Immortallogic

The fact that this article is from 2012 is terrifying

I don't think it's fair to blame the left for the actions of the right. Perhaps it pushes them to be more extreme in their ideology, because things such as the one we began discussing on this posts are becoming more pervasive, but much of the right that has gained traction in the last five/ten years or so - their platforms have been fueled by racism and anti-inmigrant rhetoric, and scapegoating tactics. This is true for trump, the afd and other right wing parties in Europe, and now we see this trend in other places like India, with modi targeting muslims, and, well... bolsonaro just being an overall total fucking idiot.

But you're right in that trump is simply a manifestation of a long lying problem... However he has wrecked havoc in the few years he's been in power. His stance of unilateralism and America first is appealing I think especially to low class, rural white americans whove seen many changes and find it easy to blame the browns and other immigrants so to speak. But really, they should be blaming the corporations that decided to ship jobs out for ever cheaper labor for a race to the bottom, and trumps tit for tat sanctions that ultimately affect the citizens most. He simply lacks any sort of empathy or EI needed to be a leader, when it boils down to it. The world, to an extent, with America being a great example, is showing how globalization and this amoral version of capitalism with no boundaries can be damaging, and idk, I think it's too far gone to salvage, but let's see. The Inequality chasm is becoming more and more wide in developed countries, and the trend is going to continue. But I hope that at least in November americans will be smart enough to vote out trump and at least stop being the laughing stock of the world. Heres a good article about america and it's fall, so to speak, in the context of covid, since it's rise after the CW. It's long but quite interesting. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/covid-19-end-of-american-era-wade-davis-1038206/

With regards to women, as mentioned, I wasn't really referring to western women. Although, some points about the things you mentioned. Firstly, yes women do attend school at higher rates and are in more STEM jobs etc, but the falloff rate is actually higher than before. As in, there are fewer women who go on to become professors and have higher tenure than about 50 years ago, and still disproportionately less women at the top as CEO's etc. A huge part of this is related to kids, which is a way that women have been fucked by biology. But also, because when men become father's they're seen as more trustworthy/reliable by their employers, but women are seen as the opposite.

With regards to violent crime, sure... Women suffer less from being victims of violent crime, but when they do, it's overwhelmingly at the hands of men. Men suffer more violent crime, at the hands of who? Other men. See the difference? Women are two times more likely to be killed by their male partners, suffer overwhelmingly at the hands of male partners for domestic violence (I don't need to tell you that along with the health epidemic, there has also been a steep increase in Violence against women since everyone is staying home since covid started), and homicide by a woman's partner is still the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death. So violence is a pretty shitty example to use as to how women are 'more priveleged' than men.

In terms of the west, I'd say one of main ones that persists is harrassment/sexual violence against women. Guaranteed every single woman who's walked alone (or even not alone) at some point, anywhere in the world, has has to put up with some form of it. And that's just the most innocuous type of harrassment I'm talking about.

With regards to the discussion turning to places that are not the west, it came up because oppression exists there. I believe that we should speak up about inequality everywhere, not only in our small bubbles of the world where if a problem doesn't exist in our own lives, it doesn't exist at all. That lack of empathy, narcissism and selfishness is the reason for 90% of our problems as a species. But yes, western societies are by and large incredibly tolerant for "minorities" (crazy that half the population is still considered that though).

With regards to marriage/reproduction, I'm aware it's a fringe perspective, especially in the west. Although, there are movements in places like South Korea and Japan for example, where women are rejecting these things (sex, dating, kids). I think we've all been socialized to "want" these things, especially as women... We're fed the trope from girlhood that having a family/husband/kids is the ultimate goal and success. For some women it is, and more power to them. But I personally think it's very limiting, especially because for women, inevitably it usually turns out being that as a woman after having a kid the default and defining role becomes first, mother. For men they still maintain more of their autonomy after being fathers. The motherhood penalty, the double shift, are still real for women everywhere, including the west. Kids are also just a huge drain in resources, time and energy and I'd rather spread myself further and spend that time/energy/money on my family and wider community.... And having free time lol.

The other side of that is the world we live in. I truly don't think this is the type of world any child should be bought into, I don't think it's getting better. Between the climate crisis thats going to continue, the growing inequality, overpopulation as a globe (I know birth rates are declining in certain places, but they're very much still high in others), the continued infiltration of technology into all parts of our lives resulting in increased shallowness and vapidness of society, the materialism and consumerism that has plagued most places, and what I see as the steady increase of corruption and greed around the world.... among many more reasons, I don't see any reason. Maybe adopt or foster kids, but not biological kids.

Edit: I know I'm coming off as very doom and gloom... The world does have its good points and there are great experiences to have, people to meet, beautiful nature etc, and having a good life is definitely possible, but I think on a 'humanity' level, we aren't doing well... And if we were going to do well we would already have by now... we have the resources, Knowledge, and technology. But we're not.

But how to bring gender into the convo for regular convos?