This shit never ends

Naomi comments on Apr 17, 2019:

What is the reason for having a town decal on your vehicle in this case?

What do people mean when they talk about "white culture"?

Naomi comments on Apr 17, 2019:

Hello. A good question. Maybe white culture means the culture that developed with Western civilisation based on an ignorant presumption...?

On a scale of 1 to 5, how disappointed will you be if it turns out that the Notre Dame fire wasn't ...

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

Hi. To be honest, I don't feel very comfortable with the question. I think it buys into the narrative of MSM. Sorry...

What is so tiring lately is the subject of offense everyone seems to take offense so easily and take...

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." If you have children tell them this. We'll have to bring anti-fragility back, and it starts at home.

Just sick to death with leftist agendas crammed down our throats, political correctness, and the ...

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

How do you guys keep your sanity and norms?

Here's a stupid question for all of you psychologists out there: Whenever my ex says things in ...

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

(It is) Just bad grammar to me.

Boer Battle Song (Bach choir) [youtu.be]

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

Fascinating! Thank you very much for sharing this.

What do you all think of the coins?

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

Hello. If coins are for "showing one's appreciation of an action or quality; i.e. good posts/comments", then it's not bad, I guess, but, in that case, clicking "like" seems sufficient, like you say.

Does having formal education cause cognitive dissonance?

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

Hello. This is a good question. In an ideal world, education would be free from politics and religion. In the real world, education is heavily politicised. Each school has its own policies and principle which all the staff including teachers must observe. And there is also a curriculum teachers must follow. Yet, teachers are not robots; they have their own believes and principles. As human-beings, it is probably impossible for them to be completely fair and impartial. They're bound to have influence on children's minds. And then, if you pay a school to teach your child, there is an instant provider-customer relationship; the customer's needs must be fulfilled by the provider...etc., etc. A whole bunch of stuff to consider. And amidst all this, I don't know how one's cognitive ability may be affected...

Extinction Rebellion Turning Violent in London | Armstrong Economics

Naomi comments on Apr 16, 2019:

Hello. Thanks for sharing the article. I hate those climate change protesters. They vandalised public and private properties by spray-painting them with aerosols (which are probably bad for the climate). Many of them were arrested - so much for "peaceful protest" (that's how MSM reported in the UK). They all say "We've got to do something about this!", "The government are not doing anything about this!", etc., etc., but they NEVER come up with any practical suggestions, ever! If they're so concerned about the climate, and presumably the environment as well, it would make a lot more sense if they started picking up litter instead of picking up placards. That's all I have to say about that.

Imaginary SJWs: Have you actually got "real SJWs" who you have to put up with regularly - in your ...

Naomi comments on Apr 15, 2019:

You might be interested in watching this clip, if you haven't already. Sir Roger Scruton is a renowned British philosopher. He analyses very well the SJWs' specialities; political correctness, scape-goating, victimhood, etc. It's always a good idea to know your enemy. (His voice is a bit boring...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPsZlQYzfFI&t=3s

MACRON THE PYROMANIAC FIRE FIGHTER AND THE YELLOW VEST PROTESTS ENTER ACT 22!! SPREADS TO UK!! - ...

Naomi comments on Apr 15, 2019:

Do you know exactly what the Yellow Vest are trying to achieve by week after week protests? I understand their anger, I understand what has driven them into the situation, and I know they want Macron out. Say Macron resigns eventually, but then, what are they suggesting should happen next? Please don't get me wrong; I'm not being contemptuous or anything.

Imaginary SJWs: Have you actually got "real SJWs" who you have to put up with regularly - in your ...

Naomi comments on Apr 15, 2019:

You know, I live in a small city and I am yet to encounter a SJW or to see the local press covering a SJW protest march. Of course, they are more common in big cities like London, Manchester, etc. So, so far, when I talk about SJWs, they're imaginary based on what I see or hear on the media. If you stay in the UK long enough, you'll hear British people say "I'm a bit of a socialist" often enough. Considering the "cradle to grave" concept held in the British history, this is quite a normal, casual statement, and if you immediately regard them as far-left as such, you will be embarrassing them as well as embarrassing yourself. LOL So, while left-leaning people may be immediately associated with SJWs in your countries, it may not always be the case in the UK. There are many traditional Labour Party supporters (left) in the UK, and a good friend of mine is one of them. We take our dogs for a walk together regularly and we talk about all sorts of things, including Brexit! She is a remainer and I am a leaver, and we have different views about different things but our conversation never develops into an argument. So, my next question is: Do you have anyone, in your family, in your neighbourhood, at work, on campus, who have different (political) views from yours but you can still get on with them? Do you think that not all, not all but most people in your countries are still reasonable and preserving their values and norms despite the impression MSM give us that SJWs are taking over our space?

Did “whites” benefit from slavery?

Naomi comments on Apr 14, 2019:

Ah, time and time again, white (Irish) slaves are conveniently forgotten from the history of slavery in America.

The "level" system on IDW is broken - change my mind: [slug.

