The "Mania" of Transgenderism
I recently read an interesting article, The Cracks in the Edifice of Transgender Totalitarianism, which gives a lengthy and thorough look at Transgender ideology and the movement from beginning to now.
When reading it the names of Drs. Benjamin and Money, the doctors who were involved in pioneering "sex reassignment surgery" at John's Hopkins, stood out to me. They were familiar. After a quick search, I remembered why I recognized them: they were mentioned in the book about David Reimer, As Nature Made Him, that I read years ago detailing the life of this twin boy who was raised as a girl after a circumcision accident, only to completely reject "being a girl" and revert to living as a male in his teens (sadly, later David committed suicide, unable to cope with the psychological damage done to him as a child). Dr. Money is every bit as much a sicko as one might imagine and destroyed the lives of David and his twin brother through his "therapy." You can read a brief overview of David's life here or here. Honestly, I'm surprised these accounts haven't been scrubbed from the internet. But apparently people are really dumb. I read one review of the book on Amazon praising the book and saying people should be encouraged to explore their own gender. The story of David Reimer is a very clear argument for the unchanging nature of biological sex and the tragic consequences of trying to alter it.
The Cracks in the Edifice of Transgender Totalitarianism is worth a read:
"What we live through, in any age, is the effect on us of mass emotions and of social conditions from which it is almost impossible to detach ourselves. Often the mass emotions are those which seem the noblest, best and most beautiful. And yet, inside a year, five years, a decade, five decades, people will be asking, 'How could they have believed that?' because events will have taken place that will have banished the said mass emotions to the dustbin of history."
–Doris Lessing, Prisons We Choose to Live Inside (1987)
The epidemic of supposed gender dysphoria among children and adolescents—"transgenderism"—has often been described as a cult. The designation is in some ways apt. Though lacking a charismatic leader usually found in such movements, other expert descriptions of cults certainly apply: "designed to destabilize an individual's sense of self by undermining his or her basic consciousness, reality awareness, beliefs and worldview, [and] emotional control." Cults also lead the target to believe that "anxiety, uncertainty, and self-doubt can be reduced by adopting the concepts put forth by the group." The promise is a "new identity" that will solve all problems, even as it separates one from family and previous life.
This is especially true in cases of so-called Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, in which previously normal teenagers (usually girls) suddenly announce their desire to transition to the opposite sex. It is readily apparent how a teenager struggling with severe or even common adolescent angst could be lured into such a group.
Perhaps transgenderism is better described as a form of "social contagion." This term refers to "the spread of ideas, feelings and, some think, neuroses through a community or group by suggestion, gossip, imitation, etc." The explosion of cases of gender dysphoria, previously an exceedingly rare condition, over the last few years has coincided with a meteoric increase in sympathetic attention to the topic in regular and social media—thus suggesting social contagion. Parents whose children "come out" as transgender when their friends do certainly agree with this explanation.
Individuals who have been ensnared in but escaped from the transgender movement describe it as an ideology, with elements of both the political and the religious. The devotion to the ideology is so deep that, as one psychiatrist describes the mindset, "[a]nyone who hesitates in supporting transition and [sex-reassignment surgery] is a dinosaur committed to an outgrown, inherently discriminatory understanding of trans persons and needs to be defeated in court or in the public arena."
And yet these descriptions—cult, social contagion, ideology—fail to capture the uniqueness and enormity of what is happening with the transgender movement. Past and current cults have seduced their victims into losing all sense of reality and embracing bizarre and dangerous beliefs; social contagions and mass crazes have affected large groups of seemingly intelligent individuals; ideologies have taken hold that have altered societies and cost lives. But now we are facing something different.
Read the rest here
Author VerityPosted on July 16, 2019 July 16, 2019 Categories Books, Current Events, Education, Health, Parenting, Politics, Pop Culture, Religion, ScienceTags The Truth about Transgender, Transgender, Transgender IdeologyLeave a comment on The "Mania" of Transgenderism
Fake News vs Funny News
Liberals don't have much of a sense of humor… or maybe it's simply that they're straight up retarded.
Facebook Threatens Satire Site Babylon Bee over CNN Story That Snopes Rated 'False'
Christian satire site The Babylon Bee received a terse warning from Facebook this week after the "independent fact-checkers" at Snopes reported that one of the site's humor articles was "false."
Adam Ford, who runs The Babylon Bee, was warned by Facebook that a recent satire article about CNN "contains information disputed by (Snopes.com) an independent fact checker." Repeat offenders, Ford was told, "will see their distribution reduced and their ability to monetize and advertized [sic] removed."
