Blind faith and militant skepticism are on opposite ends of a spectrum of dumbass.
There, I said it. In fact, take a minute and think about what you believe to be the nature of reality, the origin of life, all that. Odds are, you're a moron.
Now, let me explain why you're probably a moron. Like I said, blind faith and militant skepticism are the extreme ends of a very broad spectrum. Every intelligent human being falls into a narrow area in the exact middle of this spectrum.
Faith is believing something without proof. A little faith is good, necessary, in fact, to being a functional human being. Skepticism is to seek evidence and not believe without though. Again, skepticism is necessary in small amounts.
Blind faith is belief in something in spite of evidence to the contrary. Militant skepticism is denial of that which has not been proven "conclusively". Either way, you're an imbecile.
I am inclined to find both unspeakably tiresome. I often find myself being told to believe something, and it is difficult for me to think less of anyone than I do of the person who when I ask why I should believe cannot form an intelligent answer.
Unless it's to think less of the one who criticizes me for what I believe.
Here, let me make this simple for you. I believe in myself and my experiences. Sensory input, and the reasoning by which we interpret it, is notoriously unreliable. However, I pride myself on many years of sharpening by deductive powers, and as I see it, to doubt what the eyes see and the ears hear is the path to madness. If I should doubt what I hear because you did not hear it, then why should I have faith that you are even truly speaking? Perhaps I am delusional. Perhaps the skeptic is part of my delusion, and that which he doubts is the truth which the delusion wishes me not to see.
I trust in abilities which have proved consistent in the past, and in sources of information which show themselves to be reliable and consistent, even if no one else is aware of them. If a thousand times a voice in my head tells me something, and a thousand times it proves correct, I am going to listen to it, regardless of my capacity to explain its nature. That is appropriate use of faith and skepticism. The same use by which you doubt the word of a complete stranger and trust the word of a friend.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
On "Being Outed"
In case you have been under a rock since the early 80's, "outing" in this sense is the revealing of an individual as a member of the LGBT community. It may also refer to any orientation or lifestyle which was previously secret, such as one's religious affiliations.
"Coming out" is announcing to the world that you are, whatever you are. "Being outed", is when someone else does it to you, and of course the dreaded "outing yourself" is accidentally letting it slip.
I feel like we (the transgender community) need a new word.
Now and then I hear expressions such as "I outed myself" from people who are transgender, who are living full time as their true gender identity; in reference to revealing that they are transgender and haven't always presented as their current (true) gender identity. I feel this is flawed logic and poor language reinforcing a negative concept in our minds and in the collective understanding of society.
When a gay man is "in the closet", he's living a lie, he's not being true to himself in all parts of his life. He's at best sneaking around and living a double life, and at worst denying himself, to himself. Being in the closet is bad, it's unhealthy, one might argue that it's inherently unethical because it's at least a lie of omission. You know me, I give two hoots about ethics, but it could be argued.
When our theoretical gay man (let's call him Fred, I'm not going to mention him by name ever again, but I feel like calling him Fred) comes out, he's being honest for the first time. He's telling the truth, BEING the truth. This is good. He might get some crap for it, but you can only lie to yourself for so long before you lose the truth, and then your next big accomplishment in life is dying.
He can't ever be "outed" again, he's already out, he's being his real self. There's no lie.
When a trans person (for the sake of my tortured brain and pronouns we're gonna say a transwoman), when she comes out, it means she's now living full time as a female. There's no more lie, she's being her real self. Before she "came out" she was living as a man, pretending to be a man, lying about her gender identity. Just like the gay man. She's out now, she can't be outed again, just like Fred (so I lied, I used his name again).
But, let's say this woman "passes" perfectly. Most of the time, no one ever knows she's trans. When something slips and someone finds out, we say she's been "outed". She hasn't been outed. That would imply that she's being dishonest. Female is her real self. Saying that a transperson has been "outed" when someone finds out they are trans suggests that she's a man living as a woman and that the lie started when she transitioned. This of course is profoundly wrong, and we get extremely offended when someone states it outright. Yet here we are implying it ourselves by continuing to use the term "outed".
Saying that a transwoman outed herself when someone found out she wasn't born a woman is like saying a gay man outed himself when someone finds out he used to have sex with women. Coming out is telling the truth. Letting someone find out you used to lie needs to have another word. Let's find one. Or better yet, don't use a word for it, there isn't a word for the gay man who accidentally mentions his ex-wife, why do we need one?
"Passing" for your gender of identity is important. Not letting anyone know you're trans (and getting the subsequent and rather flattering "Wow! I never would have known, you're gorgeous!") is only important because some bigoted morons might treat you differently. By reacting to it and calling it being "outed" we are validating their unenlightened opinions and giving power to their responses. We need not to care what they think, and to steer society toward a collective feeling that their position makes them lesser people.
The first step, is deleting the subconscious impression of the term "outed" that a transperson is inherently dishonest because they are trans.
