Meghan, have enjoyed what Ben has said on your show and your weekend thing.
I studied to be a psychologist and then spent my 20’s and 30’s as an activist and politician (I cut off my ponytail to win a city council seat and author the first Living Wage ordinance in NC—only the 3rd one in the country).
Unexpectedly my studies in psychology helped me turn enemies into allies and turn certain defeats into landslide victories.
Most people aren’t the rational machines they believe they are. Almost everyone—present company excepted—is a shitshow of family-of-origin issues and unaddressed insecurities--and now I know—scrupulosities.
I learned that most people feel like no one is really listening to them. So when I needed someone’s backing—who generally opposed my proposals— I would turn on my “I’m really listening to you without interruption” persona and after about 45 minutes of their boring monologue/download about their put-upon life, they would get up to leave and then say, “I’ll vote for your proposal” even though I hadn’t given them my pitch.
Bottom line, even the social justice warriors who think they deserve a trophy for how much they “care” are really mostly emotional adolescents who want to be seen as the hero of whichever shiny narrative has captured their attention this month.
Even when they have no earthly idea how to deliver a real victory for actual humans.
Ben’s reference to judgmental cults was especially helpful in seeing how this stuff has metastasized.
Ordered his book and looking forward to reading it.
Ben could probably have a brilliant conversation going off about all this with Lauren Hough, who wrote humorous and fun to read Leaving isn’t the hardest part (a 2021 collection of personal essays by Lauren Hough that explores her life growing up in the Children of God cult and her experiences as a lesbian in the U.S. Air Force) which was removed from contention for a Lambda Literary Award after Hough defended a novel online whose author was accused of being a transphobe.
I relate to this too much to get into detail, but went through a similar journey as an activist against GMOs that led to me standing against the Covid vax... the reaction of life long friends, the judgement, ect... the phrase I got and continue to get is "who radicalized you?"
I try not to be offended, but if I did allow myself to be offended, it would be that friends who have known me for decades think I was suddenly radicalized by some external force instead of understanding that I've always stood up for what I think and feel internally.
As one might logically figure - based on my anti-pharma stance on other issues - it extends to the reproductive rights of youth as it's obvious to me that the "right" has long been attacking fertility... but, that's pretty radical thinking! I haven't been as outspoken around youth fertility rights, but I have been pleasantly surprised to find allies in 90s wave feminists.
I just wanna put on the record that I made this comment before Megan asked the question about the "pharma conspiracy." lol
Also, to reiterate what I said above, I think (as most things do) motivation goes beyond capitalism (more accurately "subsidized capitalism") and money making. For real, the gender conspiracy to offer sex changes to youth is to keep (poor uneducated especially) people from breeding. Money talks, of course. It took me a long time to truly believe there was some crazy eugenics conspiracy, but after 20+ years immersed in the business/farming/medical practices of pharma/food companies and learning the history of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, I believe it. Its complicated by also believe (duh) women absolutely have the right to abort a pregnancy... For now, my belief resides in the need for women (and men) to be education on sexuality, pregnancy and our bodies... and not having faith in the state to "care" for us.
That said, Ben is correct about a lot of things: that its a culmination of things and also, I'd love for him to expand on the idea around being a "voting block." I think the agenda pushing is largely exploited for voting blocks... not sure what conspiracy is the correct explanation as to why, but def being a politician and playing inclusivity vs. exclusion has been a winning play for those "actors too ugly for Hollywood."
Its also been a great play to keep people's faith in "the state."
Wow, ,just read this reference in one of Ben’s essays on his website thing which sums up a lot of the present revolutionary cosplay:
"Writing for The Advocate, the gay writer Bruce Bawer responded that he and so many others are “impatient with models of activism that involve playing at revolution instead of focusing on the serious work of reform.”
I remember what is was like walking into a women’s studies class which I purposefully signed up for when I got back into school after my first nightmare encounter with an actual woman. It was striking how un-academic it was relative to anything else I’d ever been in, just this unhinged ranting that has now become a normal tone. And I remember the feeling of having to put together a paper for that class, know that the narrative flow was that you had to make it about how women had it tough somehow. Which in the subject area I had chosen, they do not. That clenching, physically uncomfortable feeling you get when you’re doing this is the initial definition of the term “cognitive dissonance”. An aversive sensation you get when your behavior and thoughts are in contradiction.
Always love your guests and ideas. Interesting you say the Big pharma aspect is conspiracy. I mentioned Jennifer Bilek at the retreat in Denver and you mostly dismissed it, but have you read her, watched her videos? She followed the money. What about Martine Rothblatt and her book from gender to transhumanism? What about Striker medical? It does not read as conspiracy to me.
His book came a few minutes ago via Amazon. Looks like a personal and analytical work into gender "medicine", just from an overview. Extremely substantial...............
Meghan, have enjoyed what Ben has said on your show and your weekend thing.