The story in question pokes fun at CNN with the headline: "CNN Purchases Industrial-Sized Washing Machine To Spin News Before Publication." Anyone with even a sliver of a funny bone tucked away behind their appendix would know that it wasn't a serious news piece, but, alas, the humorless dolts at Snopes had to spell out the obvious.
Claim: CNN invested in an industrial-sized washing machine to help their journalists and news anchors spin the news before publication.
Rating: False
"Although it should have been obvious that the Babylon Bee piece was just a spoof of the ongoing political brouhaha over alleged news media 'bias' and 'fake news,'" Snopes explained, "some readers missed that aspect of the article and interpreted it literally."
Facebook has backpedaled already and claimed this was a mistake but how stupid do you get? Stupid in threatening a satire site. Stupid in that anyone out there would have believed that news was being washed in an actual washing machine.
Of course we all know, however, that the Babylon Bee is totally correct about CNN's other machines:
At publishing time, CNN had also purchased an industrial-sized trash compactor in order to help compress and distort facts to fit into its preconceived narrative.
Author NixonPosted on March 4, 2018 March 4, 2018 Categories Current Events, Humor, Politics, Pop CultureTags Babylon Bee, CNN, Facebook, Fake newsLeave a comment on Fake News vs Funny News
An Unlikely Alt-Right Hero?
Well, this sounds familiar…
Author VerityPosted on February 6, 2018 February 5, 2018 Categories Current Events, Humor, Meme Magic, Pop CultureTags Alt-Right, Black PantherLeave a comment on An Unlikely Alt-Right Hero?
The State of Entertainment
What is entertainment? How are compelling stories and interesting characters created? I find it hard to define what makes a good story. Many others have attempted to make this definition and there is plenty of disagreement about it. However, there is plenty of agreement that the current state of entertainment is rather lacking.
Hollywood and recent TV (which includes things produced quite a while ago) are frequently criticized for poor quality (amazing special effects and beautiful scenery don't make up for lame stories) and the annoying, if not infuriating, constant liberal propagandizing. Cable TV subscriptions have been declining for some time, probably dropped in favor of internet streaming and other ways of accessing entertainment. Having never lived in a household where there was a cable subscription I find it surprising that so many people continue to pay buckets of money for a service that forces you to watch advertisements and whose content is 90% crap. You may have to pay for streaming, but at least you have more choice about what you watch. This doesn't really solve the problem that 90% of what is and has been produced is still crap. It does help a little to be able to choose from multiple decades of movies and TV.
One of the things I've enjoyed about YouTube, other than the "controversial" political and social commentary they're busy trying to scrub off the internet, is the old movies and television shows. Due to over-zealous copyright enforcers these things are prone to disappearing. The sad thing is that much of this is simply unavailable anywhere else.
Unfortunately, YouTube apparently has a plan to turn itself into a streaming site requiring a paid subscription a la Netflix (see Razorfist's commentary about YouTube's future). The general response to this seems to be: well, there's a reason I liked YouTube; it wasn't like TV. I quit watching TV ages ago because it sucks. If YT is going to be just like TV, forget it. This seems like a poor move after all the uproar that's been caused by their censorship and demonetization. They deserve to lose both their content creators and their viewers. When they lose those, advertisers won't be far behind in abandoning the platform. All the reasons people have abandoned cable for the internet are going to be done away with if these companies in the pursuit of profit have their way; and then we'll just have "cable" on the internet. Oh, joy. No wonder some people have no problem with pirated content. We'd be willing to pay if they'd just give us what we want.
Do these producers of entertainment even deserve our money? Probably not. But it's awfully nice to just be entertained sometimes. A little escape from reality now and then can be good for one's mental health. Life, when it's not full of unpleasant drama, can be drudgery. It's often just hard, even when full of happy moments and an awareness of one's many blessings. Humans have been seeking to entertain and be entertained forever. It should be one of life's little joys.
What isn't particularly joyful is watching something that insults your beliefs or makes you feel like you're being emotionally manipulated. An awful lot of shows are like this. The ones with content insulting to conservatives and Christians may have good parts, but can you sift the good from the chaff? It's hard, if not impossible, to find something to watch without a liberal bias and objectionable content.
How about those shows that start out really good and are subsequently ruined by manufactured drama? There's nothing that makes me lose patience with a show like the feeling that I'm being jerked around emotionally in a deliberate attempt by the creators to keep the show going to make a buck. It indicates a major lack of creativity: you can't come up with anything better to prolong the story than recycling the same old relationship problems or the same old story-lines?