Naomi comments on Apr 14, 2019:

Hello. Um... I can't change your mind... If the level system is keeping trolls, malicious accounts, etc. at bay, then, it's not broken, I guess. I've seen enough hit & runs; they just drop an sentence or two, or say whatever they want to say, and move on without actually engaging in discussions. If they do that in order to increase their levels, then the system is broken. I've also seen enough swearing and name-calling; I'm blocking one person for that very reason. Different people seem to have their own versions of free speech. For me, courtesy still counts. That's all I have to say abut that.

Sunday morning Inverness

Naomi comments on Apr 14, 2019:

Is that River Ness? Do you live near the river? It's beautiful.

What do You Think of the Idea of Shipping Illegal Aliens and “Asylum Seekers” to “Sanctuary”...

Naomi comments on Apr 14, 2019:

In the 18th and 19th centuries, hundreds of thousands of convicts were sent from Britain to Australia, and look how well Australia is doing now. If we could find a big enough island for refugees somewhere... Maybe this is too simplistic and optimistic to apply under the current circumstances.

[youtube.

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

Sir Roger said nothing wrong, and the UK government is too pathetic to stand up for him. Makes me angry and sad at the same time.

[m.

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

Hi. I believe that Islam is a religion of political ideology, and that is the problem. When Muhammad reached Medina, he became a warlord and his words became much more political - Hadith, roughly speaking. There are individuals and groups who are working on the reform and modernisation of Islam. I sincerely hope they will succeed so that Muslims can integrate with other religions and cultures.

Finland, Norway, Denmark among the ‘happiest’ countries. What are we doing wrong?

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

Hi. Not sure they're still happy countries. This seems to be the reality nowadays... Sorry to disappoint you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iERLyAxddVE&t=74s

I'm from the UK and the ongoing mess of Brexit is so frustrating for the people of Britain the ...

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

We've got a government that wants to stay in the EU - Ugh!!!

I’m new...

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

You may be right... Welcome, anyway. :)

Context is no longer King. But, that isn’t what Scruton said. He said ... [spiked-online.com]

Naomi comments on Apr 13, 2019:

They have been trying to destroy him for a long time, and finally... Makes me angry and sad at the same time.

We don't need your Western values.

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

Japan is an interesting country. It is said to be the most westernised country in Asia. It has had a strong connection with the West for centuries. When it ended the feudal system which lasted nearly three centuries, Japan went through drastic reform and modernisation in the 19th century. Japan adopted a constitutional government model from Germany, an education model from France, medicines from Germany, an army model from Prussia, an navy model from Britain, and the list goes on. Fast forward to the 20th century, after its defeat in WWII, Japan achieved high economic growth and rapidly became the world's second largest economy (after the United States). I read or heard somewhere that the Europeans invent, the Americans market and sell, and the Japanese copy, improve and resell, or something along those lines. To me, Japan seems to have the excellent ability to adopt, appropriate and incorporate other cultures into theirs while preserving their own norms and values. They also have rather strict immigration rules, which may suggest that they know that a certain level of homogeneity is necessary in order to preserve their own values and for their systems to work well - I'm guessing. Of course, Japan has its own problems, aging population, declining birthrate, problematic relationship with South Korea, etc., but perhaps, it is Japan's advantage that it can see what is happening in the West from outside so that it can orient its position accordingly within the global context - a bit cheating really...

Avi Yemini DEPORTED, Came To Appear on Dave Rubin And Crowder

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

He's a friend of Tommy Robinson's. They are treated badly because they speak truth.

Right wing or left wing

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

"The Truth: Hitler hated socialism and communism and worked to destroy these ideologies. Nazism, confused as it was, was based on race, and fundamentally different from class focused socialism." You might find this article interesting (it's too complicated for my brain to handle!) https://www.thoughtco.com/was-adolf-hitler-a-socialist-1221367

Right wing or left wing

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

When I say they were socialist, i.e., left-wing, I normally get told to educate myself. LOL

We don't need your Western values.

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

Hello, people. You might also find this clip interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZEdfZGSSXA

Are there any Rebel Media people on here?

Naomi comments on Apr 12, 2019:

Yes, I'm following them.

Who has a big enough heart to laugh about this?

Naomi comments on Apr 11, 2019:

I found another one!

Finally, research that makes sense!

Naomi comments on Apr 11, 2019:

I've been right through my entire adult life.

Compatible emojis and smiles chosen for the community from idw.

Naomi comments on Apr 10, 2019:

Ah, a Japanese invention - they're so clever! :)

I think this is fascinating! The uselessness of political spectrum makes sense when you know this ...

Naomi comments on Apr 9, 2019:

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing this article.

Got a 24hr ban on Facebook for this one.

Naomi comments on Apr 9, 2019:

What's so wrong with this image that you had a 24hr ban?

Leftism is mostly driven by emotional rather than practical thinking.

Naomi comments on Apr 9, 2019:

I recommend The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt.

Wondering how many are feeling alarmed at the de platforming or silencing of other voices.

Naomi comments on Apr 9, 2019:

I blame Islamists as well as George Soros...

WHERE ARE THE LEFTISTS??? Raise your heads! I want to hear your views as well as the others'!