I studied to be a psychologist and then spent my 20’s and 30’s as an activist and politician (I cut off my ponytail to win a city council seat and author the first Living Wage ordinance in NC—only the 3rd one in the country).
Unexpectedly my studies in psychology helped me turn enemies into allies and turn certain defeats into landslide victories.
Most people aren’t the rational machines they believe they are. Almost everyone—present company excepted—is a shitshow of family-of-origin issues and unaddressed insecurities--and now I know—scrupulosities.
I learned that most people feel like no one is really listening to them. So when I needed someone’s backing—who generally opposed my proposals— I would turn on my “I’m really listening to you without interruption” persona and after about 45 minutes of their boring monologue/download about their put-upon life, they would get up to leave and then say, “I’ll vote for your proposal” even though I hadn’t given them my pitch.
Bottom line, even the social justice warriors who think they deserve a trophy for how much they “care” are really mostly emotional adolescents who want to be seen as the hero of whichever shiny narrative has captured their attention this month.
Even when they have no earthly idea how to deliver a real victory for actual humans.
Ben’s reference to judgmental cults was especially helpful in seeing how this stuff has metastasized.
Ordered his book and looking forward to reading it.
Ben could probably have a brilliant conversation going off about all this with Lauren Hough, who wrote humorous and fun to read Leaving isn’t the hardest part (a 2021 collection of personal essays by Lauren Hough that explores her life growing up in the Children of God cult and her experiences as a lesbian in the U.S. Air Force) which was removed from contention for a Lambda Literary Award after Hough defended a novel online whose author was accused of being a transphobe.
Ben - you rock! Excited to read your book.
I relate to this too much to get into detail, but went through a similar journey as an activist against GMOs that led to me standing against the Covid vax... the reaction of life long friends, the judgement, ect... the phrase I got and continue to get is "who radicalized you?"
I try not to be offended, but if I did allow myself to be offended, it would be that friends who have known me for decades think I was suddenly radicalized by some external force instead of understanding that I've always stood up for what I think and feel internally.
As one might logically figure - based on my anti-pharma stance on other issues - it extends to the reproductive rights of youth as it's obvious to me that the "right" has long been attacking fertility... but, that's pretty radical thinking! I haven't been as outspoken around youth fertility rights, but I have been pleasantly surprised to find allies in 90s wave feminists.
I just wanna put on the record that I made this comment before Megan asked the question about the "pharma conspiracy." lol
Also, to reiterate what I said above, I think (as most things do) motivation goes beyond capitalism (more accurately "subsidized capitalism") and money making. For real, the gender conspiracy to offer sex changes to youth is to keep (poor uneducated especially) people from breeding. Money talks, of course. It took me a long time to truly believe there was some crazy eugenics conspiracy, but after 20+ years immersed in the business/farming/medical practices of pharma/food companies and learning the history of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, I believe it. Its complicated by also believe (duh) women absolutely have the right to abort a pregnancy... For now, my belief resides in the need for women (and men) to be education on sexuality, pregnancy and our bodies... and not having faith in the state to "care" for us.
That said, Ben is correct about a lot of things: that its a culmination of things and also, I'd love for him to expand on the idea around being a "voting block." I think the agenda pushing is largely exploited for voting blocks... not sure what conspiracy is the correct explanation as to why, but def being a politician and playing inclusivity vs. exclusion has been a winning play for those "actors too ugly for Hollywood."
Its also been a great play to keep people's faith in "the state."
whoops. meant to say the "left" has long been attacking fertility... funny how much I mix up right and left these days.
Wow, ,just read this reference in one of Ben’s essays on his website thing which sums up a lot of the present revolutionary cosplay:
"Writing for The Advocate, the gay writer Bruce Bawer responded that he and so many others are “impatient with models of activism that involve playing at revolution instead of focusing on the serious work of reform.”
I remember what is was like walking into a women’s studies class which I purposefully signed up for when I got back into school after my first nightmare encounter with an actual woman. It was striking how un-academic it was relative to anything else I’d ever been in, just this unhinged ranting that has now become a normal tone. And I remember the feeling of having to put together a paper for that class, know that the narrative flow was that you had to make it about how women had it tough somehow. Which in the subject area I had chosen, they do not. That clenching, physically uncomfortable feeling you get when you’re doing this is the initial definition of the term “cognitive dissonance”. An aversive sensation you get when your behavior and thoughts are in contradiction.
Always love your guests and ideas. Interesting you say the Big pharma aspect is conspiracy. I mentioned Jennifer Bilek at the retreat in Denver and you mostly dismissed it, but have you read her, watched her videos? She followed the money. What about Martine Rothblatt and her book from gender to transhumanism? What about Striker medical? It does not read as conspiracy to me.
His book came a few minutes ago via Amazon. Looks like a personal and analytical work into gender "medicine", just from an overview. Extremely substantial...............