It's also frustrating when a likeable character (that must have been created by accident through some fluky combination of writing and the actor's talent) is ruined as the series progresses, ruined in a way that doesn't fit with the original representation of the character. The flip side of changing a character in a way that doesn't fit the storyline is not changing the character at all. When a story is handled well, a character may have certain problems or flaws at the beginning, but as things happen in the story he changes, even if he continues to struggle with some basic flaws. He actually learns from things that happen; he might even not repeat the same mistake 300 times. But in standard entertainment, he does just that: even when it appears that he has learned from something, give it a couple episodes and he's back to doing the same dumb things all over again.
This doesn't mean that characters that stupidly continue on their paths to destruction are never appropriate. It is possible to write a novel about people making a long line of poor life choices and the misery wrought by those choices and still have a satisfying story. Take Anna Karenina, a hefty Russian novel, devoted almost entirely to just this and considered a classic; I found it to be quite good and enjoyed reading it, though it is by no means a happy read. Things that evoke strong emotional responses can also be very well done and not feel manipulative.
There is a difference between making things true and making them "realistic." Current entertainment often seeks to embrace a shallow "realism" while failing to be true to life. Let's make it more realistic they say; so they throw out happy endings and happy interpersonal relationships. Let's make every character severely flawed and probably not very likable. Let's blur the lines between good and evil and make sure there are no good choices to be made. And no objective moral standard that anyone follows. And lots of misery. And… voila! Reality! No, not even close. Though it is accurate to say that there's a lot of unpleasantness in life and people are generally quite flawed, it is not true to deny the goodness in people and all that is noble and true and beautiful in life. Because that's there too.
Poldark is the most recent in a long list of shows I have begun only to be disappointed for all of the above reasons. It was always rather soap-opera-ish with its excessive drama, but at first the characters were interesting and likable enough to endure some of that. Ross was flawed, too stubborn and too proud, but very principled and trying to do the right things. Demelza was always spirited, but also grateful and respectful to Ross and generally sweet and good. Their relationship was appealing because it fit better into more traditional gender roles than what we're typically offered. But of course that could not last. By season three, Ross seems more proud and stubborn and less principled than in season one, and Delmelza is turning into a harping, ungrateful bitch. These people need marriage counseling about how to treat each other. And it's not fun to watch. For example, Demelza chooses to confront Ross about her disagreement with a choice he made and how he's not listening to her advice and that he's neglecting her (wah!) right when he's reeling emotionally from having learned that a relative has died. Demelza does have some valid points; Ross frequently acts like an ass and acts too quickly without considering the counsel of others. But how stupid can you be, to nag your man at a time like that?
Also really annoying in the third season is the portrayal of religion and religious people. There was little mention of religion in the first two seasons. Church was seen in social events: funerals, christenings, weddings. One not-good character was overzealous and unkind in his religion, but seemed an outlier not the norm. The main characters didn't mention religious things. Now, however, there is much dismissal of religious belief by many, if not all, the main "good" characters. A truly evil "religious" character has been introduced. The pastor of the local church is just a puppet to the main "bad guy." I begin to doubt the story's historical accuracy: was 18th century England really so heathen?
All "good" characters are rejecting God and his commands for what they see as the better way of just being "good" by their own standards and embracing what little good and pleasure they can find in this life. Is it any wonder they are selfish and stupid? The choices they keep making, and are threatening to make, will be their undoing of course. The show's creators will undoubtedly manufacture yet another break and then reconciliation between Ross and Demelza after dragging their misery out to another season. If you cared about the characters, it would be too painful to watch; and if you've ceased to care because there's only so much repeated stupidity you can stand, it's dumb and pointless. And it's too annoying to watch even as a lesson: see what happens when you reject objective moral standards and only care about your own selfish needs and "happiness"? See what happens when you fail to learn from your mistakes and acknowledge your faults and look realistically on your blessings with gratitude?
I am terribly sick of the standard state of entertainment. It would often be nice to read an entertaining book or watch a show or movie that serves as a form of escape or maybe something cheerful or funny, or informing or even a lesson learned. Maybe even good conquering evil, or the triumph of human goodness in the face of great challenges? There's only so much human stupidity one can take. And there's plenty of that in reality; who needs to add more from fictional characters? Life actually has plenty of drama in it if you're paying attention. Sometimes it's nice to get a break from the drama of real life. Realism isn't very entertaining.
