Reflex, Reflect, Recurse.

[wolven7]

Okay. Here's how it works:

The things that we make influence the things that we will later make.

The opinions that we hold will be folded into the things that we make, and will thus propagate out into the world.

As they enter the world, they will encounter people who will agree with them, people who completely disagree with them, and people who kind of agree but wish that it was a little bit different.

Your ideas will change the way people think.

Your ideas will change the way people act upon how they think.

Your ideas--your words, your art, your music, your food, your dance, your play-- will change the world.

If you think that something simply "Is A Way," then you are not understanding me.

Things are the way they are because someone had an idea that things were a way and acted on that idea and people either vehemently agreed or didn't give enough of a shit to say "no."

Things are the way they are because--maybe-- someone hasn't offered a compelling alternative or addition.

Things are the way they are because people think that our options have to be all or nothing, when a multiplicity of values can be embraced.

People don't just "behave" ways.

People don't just "believe" things.

We are exposed to norms and options and perspectives and we accept or reject them, sometimes immediately, sometimes over decades or hundreds of years.

The demographic for pornography is mostly men because societal conditioning over hundreds if not THOUSANDS of years has said "Men Like Things Like This; Being Manly Means Liking This."

There is nothing intrinsic to "Maleness."

I was going to add something to the end of that, but no.

Little girls like pink things because since the 30's, those designated "Little Girls" have had pink things foisted upon them, and told that anything Not Pink is "Not Ladylike."

You can identify as male and not like porn.

You can identify as female and love porn.

You can ident as male and love the way pink accentuates your hair, or eyes, or the light coming in through the window in your den where you watch Sportz.

Nothing simply "Is A Way," and you can either be conscious of and involved in the effort and work it takes to make things the way they are, or you can let it run you down.

If anyone's still confused, I'll need you to go read up on semiotics, ritual theory, psychological engagement, detournment, social action theory (specifically Structural_functionalism), and a bunch of feminist philosophy.

Okay? Okay.

Comments

[cause-catyljan.livejournal.com]

Things are the way they are because someone had an idea that things were a way and acted on that idea and people either vehemently agreed or didn't give enough of a shit to say "no."

Things are the way they are because--maybe-- someone hasn't offered a compelling alternative or addition.

Things are the way they are because people think that our options have to be all or nothing, when a multiplicity of values can be embraced.

Icarus.