Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.
The Motivation of the Divisive
Whenever more than 2 people meet, there is politics and with politics comes the desire of someone to be divisive.
Now, just so we are all on the same page, the definition of "divisive" I am using is the following:
divisive
di·vi·sive
/d?'va?s?v/
–adjective
1. forming or expressing division or distribution.
2. creating dissension or discord.
And to refine the definition further, I am only referring to the term when it is intentional. So, as I believe strawberries are vile, that is not a divisive believe. If I say everyone who likes strawberries is vile, that is a divisive belief.
The distinction is important because the easily offended will claim people are being divisive merely because they hold opinions or participate in actions that the easily offended fear in some way and thus inevitably claim is an attack on them personally or as a group. This is silly, of course, but has been demonstrated as fact many time over. I will be happy to provide references on this point should they be required but will not do so here so as to not cloud the point I am trying to make with tangents I do not define.
I am not a big fan of divisive behavior.
"Really?" I can here the response, "Then why do you act so divisively?"
I do not act divisively. I express my opinion and pursue my actions without the desire to force others to exclude any individual or group. The difference is simple. As an individual I will determine with whom I will interact based on whatever criteria that strikes my fancy. Some folks I will judge are not worth my time. Some folks I will judge are not worth my effort. Some folks I will judge as not worth my time or effort. As long as I do not campaign to others that they should adopt my attitude or opinions then I am not acting divisively.
Individuals may decide that I am mean or uncouth or whatever and then respond to me in a hateful manner and attempt through their posturing and insecurity to get others to be as ineffectually and incorrectly angry but that is no concern of mine. I have learned long ago I can only control what I say, not what others want to hear. I can only control what I do, not what others insist I have done. I can only control my actions and words, not the reactions and feigned offense of others.
So when I am accused of attacking people or acting in a divisive manner when I have stated my opinion I am not concerned with the feelings of those people attacking me. Let's break this down.
I walk into a room and smile at one of the 23 people in the room. One of the 22 people in the room at whom I did not smile gets offended, tells everyone I intentionally did not smile at them, tells them I am a horrible person, and then comes over and slaps me. The people who are weak minded enough to have decided the feigned offended individual has cause all applaud and loudly insist I got what I deserved.
I laugh at the person and mention that I have been slapped harder by better people.
The offended person turns to the other weak minded individuals and says:
"SEE! He's being divisive!"
All the weak minded individuals then clamour that I should be banned from the room.
I laugh at them, mock them, or ignore them, as benefits my desire for entertainment at the moment.
Being a person of strong opinions and having an opinion on everything and a burning belief that people just can't wait to hear it, I often become the focus of others who are certain that, whatever I have done or said, is aimed directly at them. In a perfect world these people would come up to me and ask for verification and I could tell them, "No, I am not talking about you but an action you initiated falls into a class of actions I oppose and I am calling attention to the action." and they would decide weather or not I had a point and either concur, ignore me, or go tell me to pound sand.
Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world and I am accused of being divisive all the time and I have come to accept this as part of my daily life and it no longer bothers me so very much. But when I see this type of thing being directed towards others, it is a hot button for me and I get rather testy. Part of it is that I hate bullies and the other part is that I am tired of all the whining that is in back of such a decision to attack people merely because they have an opinion that is different.
This recently came to mind again as the aftermath of accusations, threats, demands, and statements of intent by a former member of the community who just disappeared one day. This entry is not about that person, it is just this person's actions epitomize the situation I define.
The situation is thus:
Not only "no", not only "hell no", not only "fuck no" but "Fuck no, bitch."
And that's "bitch" in the universally derogatory non-gender specific connotation.
What should happen is the following:
There are many people at Neopoet for whom I do not care either because of interactions I have had with them or the opinions the espouse or how they treat others. I am certain the reverse is true. So what? Welcome to life. Get the fuck over it.
It is not divisive to hold contrary opinions, it is divisive to try to force your opinion on others, even if you have a majority of people clamouring that it is the right opinion. Small note here, opinion is not action. Actions implemented through majority vote is a facet of democratic rule but even if the majority votes to give everyone free strawberries, I should still be entitled to believe strawberries are vile without fear of censure.
And the divisive cannot do that because they are motivated by insecurity. They need other people to tell them they are right by joining in their opinion and judging those who do not hold their opinion as inferior. The saddest part of this is not the divisive person, though a sad representation of all the failures of spirit and character they be. No the saddest part is that other people, through their insecurity, latch onto the trend and demonise those identified as enemies.
"Identified" is an important distinction here because in many cases there exists little difference between the accusers and accused and once the accusation is made it ceases to be about disagreement and is instead about personalities. In this case people who hold affection for either party will mostly mindlessly join a side.
All because of the insecurity of a single person. An insecurity so deep they must tear down others in hope that their own flaws will not be noticed.
So what to do?
Some folks investigate, some folks ignore, and some folks just want to be left alone as soon as possible. I am of the latter disposition and feel justified in doing whatever is required to make this happen as quickly as possible. If this makes me a bad person in the eyes of some folks, well, somehow I will survive. After all, who is really justified in attacking another on the basis of their opinion concerning strawberries?
No doubt someone will decide this blog entry is a personal attack on them. As this is beyond my control it is also beyond my concern.
Now, just so we are all on the same page, the definition of "divisive" I am using is the following:
divisive
di·vi·sive
/d?'va?s?v/
–adjective
1. forming or expressing division or distribution.
