Is anyone listening?

[Regina]

Even if people are listening, it doesn't mean that they can understand. As Brian said, we all have our biases and our points of view. People from different cultures view things differently and may not pick up on key details that you mean to convey. You may likewise be just as deaf to them as they are to you.

I hate the word "culture". It is no less superfluous than the words "religion", "nationality","political view" "economic view" and even "race".

It isn't a denial that conflicts exist based on those things, they do and should not be ignored.

I would also add, conflict exists within these so-called "cultures".

Within any culture there is immense variety of viewpoints, personalities, degrees if religiosity and nationalist sentiment. For example, what is often packaged in the West as "Islamic culture" is actually a far-Right regressive political movement that tramples over people, even those who identify as Muslim, who disagree with the draconian nature of it. 

Using the word "culture" homogenises people and sets up a competition to see who can be the most authentic, sometimes with horrible consequences. It also stands in the way of progress, because it defends awful backwards ideas under the assumption that "the culture" (used in the context as a synonym for "the people") want it.

[Edwardo Piet]

The problem is not free speech.

I am free to state anything I want.

The problem derives from whom is or is not listening or paying attention.

There are two great ironies here.

The great irony that the presence of your own inability to pay attention to the fact that people are paying attention and that the fact that they disagree with your logic when it's invalid doesn't mean they're not paying attention.

And the great irony that you conclude with the non-sequitur that people aren't paying attention when you commit non-sequiturs like that simply because your brain fails to pay attention to proper lines of logic.

[vorlon13]

Here we go again.

did you know there is a SCOTUS decision that does not extend the first amendment to subliminal communication ?


so much for standing on your soapbox on a street corner and whispering . . . .