#context always matters

[embervoices]

"You are so privileged"

You are not wrong about that. But if the privilege I am showing is education, and you are willfully refusing to use the access you do have yourself?

Not sorry.

[yazthebookish]

Whenever I come across a post or a theory and the main evidence is searched up random words on the ebook and pronouns while completely dismissing the context of each scene—those tell me nothing because within context they don't correlate with each other.

[lazy-cat-corner]

When a mutual makes fun of your fave character:

When an anti makes the same comment:

[naliya]

Context does matter

One thing I really dislike about social justice discourse pushed on Tumblr is the idea that context and intent doesn’t matter. The idea that, for example, using a racist imagery to denounce racism in a satirical way is the same and moreover does the same harm as someone who will use the same imagery because he or she actually believes and endorses it. Spoiler alert, it’s not the same and intent does matter.

I really dislike that idea first because if you go after someone who believes in the same things you do  with ‘call outs” and “doxxing” and harass this person just for saying something in a way YOU personally find offensive then you aren’t fighting for justice, you’re just being a bully who believes their little emotional internet comfort matters more than someone else’s real life existence (and this really is valid for anyone, not only those who believe the same as you, but this is for another rant). Sure, you can go and explain to the person why you think their methods might not be the most effective and educative, but no using methods that you personally dislike to fight for what is just and right doesn’t make this person “problematic” and you’re no one to call them that to start with. Your feelings toward something aren’t the be all, end all of everything. Get over yourself.

And the second reason - and really the main reason - why I dislike this idea is because, really, you have to be an anglophone and moreover an American to have the luxury and, well, the privilege to believe that context is irrelevant. Especially cultural context. Only anglophones - and Americans especially - who have the “luck” to see their culture spill all over can act as if context doesn’t matter and treat their cultural sensibilities, constructs and reactions to particular events as the default everyone should abide to. However, the rest of the world isn’t so lucky. Cultural context when judging something DOES matter, a people will always react to things according to their culture and history, hence why something that is offensive to you in the USA might not be offensive for a Japanese person or a German or a Kenyan (for example), and the reverse is valid too (see how the word “race” when applied to humans is seen in Europe versus the US; it’s seen as very offensive in Europe because the last time it was extensively used, it was inside of Nazi rhetoric which eventually led millions to death camps).

I about had enough of American trying to Americansplain to the entire world what is offensive and what’s not and trying to teach everyone what they should or shouldn’t be mad about using the idea that context doesn’t matter to do so. Context does matter, intent does matter. It always does.