Nobody has been ‘left on read’ more times than me. I’m in the inbox of a hundred people who hate me, asking to talk and understand one another, and almost none of them reply. Why not? If I am so wrong in what I say, so deplorable and ignorant, then what better way to show this than to humiliate me in a live debate? Imagine my face when the wheels finally fall off @thetinmen, and I’m left grovelling at your feet, as you punch the air in victory. I’d never recover. Imagine changing my mind? Do you not vanquish your foes by making them your friends? I hear that these people ‘have better things to do with their time’. Perhaps posting sassy memes or tweeting yourself senseless constitutes as ‘better things’, but to me, nothing is more important than setting an example. Setting an example to my followers, and to yours, of how to have a productive discussion with someone who fundamentally doesn’t agree with me, or like me. Trying to find common ground is something I will always make time for. Because in a world more politically divided than ever; where everyone shouts from roof tops, and nobody sits down to talk, is there anything more desperately needed right now? Until the time to talk arrives, I will not respond to hate with hate, I will not post call outs, or doxx people, as have been done to me. I will not respond to being ostracised, through ostracisation, I will respond with words, ideas and facts. Yes. Too many social media influencers have sealed themselves into their own thick bubble of safety, of validation, and comfort, away from scrutiny, accountability and truth. Too many pat themselves on the back with virtuous ideas, that sound good but mean little, and often steamroller the difficult nuance of detailed discourse. A giant self-congratulatory circle wank has emerged, inward facing and fragile; unable to listen, and unwilling to accept any fault, foible or flaw. So to you, that quiet voice that whispers: ‘maybe I’m not hero of the story after all’, please listen to it, if not for my benefit, then for you own. Can we do better than this? ~ Images by Jason Leung, Mathias Reding, Angshu Purkait, Dev Asangbam + Gradienta.
2023-02-22