A Moral Conflict
General forum
Posted on Aug. 10, 2020, 9:17 a.m. by EleshNornsFs
Political Warning: It's about to get real political up in here. If you don't want political discussions in your MTG life, turn back now. It's probably for the better. Also, due to some quotes, there is strong language.
Context: I am a POC (I'm Hispanic). I support Black Lives Matter, I am pro trans-rights, I support the LGBTQ community (I even used to call myself a member), I am pro-choice, the standard Left checklist with two major exceptions, being that I am pro 2and Ammendment (not relevant, I just like shooty things), and I am pro law enforcement. The latter is due in part to the fact that my father is a former prison guard and many of my friends have aspirations of becoming police officers, and to ice the cake, I work in a law enforcement office. I'm not an officer myself, but I work closely with probation, corrections, prosecutors, public defenders, police, and those on the other side of the system. Due to the nature of my work I get a really good opportunity to get to know the people who made the choices that put them in my office.
But what does that have to do with anything? The core of my issue is trying to enjoy a community and a creator who wants to aggressively push me out. I really enjoy Tolarian Community College. I enjoy the Professor's content and the videos he puts out. I love his appearances on the Command Zone. I enjoy his perspective and his willingness to criticize WotC when it is deserved. On his YouTube channel, you could probably guess what his political beliefs are, but I don't think it is ever blatant or obvious. While going through some forums here, I found out that his Facebook is a different story. I shouldn't have gone digging through it, but I did and was saddened to see some of the things he said. He explicitly said, "FUCK the police," and when someone expressed their disappointment (fairly reasonably) to him, he responded by screen shotting the comment and saying (paraphrased) that if you support the police, you are anti-black, anti-trans, and pro-slavery and you should unsubscribe and fuck off. So what do I do? I am conflicted. Do I do what he says and just leave, missing out on content I enjoy? Do I ignore that and keep watching, knowing he would hate me? Do I write him an email explaining my feelings? I feel so hurt over something someone I don't know said, which feels silly, but at the same time, I looked up to him and respected his opinion.
Anyway, I guess I just wanted to get that out there and open up a discussion. What are your thoughts?
You have no relationship to this guy besides the fact he produces content you consume. You might want to examine this before anything else. Have a look into parasocial relationships. The professor is not your friend and his support for BLM and defunding the police sentiment doesnt put you at risk.
Everything is and has been political so you cannot ask him to seperate politics from his work. All you can do is examine why you feel this way. Work on it. Etc.
August 10, 2020 9:29 a.m.
GhostChieftain says... #4
I regularly watch videos and listen to podcasts and read posts that don't fit my political views perfectly as long as I can still find entertainment value. I actually prefer this over having only those I agree with because it keeps me from being in an echochamber and I can try to better understand opposing views and why they have that stance. Sometimes it changes my opinion, sometimes it makes me more assured in my stance.
As Caerwyn said, you have 2 options. Either watch them or don't. My suggestion would be that if you find most of their videos entertaining or helpful, continue to watch. If you are no longer entertained, spend your time with something better.
August 10, 2020 10:15 a.m.
Personally, ACAB. Not because of individuals, but because the system is inherently biased and lends itself towards abuse and insular protection of its worst perpetrators.
So while I agree with the good professor, I would say for you to take a moment and determine how big of a reason is this for you to stop watching his content. You at least see where his sentiment is coming from since you support BLM, and BLM is a movement in response to endemic police brutality and racial injustice in our justice system. So since you know where his feelings are coming from, determine whether or not his unapologetic support for those issues is reason enough for you to stop watching him.
Basically what Caerwyn said
August 10, 2020 10:17 a.m.
GhostChieftain says... #6
DeinoStinkus that is an excellent point, and it goes to more than just guns. Many of the subjects that are political have nuances and intricacies out the wazoo. For example, I am pro-choice but ideally I don't want a single abortion to be performed. I'm largely anti government, but see that there are things we basically need the government for.
Politics have a ton of grey area and it is important to keep yourself aware of that
August 10, 2020 10:25 a.m.