Author VerityPosted on October 9, 2017 October 9, 2017 Categories Current Events, Internet, Pop CultureTags Anna Karenina, Entertainment, Hollywood, Poldark, Streaming Media vs Cable, TV, What makes a good story?, YoutubeLeave a comment on The State of Entertainment
Never Give Up! Never Divided!
Ah, man, I've been out of it: He Will Not Divide Us has been back since August. Only now it's boring!
The joke was that Shia was going to stick his flag on a basement wall and film it and it seems like he's done practically that.
That really makes for some edge of your seat viewing.
Of course /pol/ already found it.
Author NixonPosted on October 1, 2017 Categories Current Events, Meme Magic, Pop CultureTags /pol/, 4chan, hewillnotdivideus, Internet, Memes, Shia Labeouf1 Comment on Never Give Up! Never Divided!
Think you shouldn't judge others?
Theodore Dalrymple has an insightful take on that question based on his real world experience. It's worth your attention.
Not long ago I asked a patient of mine how he would describe his own character. He paused for a moment, as if savoring a delicious morsel.
"I take people as they come," he replied in due course. "I'm very nonjudgmental."
As his two roommates had recently decamped, stealing his prize possessions and leaving him with ruinous debts to pay, his neutrality toward human character seemed not generous but stupid, a kind of prophylactic against learning from experience. Yet nonjudgmentalism has become so universally accepted as the highest, indeed the only, virtue that he spoke of his own character as if pinning a medal for exceptional merit on his own chest.
Author Stephenson LinkPosted on August 6, 2017 Categories Pop CultureLeave a comment on Think you shouldn't judge others?
Kid Rock for Senate?
Considering how things go these days… this isn't the least bit surprising. I hope he does run and wins — just as another big FU to the establishment. We know the Dems never deserve to win an election again, and the GOP isn't much better.
The establishment complains about Trump "not acting presidential" enough. If you've ever been to a Kid Rock concert… can you just see how "senatorial" this guy is going to be? The establishment is going to be freaking out. It's gonna be hilarious.
Rockstar Kid Rock set off a political firestorm after teasing his Twitter followers about a potential Senate run in Michigan.
News broke this weekend that Kid Rock is LEADING challenger, Dem Debbie Stabenow in a new poll 30% to 26%!
"On July 12th, 2017 Robert Ritchie, aka Kid Rock, confirmed his intention to run for the United States Senate seat in Michigan. His announcement sent a shock through the media and many dismissed it as a cheap publicity stunt. While Ritchie has yet to file his official documentation to seek the office, he stated his intentions on Twitter and pushed back at his critics, saying "the press is wrong."
Debbie Stabenow is the incumbent Democratic Michigan senator who is scheduled to defend her seat in 2018. Ritchie intends to run as a Republican who would likely have to defeat a crowded primary field to challenge Stabenow.
On Sunday, POLITICO published a piece outlining why the political class shouldn't write-off a Kid Rock Senate bid. POLITICO explains Kid Rock would face off against lesser known Republican primary opponents, which could help him clench the nomination.
POLITICO wrote: "Trump competed with 16 rivals for the Republican nomination, more than a dozen of whom were established, well-regarded, well-financed campaigners; Ritchie would enter a primary field of three little-known newcomers to partisan politics. Trump was targeted by a national network of influential donors and activists who laughed him off at first, only to mount a desperate scramble to thwart his candidacy once they realized their peril; Ritchie would face little such resistance in a state where primaries aren't preordained by party bosses. Trump started his run with no obvious base or blueprint for victory; Ritchie would launch a campaign on the strength of his favorite-son status that cuts across socioeconomic boundaries and is particularly resonant with the president's winning coalition of culturally conservative, populist-minded, blue-collar voters."
"He's well-liked in Michigan. He's a hometown darling. He's got deep connections to Detroit. He's done a lot throughout the state."
"Anybody who's writing him off is making a mistake,"former chairman of the Michigan GOP, Saul Anuzis, told POLITICO.
Part of Kid Rock's announcement:
Senator Stabenow and I do share a love of music, although probably not the same kind. I concede she is better at playing politics than I am so I'll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS and letting politicians like her know that We the People are sick and tired of their bullshit!
On Kid Rock's website KidRockforSenate he asks: ARE YOU SCARED?
Yeah, the establishment should be.
Author VerityPosted on July 24, 2017 Categories Current Events, Humor, Politics, Pop CultureTags Defeating the Establishment Politician, Kid Rock for SenateLeave a comment on Kid Rock for Senate?