Naomi comments on Apr 9, 2019:

Thank you all very much for your contributions. I have a clear picture now. As for anyone who goes along with the notion that left-wingers are a synonym of SJWs, and similarly that right-wingers are a synonym of alt-right, I'm afraid that they're not on the same page as me; I rarely consider SJWs or alt-right activists' views. I also haven't got time for those who enjoy making a mockery of others and picking up fights. How would that help encourage anyone come on and express their views let alone develop any decent conversation? People behave differently when they have a mask they can hide behind, yet their true colours eventually come through - interesting. Also, while some insist on their own freedom of expression, they're happy to suppress others' (typically by mockery and insult as demonstrated here) - consciously or subconsciously, I can't tell, but there is a certain level of hypocrisy on their part. I don't often resonate with left-wing views but there are some good points I can appreciate. Similarly, I don't always resonate with right-wing views but there are some good points I can appreciate. I actually don't like the "left, right and centre" concept at all. So, I shall continue to explore all kinds of thoughts and ideas wherever they may come from. Thanks again for your help. Kindest regards.

WHERE ARE THE LEFTISTS??? Raise your heads! I want to hear your views as well as the others'!

Naomi comments on Apr 8, 2019:

Wow, there is so much prejudice against the left. So much for free speech.

Tell me - Is it OK to talk about socialism and communisms like synonyms?

Naomi comments on Apr 8, 2019:

So, while there is no clear-cut between socialism and communism, we understand, in theory, that: when most property and economic resources are owned and controlled by the state and not by individual citizens, that's communism; and when all citizens share equally in all economic resources as allocated by a democratically-elected government, that's socialism. Something like that. I can see how the latter definition (socialism) may appeal to many, especially working-classes. I think it is important to remember that these theories developed in protesting and protecting against the exploitation of working-classes during the Industrial Revolution, when they lived in extreme poverty which is beyond our imagination. I also think it's difficult to identify countries as being pure communist or socialist. I read somewhere that Cuba, China and North Korea are considered communist, but there are capitalist elements to the economic system of China for example. And some states identify themselves as socialist but are run by communist parties... It's too confusing for my tiny brain to handle! In any event, we equally loathe socialism and communism because we can't get out of our heads for a second the terrible consequences that were brought by implementing these theories in the last century, hence using them interchangeably and like synonyms. But then, there are advanced countries which are identified as socialist (or may be "socialistic" more correctly?) such as Scandinavian countries. They don't follow pure socialist ideas, but they have democratically-elected governments which are large and are supported by taxpayers who pay rather a lot of tax, thereby enabling providing health care, education, pensions, etc. which are free for every citizen. And although the governments are big, they don't interfere with people's individual rights and freedoms, and they also have highly successful capitalist sectors that promote free trade. So, if this kind of model still falls within the scope of socialism, it may be a little problematic to use socialism and communism interchangeably...? Perhaps, the definition of socialism itself is problematic as it is very broad. In that case, it may be better to use "totalitarianism" as a synonym of a system where a government dictates everything and people have very little or no freedom. So, considering the above points, do you think there may be an element of propaganda coming from conservatives, by using socialism and communism like synonyms, as a means of scaremongering even, in an effort of suppressing socialist opponents like Jeremy Corbyn in the UK and Bernard Sanders in the US and their followers?

I have a question for our liberal members.

Naomi comments on Apr 6, 2019:

There is a bit of an echo chamber and confirmation bias - perhaps?

My friends just visited me worried because I did a video about Islam and said I hate the ideology of...

Naomi comments on Apr 6, 2019:

Victims of self-censorship... sigh!

Wow! The idea of equality denied! Compelling when it comes from an immigrant like him.

Naomi comments on Apr 6, 2019:

I give a bit of credit to the student. He actually doesn't look or behave like a typical SJW. While debating, he is actually waking up to see that there is a flaw to his argument and realises that he hasn't thought it through. He is also honest saying "I'm gonna backpedal...". Bless him...

How might this divide the left?

Naomi comments on Apr 5, 2019:

MSM always leave out those who don't fit their narrative; in this case Catholic parents for example. I am also a "wrong type" of ethnic minority" they never wish to include in their news - thank goodness! LOL Don't sleepwalk into identity politics - that's what I would say.

Retarded - no, no, I'm not talking about people; I'm talking about socio-economy :D Engineers, ...

Naomi comments on Apr 4, 2019:

Perhaps, I can try and give another simple example... Young people come to the UK from South Asia to study at university. These young people are from privileged backgrounds; tuition fees are high in the UK. They're educated in the UK and after they graduate, they are given extra time to stay in the UK so that they can find jobs. I don't know the exact figure as to how many of them successfully find jobs in the UK, but for the argument sake, let's say that many of them find jobs with good wages and settle in the UK. This is good for them and good for British economy and society; it appears to be a win-win situation. But, what about those who are stuck in poverty in their homelands? Poverty in their countries is nothing like what we call poverty in the West; it is much, much, much worse. They're so poor that they can't afford to have anything. Those well-educated, highly-skilled people have left the poor behind and they're contributing themselves elsewhere but to their own people. Of course, they can send money home, in which case they can still contribute economically, but they can't possibly contribute their expert knowledge and skills to their own societies unless they are physically there, and their countries need those people to develop their economies and societies. Again, this example may be too simplistic, but do you think it's OK that we benefit from these highly-skilled people while there is a void back home, or do you think this is something we should consider?