"Coming out" is announcing to the world that you are, whatever you are. "Being outed", is when someone else does it to you, and of course the dreaded "outing yourself" is accidentally letting it slip.
I feel like we (the transgender community) need a new word.
Now and then I hear expressions such as "I outed myself" from people who are transgender, who are living full time as their true gender identity; in reference to revealing that they are transgender and haven't always presented as their current (true) gender identity. I feel this is flawed logic and poor language reinforcing a negative concept in our minds and in the collective understanding of society.
When a gay man is "in the closet", he's living a lie, he's not being true to himself in all parts of his life. He's at best sneaking around and living a double life, and at worst denying himself, to himself. Being in the closet is bad, it's unhealthy, one might argue that it's inherently unethical because it's at least a lie of omission. You know me, I give two hoots about ethics, but it could be argued.
When our theoretical gay man (let's call him Fred, I'm not going to mention him by name ever again, but I feel like calling him Fred) comes out, he's being honest for the first time. He's telling the truth, BEING the truth. This is good. He might get some crap for it, but you can only lie to yourself for so long before you lose the truth, and then your next big accomplishment in life is dying.
He can't ever be "outed" again, he's already out, he's being his real self. There's no lie.
When a trans person (for the sake of my tortured brain and pronouns we're gonna say a transwoman), when she comes out, it means she's now living full time as a female. There's no more lie, she's being her real self. Before she "came out" she was living as a man, pretending to be a man, lying about her gender identity. Just like the gay man. She's out now, she can't be outed again, just like Fred (so I lied, I used his name again).
But, let's say this woman "passes" perfectly. Most of the time, no one ever knows she's trans. When something slips and someone finds out, we say she's been "outed". She hasn't been outed. That would imply that she's being dishonest. Female is her real self. Saying that a transperson has been "outed" when someone finds out they are trans suggests that she's a man living as a woman and that the lie started when she transitioned. This of course is profoundly wrong, and we get extremely offended when someone states it outright. Yet here we are implying it ourselves by continuing to use the term "outed".
Saying that a transwoman outed herself when someone found out she wasn't born a woman is like saying a gay man outed himself when someone finds out he used to have sex with women. Coming out is telling the truth. Letting someone find out you used to lie needs to have another word. Let's find one. Or better yet, don't use a word for it, there isn't a word for the gay man who accidentally mentions his ex-wife, why do we need one?
"Passing" for your gender of identity is important. Not letting anyone know you're trans (and getting the subsequent and rather flattering "Wow! I never would have known, you're gorgeous!") is only important because some bigoted morons might treat you differently. By reacting to it and calling it being "outed" we are validating their unenlightened opinions and giving power to their responses. We need not to care what they think, and to steer society toward a collective feeling that their position makes them lesser people.
The first step, is deleting the subconscious impression of the term "outed" that a transperson is inherently dishonest because they are trans.
Friday, February 14, 2014
An Open Letter to Stupid People
Dear Stupid People,
Stop. Just... stop. No more of these things you do.
Quit vomiting up opinions because someone else gave them to you. Stop asking questions without at least thirty seven seconds of actively attempting to arrive at answers on your own.
There is less shame in acting more slowly than me because you're thinking about the consequences of your actions than there is in facing a lifetime of ridicule from me for doing something moronic.
Never forget, you are stupid. Yes, you should be ashamed of it, how else can you improve? Your job now is to acknowledge your stupidity, do your best to think occasionally anyway, and stay the fuck away from me.
Should you choose to continue bothering me, please understand that I have no problem whatsoever with illustrating your stupidity to you in excruciating detail, preferably with the largest of possible audiences. The next person who enters the store in which I work and asks me the name of the store may actually sustain minor contusions. Please especially avoid that one.
I will not pretend to be stupid just to balm your rightfully diminutive self esteem. It isn't going to happen. I realize that in the land of the blind the one eyed man is a heretic. I just don't care. You are not smart enough for your opinions to be valid. I consider the feelings of my vegetables, but this is because they actually serve a purpose. You have to earn that.
Thank you in advance, stupid people. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Yours sarcastically,
Katharine
P.S. If you feel like this is directed at you, why do you consider yourself stupid? If it takes you more than seven seconds to answer that... then it probably is.
P.P.S. Bite me.
Stop. Just... stop. No more of these things you do.
Quit vomiting up opinions because someone else gave them to you. Stop asking questions without at least thirty seven seconds of actively attempting to arrive at answers on your own.
There is less shame in acting more slowly than me because you're thinking about the consequences of your actions than there is in facing a lifetime of ridicule from me for doing something moronic.
Never forget, you are stupid. Yes, you should be ashamed of it, how else can you improve? Your job now is to acknowledge your stupidity, do your best to think occasionally anyway, and stay the fuck away from me.
Should you choose to continue bothering me, please understand that I have no problem whatsoever with illustrating your stupidity to you in excruciating detail, preferably with the largest of possible audiences. The next person who enters the store in which I work and asks me the name of the store may actually sustain minor contusions. Please especially avoid that one.
