It’s Not About Your Feelings

It’s about the issues.

Period.

Any serious blogger who writes to cater to the feelings of their readers…is not a serious blogger. Because serious blogging is about issues, is about change, is about influencing the Overton Window, subverting the Dominant Paradigm and moving forward on Things That Matter.

And I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you, snowflake, but your feelings aren’t in any of those categories.

Except for the fact that I am going to have to read through you whining about how horribly offended you are and how terribly disappointed you are that I am willing to hurt you so, your feelings just don’t concern me that much.

Not compared to people dying in Afghanistan, people dying for lack of health care, the fact that the US of A fucking tortured a bunch of people to death and the fact that families are getting kicked out of their homes and children are starving.

When I stack that up against how what I say in critique or condemnation of the System that continuously perpetrates these outrages for no good reason makes you …..feel, well GOSH Jimmy. Guess which comes out on top of my list of priorities.

I know your feelings are critically important…to you. I know that because of that fact you expect me to take your Very Important feelings into consideration when writing about Obama or the Democrats or pooties or whatever….but really get over yourself. There are 6 million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine other life forms on this planet that are remarkably similar to you, coppertop. Get over yourself.

I am generally a nice guy, so I will try to ‘hear you’ and try to have some understanding and compassion for you, if I have time.

But I care more about the people that are dying and suffering and starving than about the blog persona your (most likely) privileged white ass has created to make you feel important.

NONE OF US ARE IMPORTANT.

The issues are important.

The solutions to the problems posed by those issues are important.

The Cause of moving Freedom, Equality and Justice forward in this crazy world is important.

So if you want to be important…..grab a mop. Contribute something important. Say something that moves us froward on the path to Progress. And here’s a clue, telling everyone that you are offended…..again….when MOST of what you do is sit there and WAIT to be offended so you can tell everyone how that (whatever “that” is today )makes you feel, does not fall into those categories.

This isn’t frikkin Oprah, this is politics.

Get over yourself.

And get to work.

On the issues.

114 comments

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  1. Photobucket

  2. Srsly.

    I’ve been working on a reminder about “civility” and now you’ve ruined it.

    Thanks for nothing.

    • TMC on December 15, 2009 at 20:36

    This is the real world

    Big Girl Panties Pictures, Images and Photos

  3. When I’m not so thoroughly disgusted with the world, I can totally do this.  

  4. dammit.

    I FEEL serious and other stuff too…

    How dare you diminish my seriousness by telling me my feelings are not important. Harumph!

  5. Any serious blogger who writes to cater to the feelings of their readers…is not a serious blogger.

    I learned that a few weeks ago when Tocque was kind enough to point out that I had my head up my ass. Since then I do not parse words. I write what I think, not what I think other people might want to hear.

    Screw popularity, I’d rather be right left!

  6. who needs stinking issues. We won that was the only issue, nothing else really matters as this is DECIDEDLY better then having the right back stopping all progress to more winning more of the same. I resent your personal attacks on my person. Your irresponsible trying to burst my hope bubble with your constant negativity and telling me that decidedly better is not really good enough. Don’t you know that killing a mass of people will save 30,000 lives which makes me feel so good.

    Did I miss something?      

  7. Fuck

    How do i do that?

  8.      “Well, I’m telling you this; I will not apologize. I will not apologize. I will not apologize for a simple reason;

    America doesn’t care about your feelings.

    I violated no rules by pulling this report to America’s attention, I think a lot of people didn’t know about it beforehand. But America DOES care about health care in America.”

        “And if you’re against it, then get out of the way. Just get out of the way. You can lead, you can follow or you can get out of the way. And I’m telling you now to get out of the way.”

       “American understands that there is one party in this country that is favor of health care reform and one party that is against it, and they know why.”

        “They understand that if Barack Obama were somehow able to cure hunger in the world the Republicans would blame him for overpopulation”

        “They understand that if Barack Obama could somehow bring about world peace they would blame him for destroying the defense industry.”

        “In fact, they understand that if Barack Obama has a BLT sandwhich tommorrow for lunch, they will try to ban bacon.”

        “But that’s not what America wants, America wants solutions to it’s problems and that begins with health care

    , and that’s what I’m speaking for tonight.”

         “I yield back the balance of my time”

    Amen, brother!

  9. Markos be so … diplomatic (emphasis mine):

    I’m going to vote, and you guys are too. We’re not the problem. Heck, in the generic congressional ballot, Democrats still have a decent lead, 37-33. The problem are the marginally engaged Democrats, and without them, we’re going to get creamed next year. According to that latest poll, only 39 percent of 18-29 year olds will definitely or probably vote. 39 percent. And why should they? They’re likely to get stuck with an expensive mandate to reward insurance companies by purchasing their overpriced, under-delivering products. African Americans are only 32 percent definitely or probably likely to turn out, and 42 percent for Latinos. While 61 percent of men — who skew heavily Republican — are definitely or probably going to turn out, that number is just 51 percent for women — who skew heavily Democratic.

    See the point? No one is arguing that Democrats shouldn’t turn out.  We’re terrified that they won’t. And whether they vote or not is dependent on what Democrats can deliver in DC. Right now, it’s not much of anything, and if this keeps up, Democrats are in deep shit.

    • Edger on December 15, 2009 at 21:08

    Have you no empathy, sir?

    Moan…

  10. But I am a fairy princess.  Hey, this is the prototypical INTP meyers briggs essay.  

  11. This is what always bothered me on Daily Kos.  I would talk about GLBT issues, about gay people suffering and dying from current policies, then I would be accused of offending someone.

    • banger on December 15, 2009 at 21:38

    Since this place seems full of really, really, nice people.

    But I think feelings are very important and political. Political action cannot happen without solidarity and commitment and those are born from feelings/emotions. We are all people who suffer every day just because we don’t subscribe to the mainstream media Narrative. For example, if you don’t believe in American Exceptionalism you are a heretic and will be condemmed from left and right (in the maistream sense, right and right in my sense). Being a dissident doesn’t necessarily get you get taken out in the middle of the night by Fascist thugs where they administered laxatives in bulk quantities (as my grandfather observed in Fascist Italy) — but it creates a psychic toll always having to bite your tongue (or start an argument) in most social or work settings. We are frustrated by seeing a horror unveil in front of our eyes and we seem powerless to do anything about it. It is logical that are feelings and nerves are raw.

    And what are we doing, really? You have provided a wonderful spot for us to exchange ideas and feelings both. It gives us some small feeling that we belong somewhere. Can we go further?

    Forgive the sensitive — they need succor and reassurance and a place even if it’s just a psychic space to heal.  

  12. I never get any hate mail. I must be Doin’ It WRONG!

    Come to think of it, I dont get Love Mail either. lol

  13. Srsly.  If you cannot fillet the opposition with a smile on your face, if you take all of this so very seriously, your shelf life is short, you’ve got an expiration date that is approaching.  I like the essay.  But I think seriousness isn’t what’s needed.

  14. Politics are ALL ABOUT feelings.

    If politics weren’t about feeling then 9/11 would have been rationally investigated and millions of people wouldn’t be dead for a stinking fucking lie.

    Politics is a field full of lies.

    Lies get told because people are afraid of something, or they’re greedy for something. They also get told because someone wants someone else to be afraid, or to be greedy, or to be angry.

    Last time I noticed, fear and greed were feelings. Politics are ALL about feelings.

    To say they are not is just another lie.

    • Diane G on December 16, 2009 at 00:52

    sometimes I feeeeeeeeeeel

    (bum, bum, bump ah!)

    Like I’ve been tiiiiiiiiiiied

    To the whippin post…

    ********

    But I didn’t come here to talk about Alice’s restaurant, I cam to talk about the draft….

    ********

    To the whippin post!

    Oh Lord I feel like I’m diaaaaaaane!

    Heh.

  15. Writing to excuse our leaders for their myopic and false pragmatism,  excusing our leaders attempts to be nice to everyone even the people who are kicking us in the face, yeah, screw that. That shouldn’t please anyone and that kills the motivation of the grassroots.

    Fighting to win, means taking no prisoners and helping ourselves when we can, in defense of social justice.

    But those in pootie diaries, and those talking about how to grow better food in the garden, those things offer a break but are unimportant in comparison to the issues. And should only be used to further our struggle.

    Don’t let a tactic become a goal.

    Don’t let a politician become the goal.

    Keep your Eyes on the Prize.

    That is the real meaning of the phrase.

    It is not to excuse us from issue organizing. It is to keep issues on the forefront, and to keep our activities centered, not to abandon one issue for another, not to take defeat and get caught up in distraction. That of course is huge problem when it comes to mainstream Democrats, Americans and even the Left.

    Thanks for this diary.  

  16. it is TOO about me and my feelings!!!!!!

    • jamess on December 17, 2009 at 03:58

    — but a LOT comes down to Framing!

    and the one of the best ways to make a Frame stick —

    is to — uh oh — tap those gut-level Feelings!

    Issues are good too,

    if you can make someone stop long enough to care —

    in between “personal emergencies”.

    I try to combine all 3 in my blogging,

    just sayin

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