Sometimes I just need to think and write shit down.

Naomi comments on Apr 4, 2019:

This helps clear my head every time I get entangled in those words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQNaT52QYYA&t=24s

Capitalism vs socialist party each has its pros and each has its cons we are reaching a point you ...

Naomi comments on Apr 4, 2019:

It'll be quite a balancing act, that's for sure.

Richard Spencer, what a disgusting piece of crap.

Naomi comments on Apr 4, 2019:

He says many controversial ,provocative things but never seems to incite violence (not publicly anyway). I see him as a byproduct of political struggles in the thick of identity politics.

Retarded - no, no, I'm not talking about people; I'm talking about socio-economy :D Engineers, ...

Naomi comments on Apr 4, 2019:

I realise that many members here are in the US (doesn't mean I'm excluding views of those from other countries). It's a huge country consisting of many huge states. So, how about transferring talent from one state to another? Say, many young doctors decide to leave their home state, say Texas, to live and work in New York for better wages, more job vacancies, whatever may attract them to leave Texas. Do you think Texas would suffer any consequence from this trend socially and economically? (Sorry, this may not be the best example. Too simplistic perhaps...)

Sharing some stories from my job...

Naomi comments on Apr 3, 2019:

Thank you for sharing this story. You have a job which is very hard but very meaningful.

A decision to invite a Muslim cleric to say a prayer at an Anzac Day service has sparked an ...

Naomi comments on Apr 3, 2019:

Sigh! I feel for you. The same thing is happening in the UK and Europe. The UK government is so politically correct that Islam shall not be criticized and there is a strong tendency of favouring the Muslim community over the others. They are even allowed to run Sharia courts in th UK, would you believe it! Hence we have Tommy Robinson. A young working-class lad became an iconic figure to represent thousands of ordinary British people. He is a byproduct of political struggles. This is the toxin of identity politics and this is the mind game the ideologues (and the shooter Tarrant) want us play and we're all falling for it. We have to wake up.

Some of you have been talking about how to argue with the far left, and how to deal with emotions ...

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

Hi. I would be very interested in reading the book - thank you! A few days ago, I was reading a news article about the New Zealand attacks on FB. The article was clearly generating a Muslims vs Christian type of notion - typical. I got a little mischievous, and dropped a comment "My heart goes out for the families of the victims who lost their lives amidst the mosque shootings." (I meant it!) to see if I would get any reaction. Sure enough, one white lady (I could tell by her profile photo and assumed she was Christian) reacted and said "How dare you! Stop virtue signaling. How many Christians do you think were killed by Muslims during this and that, not to mention the 9/11?!" So, I replied "What virtue signaling? I don't even know what it means. Plus, what is so wrong with expressing condolences to those who're going through very difficult times, regardless of their identities? It sounds like you've fallen into the very narrative of identity politics." I had no comeback. Black vs white, male vs female, Muslim vs non-Muslim... Everything is down to identities. We cannot not talk about identity politics. This is the work of ideologues. This is the mindset they want us to have. This is their narrative we keep sleepwalking into. We're dividing ourselves. We have to wake up.

For those who doubt the EU doesnt have totalitarian aspirations [telegraph.co.uk]

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

Tell that to the remainers, please!

Up for discussion - DAHL: The Democratic Party Is Being Corbynized [dailywire.com]

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

Well, that's terrible news - I'm telling you.

I wanted to talk about transgender people for a moment.

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

Hi. There's a good conversation going on here - I like that. :) I get a little puzzled when they talk about trans rights. We already have the human rights and the entitlement to the equal protection by the law. So, I don't know what else trans people are demanding. I have a trans lady neighbour; when she was he, he suffered trauma and subsequently he discovered new himself. Now he introduces himself as Alice, and we, his neighbours, are fine with that. We accommodate his mental disorder as well as himself as a person. It's no different from a person with depression. I think integration is the key. If a trans person cannot mix with others, I dare say probably it's not the others; its the trans person. No matter who they are, what they are, morality, decency, mutual respect, that kind of things still count, I think. From evolutionary point of view, gender transition defies reproduction, so, the trans gene pool is not likely to establish... That's all I have to say about that. (Oh, just one more thing; I wish trans people didn't try so hard to look male or female. :D)

I find it harder and harder to find someone who is a true moderate.

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

Thoughts are fluid, no? So, it's OK to change our opinions, no? We don't have to label ourselves or anybody. Interacting with other people with their identities in mind is the very mindset identity politics propagates. Let's not sleepwalk into the narrative of identity politics.

The most racists people are those that constantly cry racism.

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

We really shouldn't be so conscious of identities. That's the very mindset the ideologues want us to have. We mustn't fall into the narrative of identity politics.

