Not really a game IMHO


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Posted by Ballpark Frank (69.178.8.75) on 17:01:50 09/21/15

In Reply to: The Blame Game posted by F. Gump

F. Gump,

The most recent issue, that regarding Lynnette, involves one person (I have no idea who) that apparently voiced displeasure with what she was posting. What I was focusing on in my post is the larger issue of numerous people having left the page over time. Many of those individuals were not playing a game. They felt attacked, and I witnessed some of that attacking behavior over time. Yes, in some cases, certain individuals exhibited what I would term excessive sensitivity. It can be rough at times on this playground. At the same time, when any of us simply throw our hands up in the air, and write off what real humans are feeling, we are demonstrating our insensitivity. I am grateful to a person I worked with many years ago that went to the trouble of trying to get a specific concept through my thick skull, and that was that she had the right to her own feelings. It doesn't matter what I feel. There is no right or wrong when it comes to feelings. We males, wrapped up in our "I think" world, have a tendency to ignore the reality of the "I feel" world. Some would argue it has to do with our upbringing and the installation of cultural mores. Others believe it is predetermined in our x and y chromosomes.

Take a look around over time, and check which gender often reverts to rationale about not caring what someone else says or thinks. We males are socialized to blow off criticism from single individuals or small groups. We are rewarded in athletic and corporate culture for taking blows and responding either by delivering payback or simply ignoring the blow. While I have seen a few male posters react very negatively to aggressive criticism on this page, it seems many more female posters have internalized that criticism. At the same time, I know there are a number of female posters who are tough as nails, and could hold their own with the best of us in a verbal assault, yet, many of them have chosen to leave the page, and accompany their more sensitive fellow females in solidarity and support. Some women simply got tired of the drama, and opted for the friendly atmosphere on Facebook and in other sectors of cyberspace.

I do agree that there seems to be increasing polarization within America. Every time I try to analyze the phenomenon, I realize it is a lot more complex than I've been able to decipher. I look at the world outside the U.S. and worry that some clown like Kim Jong-un or Vladimir Putin will opt for the drastic oft-applied method for solving economic malaise, i.e. a good old war. I'm sure that would galvanize the American public, but it sure would be nice to find an easier way of accomplishing it.

Ballpark



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