2. creating dissension or discord.
And to refine the definition further, I am only referring to the term when it is intentional. So, as I believe strawberries are vile, that is not a divisive believe. If I say everyone who likes strawberries is vile, that is a divisive belief.
The distinction is important because the easily offended will claim people are being divisive merely because they hold opinions or participate in actions that the easily offended fear in some way and thus inevitably claim is an attack on them personally or as a group. This is silly, of course, but has been demonstrated as fact many time over. I will be happy to provide references on this point should they be required but will not do so here so as to not cloud the point I am trying to make with tangents I do not define.
I am not a big fan of divisive behavior.
"Really?" I can here the response, "Then why do you act so divisively?"
I do not act divisively. I express my opinion and pursue my actions without the desire to force others to exclude any individual or group. The difference is simple. As an individual I will determine with whom I will interact based on whatever criteria that strikes my fancy. Some folks I will judge are not worth my time. Some folks I will judge are not worth my effort. Some folks I will judge as not worth my time or effort. As long as I do not campaign to others that they should adopt my attitude or opinions then I am not acting divisively.
Individuals may decide that I am mean or uncouth or whatever and then respond to me in a hateful manner and attempt through their posturing and insecurity to get others to be as ineffectually and incorrectly angry but that is no concern of mine. I have learned long ago I can only control what I say, not what others want to hear. I can only control what I do, not what others insist I have done. I can only control my actions and words, not the reactions and feigned offense of others.
So when I am accused of attacking people or acting in a divisive manner when I have stated my opinion I am not concerned with the feelings of those people attacking me. Let's break this down.
I walk into a room and smile at one of the 23 people in the room. One of the 22 people in the room at whom I did not smile gets offended, tells everyone I intentionally did not smile at them, tells them I am a horrible person, and then comes over and slaps me. The people who are weak minded enough to have decided the feigned offended individual has cause all applaud and loudly insist I got what I deserved.
I laugh at the person and mention that I have been slapped harder by better people.
The offended person turns to the other weak minded individuals and says:
"SEE! He's being divisive!"
All the weak minded individuals then clamour that I should be banned from the room.
I laugh at them, mock them, or ignore them, as benefits my desire for entertainment at the moment.
Being a person of strong opinions and having an opinion on everything and a burning belief that people just can't wait to hear it, I often become the focus of others who are certain that, whatever I have done or said, is aimed directly at them. In a perfect world these people would come up to me and ask for verification and I could tell them, "No, I am not talking about you but an action you initiated falls into a class of actions I oppose and I am calling attention to the action." and they would decide weather or not I had a point and either concur, ignore me, or go tell me to pound sand.
Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world and I am accused of being divisive all the time and I have come to accept this as part of my daily life and it no longer bothers me so very much. But when I see this type of thing being directed towards others, it is a hot button for me and I get rather testy. Part of it is that I hate bullies and the other part is that I am tired of all the whining that is in back of such a decision to attack people merely because they have an opinion that is different.
This recently came to mind again as the aftermath of accusations, threats, demands, and statements of intent by a former member of the community who just disappeared one day. This entry is not about that person, it is just this person's actions epitomize the situation I define.
The situation is thus:
- Person X joins Neopoet
- Person X is hyper-active
- Person X takes a dislike to other members of the community
- Person X claims to have either driven away or caused the suspension of other members
- Weak minded individuals applaud Person X
- Person X decides they will drive me from the community
- The situation is active much longer and is given more serious consideration than it deserves
- Person X decides they will longer be active through individual choice
Not only "no", not only "hell no", not only "fuck no" but "Fuck no, bitch."
And that's "bitch" in the universally derogatory non-gender specific connotation.
What should happen is the following:
- If people are offended by what others post they are welcome to ignore it
There are many people at Neopoet for whom I do not care either because of interactions I have had with them or the opinions the espouse or how they treat others. I am certain the reverse is true. So what? Welcome to life. Get the fuck over it.
It is not divisive to hold contrary opinions, it is divisive to try to force your opinion on others, even if you have a majority of people clamouring that it is the right opinion. Small note here, opinion is not action. Actions implemented through majority vote is a facet of democratic rule but even if the majority votes to give everyone free strawberries, I should still be entitled to believe strawberries are vile without fear of censure.
And the divisive cannot do that because they are motivated by insecurity. They need other people to tell them they are right by joining in their opinion and judging those who do not hold their opinion as inferior. The saddest part of this is not the divisive person, though a sad representation of all the failures of spirit and character they be. No the saddest part is that other people, through their insecurity, latch onto the trend and demonise those identified as enemies.
"Identified" is an important distinction here because in many cases there exists little difference between the accusers and accused and once the accusation is made it ceases to be about disagreement and is instead about personalities. In this case people who hold affection for either party will mostly mindlessly join a side.
All because of the insecurity of a single person. An insecurity so deep they must tear down others in hope that their own flaws will not be noticed.
So what to do?
Some folks investigate, some folks ignore, and some folks just want to be left alone as soon as possible. I am of the latter disposition and feel justified in doing whatever is required to make this happen as quickly as possible. If this makes me a bad person in the eyes of some folks, well, somehow I will survive. After all, who is really justified in attacking another on the basis of their opinion concerning strawberries?
No doubt someone will decide this blog entry is a personal attack on them. As this is beyond my control it is also beyond my concern.