Is there any good in Islam? (asking for a friend)

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

I also meant to tell you that: When I was a student, I lived on campus with a few Muslim students from Malaysia. They were the most friendly bunch I've ever met. One winter, we had a decent amount of snow (it doesn't snow much in the southern part of England). It was the very first time the Malaysian students saw snow. They all rushed out in excitement and played in the snow like 5-year olds. Their lecturers were so kind that they canceled all the classes on that day so that the Malaysian students could play in the snow all day. I was so ignorant about Islam that one day I made some curry (with pork in it!), thinking I could share it with them. They had a bowl of it and told me that they would eat it later - probably they chucked it in the bin :D, but they were kind not to be offended by my ignorance. So, I feel a little reluctant to talk of Muslims as collective.

Is there any good in Islam? (asking for a friend)

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

There are some Muslims/ex-Muslims who are trying to reform Islam. They seem reasonable.

this is a good way to get the college kids thinking about it [youtube.com]

Naomi comments on Apr 2, 2019:

I like it! Mind you, these are intelligent, sensible children. SJWs and similar activists are the ones who we can't reason with. What can we do? :(

Remember the good old days when you could hate someone because they're assholes?

Naomi comments on Apr 1, 2019:

"Now you have to like them because of the color of there skin in order to be a good person in modern society..." No, you don't have to. You mustn't! That is the very narrative of identity politics. Don't cave in to that mindset.

Sweet lady tells it how it is! [youtu.be]

Naomi comments on Apr 1, 2019:

What can I say? I can't disagree with her. I believe that this lady used to work for the BBC but she left after witnessing how corrupt the BBC is. :(

I WANT TO CHANGE THE IDENTITY POLITICS NARRATIVE!!!! We all know that identity politics sucks, yet ...

Naomi comments on Apr 1, 2019:

A few days ago, I was reading a news article about the New Zealand attacks on FB. The article was clearly generating a Muslims vs Christian type of notion - typical. I got a little mischievous :p, and dropped a comment "My heart goes out for the families of the victims who lost their lives amidst the mosque shootings." (I meant it!) to see if I would get any reaction. Sure enough, one white lady (I could tell by her profile photo and assumed she was Christian) reacted and said "How dare you! Stop virtue signaling. How many Christians do you think were killed by Muslims during this and that, not to mention the 9/11?!" So, I replied "What virtue signaling? I don't even know what it means. Plus, what is so wrong with expressing condolences to those who're going through very difficult times, regardless of their identities? It sounds like you've fallen into the very narrative of identity politics." I had no comeback. XD In my simple mind, ideologues are definitely playing a mind game, a very powerful one, and like StrykerWilfe M says, I feel that we've done enough fact check, we know what they are doing and, they are winning. I keep wondering if there is a way not to play their mind game, if not fight back, and to change the mindset of people, especially the young. I'm not suggesting that we should all become activists and behave like SJWs by storming into gender study classes or anything like that - oh no, heavens no. I keep wondering, though, if we could come up some kind of counterattack words and phrases which ordinary people, including children, can guard themselves with. Words like "racist", "fascist", "Nazi", "Islamophobe" "homophobe", etc., are very powerful and influential, and are circulated through social media nonstop, and just saying "No, I'm not a racist, etc." or trying to reason with them doesn't always seem to work. I feel that we could also spread words which are equally powerful so that we can make them retreat, and then, we can finally reason with them. We'll have to find such words/phrases, first, though. lol This really is a billion dollar question... Sorry, I've been thinking aloud! Just random thoughts. Thank you, guys, for your inputs! Feel free to continue with the discussion.

Paul Joseph Watson bringing the tree in night of hipsters definitely chasing individuality in order ...

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

PJW is such a contrarian. I like him.

Taking back Free Speech "This slow abduction of the West is the result of our acquiescence to ...

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

There are some individuals who are trying to reform Islam: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Tawhidi and Maajid Nawaz to name a few. I support them and sincerely hope that they will achieve their goals in the near future.

I WANT TO CHANGE THE IDENTITY POLITICS NARRATIVE!!!! We all know that identity politics sucks, yet ...

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

You know, when I posted this topic, I had a simple but realistic scenario in my head. It goes like this: Mr Just Ordinary Man lives a simple, humble life. He loves his family, he loves his home and he is very grateful for what he has. He hasn't got much education but he has good common sense which his grandma taught him. And politics? No, he isn't particularly interested in it. His family are happy and safe, and that's all he cares about. One day, Mr JOM went to a local store where he met a man who was very rude to him. So, he told the man not to be so rude. This was met by outrage. The man, who happened to be black, shouted and accused Mr JOM of being racist in front of everybody. Mr JOM defended himself by saying that he wasn't a racist and he was only pointing out the black man's rudeness, but the black man kept talking over him and continued to call him a racist. As his good common sense told him, Mr JOM stayed calm, disengaged himself from the conversation and walked away. After he went home, Mr JOM soon became inundated with horrible tweets, and the following day the media were all over him and his family. Mr JOM tried to explain what really happened, but no, they'd already made up their minds that he was the aggressor and the black man was the victim. A month later, things finally calmed down, and Mr JOM's life was back to normal. One day, Mr JOM went to the local store and saw the same black man harassing one of his neighbours there. As much as he wanted to rescue his neighbour, he decided not to get involved, carried on with shopping and left the store because he couldn't possibly have gone through what he went through a month before. (You could replace the black man with a Muslim, LGBTQ, etc.) You see how words like "racist", "Islamophobe", "misogynist", etc. have so much impact on decent, civilised people's minds with such an immediate "shut down" effect. Mr JOM doesn't even know what identity politics is, yet he was thrown right in the middle of it, plus, now his mind is conditioned not to speak out. So, back to the original billion dollar question - what can we, just ordinary people, do to not let this kind of things happen?! Hear my scream in frustration!!!

