What Is A Social Justice Warrior?

[Kirran]

What I said is in plain, easy to understand English. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DESTROY PROPERTY. THEY SHOULD BE PUT IN JAIL.

“Whatever their bodies do affects their souls. It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out...”
― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

How does this relate to defining SJWs?

 

[Stevicus]

I've heard the term "social justice warrior" used a lot lately, although it's clear that they put inordinate emphasis on social justice at the expense of economic justice - and that's been their primary mistake all these years. It's for this reason that they come across mostly as tools and dupes of the ruling class.

 

[Kirran]

I've heard the term "social justice warrior" used a lot lately, although it's clear that they put inordinate emphasis on social justice at the expense of economic justice - and that's been their primary mistake all these years. It's for this reason that they come across mostly as tools and dupes of the ruling class.

That's a widespread issue, class politics and economic reform have fallen by the wayside in the last 30 years.

 

[Stevicus]

That's a widespread issue, class politics and economic reform have fallen by the wayside in the last 30 years.

You're right, although that's been the main problem. Without a focus on class and economics, most of this attention on social justice has all been up in the clouds, without any grounding or any foundation. That may be part of the reason that they haven't really progressed or advanced much these past 30 years, even on the social issues they strongly care about. The 1960s and 70s were a time of great change and wide-reaching reform, but that kind of activism and change started to stagnate by the 80s.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You're right, although that's been the main problem. Without a focus on class and economics, most of this attention on social justice has all been up in the clouds, without any grounding or any foundation. That may be part of the reason that they haven't really progressed or advanced much these past 30 years, even on the social issues they strongly care about. The 1960s and 70s were a time of great change and wide-reaching reform, but that kind of activism and change started to stagnate by the 80s.

I'm not sure where you are @Kirran are coming from here. I see lots of stuff about income inequality coming from people who right-wingers would call "SJWs". Did you miss all the marches and protests over the past few years for a $15 minimum wage?

 

[Kirran]

You're right, although that's been the main problem. Without a focus on class and economics, most of this attention on social justice has all been up in the clouds, without any grounding or any foundation. That may be part of the reason that they haven't really progressed or advanced much these past 30 years, even on the social issues they strongly care about. The 1960s and 70s were a time of great change and wide-reaching reform, but that kind of activism and change started to stagnate by the 80s.

I think there's been a lot of great progress on social issues. Look at ongoing developments in LGBT+ rights. The spread of feminist ideals. Overt racism has been declining. We don't need to look at class issues at the expense of social issues. They are also important.

I'm not sure where you are @Kirran are coming from here. I see lots of stuff about income inequality coming from people who right-wingers would call "SJWs". Did you miss all the marches and protests over the past few years for a $15 minimum wage?

I'd say that's a good thing to be doing, I support it, but it still isn't a real engagement with the cultural and economic manifestations of classism within society.

 

[Revoltingest]

The whining isn't over the term; the whining is over what the "SJWs" are doing that the person complaining objectd to.
No, it's one of those calling-out-hypocrisy posts.

I say face the fact there exists a small percentage of "progressives" who fulminate at imagined slights.
They will be insulted over this.
At least you're not one of those, so the term, "SJW", shouldn't affect you at all.

 

[Stevicus]

I think there's been a lot of great progress on social issues. Look at ongoing developments in LGBT+ rights. The spread of feminist ideals. Overt racism has been declining. We don't need to look at class issues at the expense of social issues. They are also important.

Actually, a great deal more progress had already been made by the 1980s, at least as compared to what it had been 30 years previously. From the 1980s until now, progress has been at a snail's pace by comparison. The most glaring difference between the two periods is that from the 1950s through the late 1970s, far more attention was focused on economic issues. Since the 1980s, not so much, and I would consider this the primary reason why social progress and change have been so slow as to appear to be standing still. Without attention to the core issue of class, none of that other stuff really goes anywhere.

 

[Kirran]

Actually, a great deal more progress had already been made by the 1980s, at least as compared to what it had been 30 years previously. From the 1980s until now, progress has been at a snail's pace by comparison. The most glaring difference between the two periods is that from the 1950s through the late 1970s, far more attention was focused on economic issues. Since the 1980s, not so much, and I would consider this the primary reason why social progress and change have been so slow as to appear to be standing still. Without attention to the core issue of class, none of that other stuff really goes anywhere.

The strides we've made in acceptance of interracial relationships, same-sex relationships, gender identity and variance and so forth since the year 2000 are pretty amazing, if you ask me.

 

[Mister_T]

It may not have been you but someone was defending the rioters. That is part of the context of this thread.

It's pretty apparent you don't even know which group I was referring to in my posts. Go read through this thread again and find out who that "someone" was instead of attributing me with things I never said.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Exonymous slur used to demonise progressives.

Don't insult all progressives by association.

 

[Kirran]

Don't insult all progressives by association.

My point exactly.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I'd say that's a good thing to be doing, I support it, but it still isn't a real engagement with the cultural and economic manifestations of classism within society.

So something like the Occupy movement, which is also a thing?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I say face the fact there exists a small percentage of "progressives" who fulminate at imagined slights.
They will be insulted over this.
At least you're not one of those, so the term, "SJW", shouldn't affect you at all.

The term "SJW" gets applied to much more than those who "fulminate at imagined slights".

 

[Kirran]

So something like the Occupy movement, which is also a thing?

Yes, I like the Occupy movement.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Go.

Social justice warriors are to social justice as the god warrior is to god.

 

[Kirran]

Social justice warriors are to social justice as god warriors are to god.

What's a god warrior?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

What's a god warrior?

 

[Revoltingest]

The term "SJW" gets applied to much more than those who "fulminate at imagined slights".

Well, it shouldn't be.
I command you to call them on it when inappropriately used.

OK, it's more a mild urging than a command.

 

[Kirran]

I'm in a public computer cluster, could you summarise?