my own nastiness to focus on.
But I do believe in collective moral responsibility. I think the combination of empathy plus courage is what brave people need to create change. One without the
other doesn't do much good.
love to you,
Hops