I WANT TO CHANGE THE IDENTITY POLITICS NARRATIVE!!!! We all know that identity politics sucks, yet ...

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

You, all good people, I like all your comments. But, the "like" button is not working!

"The South African Communist Party (SACP) was founded in 1921, funded by the Soviets.

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

I had no idea!

Any other female/ladies out there

Naomi comments on Mar 31, 2019:

Hi. I feel that way, too!

I am genuinely curious about this and would love to hear valid arguments for or against my thought.

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

Hi. This is a great post. I think that while individual liberty should be respected (obviously), because we're basically social animals, we cannot not belong to some kind of group, i.e., family, school, company, community, nation... that kind of thing. So, it is only natural that we identify ourselves with the group(s) to which we belong. Having said that, I think that if we are too conscious, that will keep different identity groups apart (segregation) instead of bringing them together (integration). I think that identity politics is important. When, for example, a minority group of people, like the Yazidis, are deprived of human rights, identity politics has a very important role to play in helping such people. However, in modern societies, identity politics is used for political agendas and struggles. Identity politics is toxic in that it keeps us all very conscious of identity groups, especially marginalised groups, and politicians and activists use racist and victim cards to generate prejudice and hostility among the groups. Movements like Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ movement are probably products of identity politics. In modern societies where we all take for granted the human rights and the entitlement to the equal protection by the law, why should any group of people be favoured over other groups, anyway? I think it's wrong that minorities receive so much special attention and others feel obliged to nominate them for certain awards, let them enter colleges and universities when they aren't really good enough to pass exams, etc. I am in the minority myself in the UK, but I'm not conscious that I'm a minority. And probably because I've been living in the same area for many years, my neighbours see me as "me" and not a foreigner, which is nice. Maybe I'm a good example of integration. :P I'm a glass-half-full person, and I'm hoping that this is just a phase we're going through. But, I also think that we need to make a conscious effort no to get sucked into the identity politics narrative, which is hard! By the way, July is the White History Month according to Jesse Lee Peterson. He also says there is no racism. XD

If I am white yet identify as black am I a racist ?

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

There is no racism, then, problem solved, no?

I have something that happened to me on FB that might be interesting to Joe Rogan.

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

That's ridiculous! One has to have a sick mind to interpret the cover design in a pornographic sort of way.

[youtu.be]

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

What a sight - amazing!

I don’t know how to share something directly yet so this is credited to the group “Jordan ...

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

What an idiot - full of rhetoric, as you say.

I see lots of comments about how the group dislikes the positions and the actions of the ‘left.

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

I understand your sentiment! We're good at recognising and analysing problems but not very good at discussing what we, as ordinary individuals, can do to address the problems. Everything is politicised and we so easily get sucked into it. We often talk about identity politics like a disease and say how much we hate it, yet we can't overcome the idea of who is left and who is right, who is white and who is black, and so on. And then, this free speech/hate speech business. Why can't just talk about things in a civilised manner? What's happened to morality and decency? Perhaps, we should listen to grandpas and grandmas better - they will be able to tell us good common sense. :)

Well, seems about right.

Naomi comments on Mar 30, 2019:

Dream on... lol

Promises promises promises! [twitter.com]

Naomi comments on Mar 29, 2019:

HI. I know - this is soooooo frustrating!

Just joined/

Naomi comments on Mar 29, 2019:

Weeeeelcome!!! I'll be very interested to know about your country and society.

Right, Karl Marx haters (and supporters)! LOL I was intrigued by Marx's quote "Religion is the opium...

Naomi comments on Mar 29, 2019:

I realise (and somehow predicted) that for many, Karl Marx and Marxism are a little too much to take on - it's almost a taboo subject. I observe that while we're relaxed enough to talk about dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc., when it comes to Marx, the notion that Marx is the father of communism; he was an evil man and his philosophy is the devil's work (demonstrated to be so time and time again in the 20th century) makes us feel a little uneasy, and thus prevents us from furthering the study of Marxism purely from a theoretical point of view. Similarly, the severe criticism of Marxism, even translated to disgust, prevents us from showing simple curiosity about a relatively trivial matter such as his quote "religion is the opium of the people", one of the most famous yet most misinterpreted quotes. Basically, we cannot seem to talk about Marxism without feeling a little uncomfortable. Of course, there is always a slight fear that we may be wrongly labeled as communists by talking about Marxism, and that's understandable. (By the way, Friedrich Engels normally manages to escape heavy criticism - lucky him.) So, thank you very much for being brave enough to contribute your views and knowledge about Marx and his ideas. I feel I'm learning a lot (English is not my first language, so I learn good English from you as well. :)). (And if you ever felt slightly offended by my remarks, I apologise - I'm a bit of contrarian, sometimes. :P) I'm going to give my tiny brain a little break - I've been thinking a lot and my brain is exhausted! Feel free to continue with the discussion, though; I'll come back now and then to see if I can learn more from you! Best wishes

I have started reading this book. Have you read it? If you have, any review?

