The differences that separate and unite us.

[Whateverist]

I wonder if there is anyone on these forums who doesn't sometimes feel stereotyped by one of their demographics or another. I imagine every theist here feels dismissed or at least not fully and fairly appreciated at least some of the time.  The same is probably true for homosexuals, transexuals and asexuals.  Race of course can have that effect, as can differences in physical and mental capacity.  Women must feel that whenever discussions about what to do about their uterus start up again.  Conservatards would probably feel this way too if they had feelings .  Gun nutters probably feel terribly misunderstood.

For me, more and more, I feel age to be the thing that gets me sorted into a particular box.  Funny how that works.  Because with any luck all of us here will get to experience being older.  But it is a oneway mirror.  When you get older, you still remember the way older people felt different when you were younger.  But you don't feel much different from the inside.  I suspect that must be the case across the other demographics too, except we won't all inevitably transition through being female, black, homosexual or liberal just by virtue of not dying.

[brewer]

Silly old coots need to keep their thoughts to themselves.

And, Get Off My LAWN. 

Seriously, I look at some of the behavior of others my age and refer to them as stupid old fucks (a lot when driving). Often shake my head in disbelief at the conservative right, but that also happens with the liberal left. I just don't like being labeled. 

Define "gun nutter". Bang Bang.

[The Grand Nudger]

I guess it's useful to point out the massive funding and labor and underlying apparatus required to manufacture and then sustain the sort of divisions necessary to manipulate all of us towards the ends of people with the will and means to do so.

Oldest game in the book. Divide and conquer, man.

[KevinM1]

On here? Not really. IRL? My disability definitely plays a role. I don't really mind the staring, or, even better, obvious attempts not to stare. What pisses me off is the assumption that because I'm in an electric wheelchair, I must also have a mental disability, or are otherwise slow/dumb/overly sheltered/etc. So, the people who bend down to get at my level, and then speak slowly and loudly while employing one-to-two syllable words? They can fuck right off.

[mlmooney89]

Speaking of the age thing I just got into a spat with my coworker. She is 67 or so and I showed them the video of the Facebook guy being questioned by the senators and such because it was so funny. I wasn't doin it to make fun of old people (because I wouldn't consider some of the people asking the questions old) but rather making fun of senators trying to question someone without even understanding their own questions. She goes off about how Facebook is wrong to just let people click yes or no to their user agreements. She wants it all dumbed down and a 'road block' to keep people from just pushing yes because "old people don't understand what they are clicking yes to" I tried to explain that it's not just old people it's anyone that just clicks yes without knowing and that is user error not Facebook's problem. She got all bent out of shape over that saying that I think that only cause I understand the user agreement. I pfffftt that said I don't understand it but I do understand how the internet works: you say yes they take your info. Don't go online ANYWHERE if you care about your info.

Now she just put me in the too young and cocky to care and I put her in the too wrapped up in the small things blowing up.

[LadyForCamus]

On here?  Not really.  IRL?  My disability definitely plays a role.  I don't really mind the staring, or, even better, obvious attempts not to stare.  What pisses me off is the assumption that because I'm in an electric wheelchair, I must also have a mental disability, or are otherwise slow/dumb/overly sheltered/etc.  So, the people who bend down to get at my level, and then speak slowly and loudly while employing one-to-two syllable words?  They can fuck right off.

Oh, GOD!  How awful.  I’m so sorry you have to deal with that.  😕

[c172]

Oh, sure. Plenty of the same here. Where "sir" or "ma'am" is appropriate for the able-bodied populus, I get the pet names or the "bro" treatment. And no "Hi" from a stranger. Just "God bless you" or "you're an inspiration", even if I am just sitting at a bus stop.

The other day, I was offered a ride home in some guy's Honda Fit, and I said no. He then asked if I have much longer to go. I mean, what am I supposed to say? I refused your offer. Time for you to move on. I just sternly repeated that I don't need a ride and got a big "fuck you" right before he sped off.

As for staring, yes, it's annoying, but I guess I just accept it and am thus able to ignore it. I figure if I don't, I'll go crazy in any crowd. Even at the supermarket.

It would be interesting being able-bodied for, say, a month, just to see if there is a prevailing mindset amongst them.

But then, it would be interesting being, say, black for a month as well, just to see if my own political stance is at all challenged, or confirmed, when I transition back.

[Brian37]

I wonder if there is anyone on these forums who doesn't sometimes feel stereotyped by one of their demographics or another. I imagine every theist here feels dismissed or at least not fully and fairly appreciated at least some of the time.  The same is probably true for homosexuals, transexuals and asexuals.  Race of course can have that effect, as can differences in physical and mental capacity.  Women must feel that whenever discussions about what to do about their uterus start up again.  Conservatards would probably feel this way too if they had feelings .  Gun nutters probably feel terribly misunderstood.

For me, more and more, I feel age to be the thing that gets me sorted into a particular box.  Funny how that works.  Because with any luck all of us here will get to experience being older.  But it is a oneway mirror.  When you get older, you still remember the way older people felt different when you were younger.  But you don't feel much different from the inside.  I suspect that must be the case across the other demographics too, except we won't all inevitably transition through being female, black, homosexual or liberal just by virtue of not dying.

I think we should all simply beat the shit out of each other and murder each other. 

What? (Note to self, did I think this or type it?)

I think everyone here who has spent any time reading my posts knows I MOST CERTAINLY DO take religion and global politics very seriously and sure, there are certain things I will not budge on because I don't see those things as working.

BUT, no, I don't hate every theist, even if I find religion superfluous and antiquated. I have been very consistent in repeating that MOST humans are decent, I simply disagree with theists of all religion where they think our ability to do good and be good is coming from.

And YES especially with the CURRENT leadership of the NRA, I despise their current leadership, and they do a great disservice to their members and America in general using their tactic of fear to maintain their membership. BUT even then, no I do NOT hate every single firearm owner as an individual. I may not own one myself, but I have plenty of friends who do whom are WITH ME in saying the NRA is not what it was and like me, AS OWNERS, hate what the NRA has become.

I say the same about all religions too. I can like Malala and hate Bin Laden. I can like Martin Luther King Jr and hate Jerry Falwell. I can like Penn Jillette on his position of religion but hate his libertarian economics.

I am not a fan of Country music, but love my Redneck friend from Oklahoma. 

I will never apologize for blasphemy or ridicule of religious bigotry, or attacks on science or attempts at theocracy or politicians whom seek to undermine checks on power.

I think humans are far more alike than we are different. But I will not shy away from calling out bad logic.

[ignoramus]

Kev, don't stress it man...

We don't have that problem here in AU because we're all fucking retarded! lol

Hey, if our own prime minister can throw refugee kids overboard, then what hope for the rest of us?

I personally believe dignity/lack of, is what divides us as a species.

[Silver]

I sometimes feel, as I get older, that I am stereotyped by the younger people because I'm older.

Then, due to the fact that I like to rebel against standard normalization, they tend to be awed by the fact that at my age I have long hair and a lip piercing.