I will not pretend to be stupid just to balm your rightfully diminutive self esteem. It isn't going to happen. I realize that in the land of the blind the one eyed man is a heretic. I just don't care. You are not smart enough for your opinions to be valid. I consider the feelings of my vegetables, but this is because they actually serve a purpose. You have to earn that.
Thank you in advance, stupid people. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Yours sarcastically,
Katharine
P.S. If you feel like this is directed at you, why do you consider yourself stupid? If it takes you more than seven seconds to answer that... then it probably is.
P.P.S. Bite me.
Intersections of Spirituality
Today's topic is the relationship between different forms of spirituality. This is an interesting topic, will folks ever learn to get along? And how about the "grocery store pagans" growing from this modern information age, taking a little from every practice and making their own way?
To paraphrase George Carlin: "Do you believe in God? No? BANG! Do you believe in God? Do you believe in MY god? No? BANG!"
This pretty much sums up the results of most of history's meetings of different religious ideas. Politically correct or not, this is especially true of Christianity, which remains the leading religion of the world.
I see culture clashes all over the place, and I find them unnecessary. Some of the recon Hellenists don't approve of my work. Some pagans in general criticize me for the dark nature of my path. Random strangers have walked up to me in public (in bookstores no less) and warned me of the "dangers" of the so-called "Left Hand Path".
I see vicious conflicts over who can call themselves a shaman, what is "real" Wicca, and even silliness about whether not a ritual is "valid" if it's done correctly by someone who doesn't follow the tradition it comes from.
The ancient Hellenes who I seek to emulate didn't have these problems. They regarded outsiders as lesser, as most cultures do. The word "xeno", foreigner, was and still is usually colored by insulting implications. However, to be Greek wasn't a matter of being born in the right place to the right family, it was a choice. When a xeno came to Greece, they had the option of assimilating, of adopting the Greek religion and culture, and thereby becoming Greek, as Greek as anyone else.
History and mythology is full of stories of the Greeks adopting the practices and deities of other cultures.They facilitated the blending of cultures by altering their own mythology, allowing newcomers to adapt without losing the value of their own traditions.
So why can't we do this today? Well, that's a question which at present I cannot answer. I do not understand it myself. Why is it not possible for everyone to be right? I think we're all just stupid.
To paraphrase George Carlin: "Do you believe in God? No? BANG! Do you believe in God? Do you believe in MY god? No? BANG!"
This pretty much sums up the results of most of history's meetings of different religious ideas. Politically correct or not, this is especially true of Christianity, which remains the leading religion of the world.
I see culture clashes all over the place, and I find them unnecessary. Some of the recon Hellenists don't approve of my work. Some pagans in general criticize me for the dark nature of my path. Random strangers have walked up to me in public (in bookstores no less) and warned me of the "dangers" of the so-called "Left Hand Path".
I see vicious conflicts over who can call themselves a shaman, what is "real" Wicca, and even silliness about whether not a ritual is "valid" if it's done correctly by someone who doesn't follow the tradition it comes from.
The ancient Hellenes who I seek to emulate didn't have these problems. They regarded outsiders as lesser, as most cultures do. The word "xeno", foreigner, was and still is usually colored by insulting implications. However, to be Greek wasn't a matter of being born in the right place to the right family, it was a choice. When a xeno came to Greece, they had the option of assimilating, of adopting the Greek religion and culture, and thereby becoming Greek, as Greek as anyone else.
History and mythology is full of stories of the Greeks adopting the practices and deities of other cultures.They facilitated the blending of cultures by altering their own mythology, allowing newcomers to adapt without losing the value of their own traditions.
So why can't we do this today? Well, that's a question which at present I cannot answer. I do not understand it myself. Why is it not possible for everyone to be right? I think we're all just stupid.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Sticks and Stones
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
Who thought up that line of crap? It would be difficult for a thought to be more wrong, in more ways.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can wound the soul.
It's easy to hurt a body. It's also easy to heal a body. A little antiseptic, a band-aid, maybe a cast; and time. Big damn deal. They say time heals all wounds, they fucking lied.
The wounds left by words don't heal. I want you to take a few minutes right now, think back to your childhood, and try to think of the most hurtful thing anyone ever said to you before you were an adult...
Didja do it? Okay. Now if you're not at least tearing up a little, you didn't really do it.
Mind your words, they are potential weapons. Someone could get hurt.
Who thought up that line of crap? It would be difficult for a thought to be more wrong, in more ways.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can wound the soul.
It's easy to hurt a body. It's also easy to heal a body. A little antiseptic, a band-aid, maybe a cast; and time. Big damn deal. They say time heals all wounds, they fucking lied.
The wounds left by words don't heal. I want you to take a few minutes right now, think back to your childhood, and try to think of the most hurtful thing anyone ever said to you before you were an adult...
Didja do it? Okay. Now if you're not at least tearing up a little, you didn't really do it.
Mind your words, they are potential weapons. Someone could get hurt.
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