Naomi comments on Mar 28, 2019:

She say there is no such thing as Islamophobia. I agree! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_-m_xU1xPY

Right, Karl Marx haters (and supporters)! LOL I was intrigued by Marx's quote "Religion is the opium...

Naomi comments on Mar 28, 2019:

I found that Austin Cline, the writer of the article I posted, lectures and writes extensively about religion, atheism and agnosticism. I also found this YouTube video, in which an attempt is made to understand what Marx meant by "religion is the opium of the people"; which is one of the most misinterpreted quotes. It explains well, I think. Any thoughts?

The role that identity politics should play I know what you think, but bear with me.

Naomi comments on Mar 27, 2019:

I like posts like this because they really make me think, but then, I don't like posts like this because they distract me from my work for hours. lol In my simple mind, I see like this: I don't believe that one can be completely self-reliant, i.e., completely individual. Basically because we're social animals, we cannot not belong to a unit/group. Family is a very basic unit, for example. We also get together when we find common ground; it can be a religious belief, a political view, even as simple as a hobby, etc. So, I think it's only natural that we identify ourselves with the group(s) we belong to. I think that identity politics is important; if a certain group of people, like the Yazidis, are deprived of human rights, for example, identity politics has an important role to play for such a group of people. In the modern world, however, where we all take for granted human rights and the entitlement to the equal protection of the law, identity politics is used for political agendas, and therefore becomes toxic, as we know. We often see politicians and activists play racist and victim cards; that's a good example. In that case, I hate identity politics. I think that "identity" is just a posh word for "label" and labeling anyone is bad. You label someone and put them in a certain category, and when you cannot transcend that label/category and therefore cannot see them as individuals, you simply fail to integrate with them. That's all I have to say for now. I'd better get back to my work... lol!

Anybodys thoughts on Tommy Robinson

Naomi comments on Mar 26, 2019:

It's good that we can talk about Tommy here without the worry of censorship. I wonder if he would be interested in joining IDW Community...

YOUTUBE keeps trying to take this video down... But somebody needs to help this boy [youtu.be]

Naomi comments on Mar 26, 2019:

I don't know what to say - this is sickening. In the UK, a social worker would probably get involved, concerning the physical and mental wellbeing of this boy.

This has just come in: "YouTube deleted a channel hosting a Joe Rogan podcast within 3 hours of ...

Naomi comments on Mar 26, 2019:

Wooooow!

Reparations for slavery

Naomi comments on Mar 26, 2019:

Why is it that no one talks about white slaves...? If reparations for slavery is just, that should include white slaves as well as black slaves. But it doesn't fit the left-wing narrative, I guess. lol

This is the point at which I feel I'm absolutely stuck and powerless.

Naomi comments on Mar 25, 2019:

You may also be interested to watch this. Identity politics is truly toxic.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxHXiqNur_I

An old meme that's been floating around...

Naomi comments on Mar 25, 2019:

The number of useful idiots is certainly on the increase in Europe - scary! lol

My friend works in a joke shop.

Naomi comments on Mar 25, 2019:

Whoever ruined the costume, the shop owner could take the individual to court, no? To me, it isn't a political issue, it's simply a crime, i.e. he suffered damage to his property.

Reparations for slavery

Naomi comments on Mar 24, 2019:

Ask Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson; he will say there has never been such thing as slavery. lol On a serious note, victimhood sells and I can't stand it!

Why is it. That those of us who prefer and enjoy dialogue. Are so hated for it?

Naomi comments on Mar 24, 2019:

Is it a kind of Hedonism we're having in the Western countries and other developed countries? Pleasure is the only good and pain (that includes harsh reality and truth, I guess) is the only evil. If so, I don't know why that is.

I'm opening a can of worms here! I'm posting this article because this is too big for my brain to ...

Naomi comments on Mar 23, 2019:

I found some information (mostly from Asian-Pacific Law & Policy Journal) about the Gender Identity Disorder (GID) Act which the Japanese government passed in 2003. It is interesting that the Act basically recognises gender transition as a mental disorder and does not seem to recognise the social construction of gender. The Act provides five legal conditions that need to be satisfied in order for an individual to legally change their gender. An applicant must be (1) over twenty years old, (2) unmarried at the time he or she wishes to legally change his or her gender, (3) have no minors, (4) be deprived of their reproductive organs or reproductive ability, and (5) have external genital organs similar to other members of the sex to which the applicant wishes to be assigned. Condition (4) is the most concerning one, as the Act essentially requires that an individual must have sex reassignment surgery. Having said that, the reality is that should an individual choose to undergo sex reassignment surgery or reform their genital organs, it is very difficult to actually do so. There are only a few medical institutions that provide sex reassignment surgery in Japan and, treatment of GID, including sex reassignment surgery, is not covered by public health insurance, i.e., very costly. With regard to condition (2), the no marriage requirement is consistent with the Japanese family law that limits marriage to heterosexual couples. In the event that an individual is married when he or she legally changes his or her sex to that of his or her spouse, the marriage that would emerge would be a same-sex marriage, which would be in violation of Japanese family law. By keeping such high thresholds and making it very difficult to comply with, although the GID Act appears to be progressive, it is perhaps a tactic that ultimately preserves societal gender norms. A different country, a different social context. Interesting. Many questions still remain in my head, though.