This is an intrinsic part of the totalitarian nature of ideology - first they attempt purge anyone who disagrees (as the Prof has done), then they attack them personally (as he does on Twitter), then finally they throw dissenters into a gulag (the modern equivalent being digital).
Ideologies like these are mental viruses, and they cause damage in similar proportion. The only cure is to stop giving into the malicious feelings that these mind viruses prey upon, and to assert your right to think for yourself.
Personally, I think people should be free to support the interests of their own people and any others they choose. If you're pro-Black, fine. If you're pro-White, also fine. It used to be that everyone was pro-everyone-else because we were all pro-American. But the ideology that has captured the Professor's mind (and those of Antifa and BLM terrorists) has shattered that. It would be nice to go back to MLK's 'judge a man by his character and not his skin color', but sadly, I think the millennial generation is too far gone thanks to the Marxist brain-washing happening in public schools in recent decades. Unsurprisingly, the rotten people who spread this malicious ideology - especially to children! - don't want to be judged by their character. So for them, MLK and his civic peacemaking is deemed counter-productive.
So now we're forced to look out for people like ourselves foremost because the people who manufacture the popular narrative in this country have decided to set us all against each other (for reasons you can easily deduce). What a silly time to be alive in America. I;m hoping MLK's anti-ideological indvidualism outlasts this rotten mind virus.
Tu ne cede malis.
August 10, 2020 10:55 a.m.
With respect bryanedds, you cannot both advocate for more tolerance in political discourse while simultaneously throwing around rather aggressive words like "totalitarian", "throw dissenters into a gulag", "mental viruses", "malicious ideology", etc. Let's try to keep things friendly and apolitical.
Which brings me to my actual point, for everyone's benefit:
TappedOut is not a great place to discuss the merits of various ideological and political positions. Those kinds of conversations tend to devolve into bitter rhetoric and problematic infighting. The thread's originator asks a legitimate, Magic-adjacent question as to how they should deal with a particular content creator.
How the thread's creator handles the issue has nothing to do with the merits of the particular, underlying political issues. Let us try to stay on topic, rather than search out rabbit holes.
August 10, 2020 11:15 a.m.
bryanedds the fact that you refer to BLM as terrorists tells me that I really don't care about what you have to say.
You use words of MLK, but he himself was very anti-capitalist and not at all the white washed figure that white america has tried to turn him into. In his own day MLK was extremely unpopular with white america, and seen as a terrorist himself by many. His acts of civil unrest were illegal, or at least determined to be illegal at the time, and highly disruptive.
“We must recognize that we can’t solve our problem now until there is a radical redistribution of economic and political power… this means a revolution of values and other things. We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together… you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid of the others… the whole structure of American life must be changed. America is a hypocritical nation and [we] must put [our] own house in order.” - MLK Report to SCLC Staff, May 1967.
You really have no idea what totalitarianism even is if you think the professor telling people to unsub is an example.
August 10, 2020 11:23 a.m.
EleshNornsFs says... #10
Thank you Caerwyn for helping keep on topic. You are right, I wouldn't have mentioned it if it didn't directly relate to magic and the community. My questions have been answered. Is there a way to close the discussion, before it gets too chaotic?
August 10, 2020 11:34 a.m.
EleshNornsFs you have to ask an Admin to close a thread. Which Caerwyn might be (I think? Sorry Caerwyn, I see you around here all the time but don't actually know.)
August 10, 2020 11:36 a.m.
EleshNornsFs - Glad you got your answer and that, for the most part, everyone on this thread was helpful and respectful. Closing per your request.
Caerwyn says... #2
Broadly speaking, you have two options:
Stop watching their videos or otherwise supporting their content. This means you lose out on watching content you previously enjoyed, but it also means you are not financially contributing to someone who is using their social media presence to promote ideas that you disagree with.
Continue watching their content divorcing your views on their personal politics from the content you enjoy watching. Understand that, while you disagree with them on some issues/the manner they express points of disagreement, they still create a product you enjoy and which is not really tied to their political leanings. Remember that people are disproportionately angry right now due to a number of factors, and might be more aggressive than they normally would.
Both options are equally reasonable; which path you take is entirely up to you.
August 10, 2020 9:27 a.m.