I'm opening a can of worms here! I'm posting this article because this is too big for my brain to ...

Naomi comments on Mar 23, 2019:

I think there are many angles to this matter. I ask myself questions like: - Does the human right to live extend to include the right to change the gender? - If some trans people do not wish to undergo irreversible treatment, does that mean they are reserving the option of returning to their original gender just in case they might change their mind? - Sterilisation like vasectomy and tubal occlusion are generally accepted as birth control, why not for trans people? - In Japan's case, if one is not bothered by whether or not one's gender is legally recognised, could it be just left to one's personal choice? - In the UK, the Gender Recognition Act doesn't seem to specify regarding undergoing surgical operations and other types of irreversible treatment to be recognised as transgender. Is it justifiable that for example, a woman who considers herself as a man can still have a baby if she wishes to? It's super confusing! My tiny brain can't handle this! LOL

Has anyone heard of Jesse Lee Peterson?

Naomi comments on Mar 22, 2019:

Yeeeees! Love the way he says "lesbian". lol There's no "isms" - I totally agree! I don't know about you, but when I listen to JLP carefully, I think what he says often resonates with what Jordan Peterson says (in very different styles obviously).

I think it's important to consider that the progressive endgame didn't happen overnight.

Naomi comments on Mar 22, 2019:

Talking of children's education, it is a very confusing world for children and worrying for parents. In Birmingham in England, an LGBT education program was introduced at one primary school (ages 4 to 10!) only to spark outrage among parents and guardians. Because the city has a rather large population of Muslims and therefore most parents protesting against the program are Muslims, it's all become a political struggle between Muslims and non-Muslims, spreading further to divide the whole nation. Amidst all this, I observe that no one seems to be talking about the children who are very much caught up in all this. I would argue whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, they are still children. Parents and teachers should be discussing together if it is appropriate to give LGBT lessons to children as young as 4. They should be questioning the education system which promotes such a program at such an early stage of child development. They should be seeking advice of child psychologists, etc., and not getting sucked into identity politics. I find it very worrying.

Just a thought...now that ISIS is dead, isn't is safe for most refugees to go home?

Naomi comments on Mar 22, 2019:

I don't believe that ISIS is dead. Their strength is that they don't have any permanent base; they can easily disperse and reform themselves any time and anywhere they like. Sorry to point out...

As a trans person, I don’t fit the leftist narrative of oppression because I think critically and ...

Naomi comments on Mar 22, 2019:

Have you ever visited Agnostic.com? I think there are many lefties on that platform. They are a very emotional bunch, full of anger most of the time, and their language...! Jonathan Haidt says lefties are more emotionally engaged than conservatives while conservatives are not any less emotional but are more pragmatic (which may make them appear unemotional) - something like that. I think he's right. If anyone enjoys critical thinking and logical thinking, this is the right platform for them.

As a trans person, I don’t fit the leftist narrative of oppression because I think critically and ...

Naomi comments on Mar 22, 2019:

I am an immigrant living in the UK. I am in the ethnic minority (apparently), but I don't think about myself being in that category or group. They don't represent me and I don't represent them. When I focus on people as individuals and not on the groups they belong to, I can get most things sorted out clearly in my head. So, groupthink - no.

[youtu.be] Another good video by Matt Christiansen on the recent censorship talks.

Naomi comments on Mar 20, 2019:

He has a good point; trying to silence someone only increases the public profile of that person. Tommy Robinson is a good example in the UK. A working class lad from a tiny town now has more than a million followers.

I've seen a lot of people on social media trying to describe fascism.

Naomi comments on Mar 19, 2019:

Hello everyone. English is not my mother tongue, so I can't use big words like you all guys do. XD Anyway, I've ditched the general notion that fascism is a far-right ideology ages ago. But, I was wondering if fascism could develop from neoliberalism, i.e., an extreme form of free-market capitalism. Maggie Thatcher very much endorsed this idea. While fascism is very much talked about with a strong emphasis on "state dominance", would it be possible that in a neoliberal country, private corporations like giant tech companies can have so much power over what people can do or can't do and have so much say in decision-making by the government of that country that they could grow authoritarian and ultimately totalitarian to control the entire nation? In that case, it's not so much state dominance but free market dominance.

What's people's thoughts on Tommy Robinson being banned from all social media????

Naomi comments on Mar 18, 2019:

The verdict on TR's case against Cambridgeshire Police for harassing him and his children. The judge dismissed his case, as he predicted, only to prove the corruption of the system. For that reason, it was worth taking them to court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKGEBNcjqwc