Rosie51
^It's being forced to accept that the naked Emperor is wearing clothes when everyone knows he's not but isn't allowed to say so.^ that's it in a nutshell! Anyone who understands the most basic facts about biology knows sex is determined at conception and is immutable. But, the 'be kind' mantra demands you suspend facts, logic and even common sense and enter the world of fantasy ideology. Anyone is exactly what they say they are, even when that is clearly a lie, but to deny that is to admit 'you're so stupid you can't see the Emperor's new clothes' And cowards agree and nod approval.
It will turn eventually, as the ugly duckling turned into a swan, eyes will be opened and professing yourself to be blind and stupid won't be so attractive and the back-pedalling could probably power the nation, but reality eventually persists.
I think Rosie51 that the "be kind" incantation is an iron hand in a velvet glove. And the mantra has spread to other societal, political and cultural matters. To the point where anyone who wants to delve into an 'issue' with any degree of intellectual or thoughtful consideration will quickly find themselves labelled as judgemental - through questioning an accepted premise.
What do I mean? Well, my best friend is gaining weight at an alarming rate because, for some reason, she is over-eating and eating all the wrong things. It's having an effect on her health - I see her huffing and puffing over slight exertion. However, she has subscribed to the "big-is-beautiful" ideology and says she doesn't care what people think.
So, do I go along with this in order to 'be kind' or do I -because I care about her, tell her that she is setting herself up for possible future health problems and ask her why she is suddenly eating to excess?
If I do the first, I am following society's current ideology - I am a nice person being 'kind'. If I do the latter - I am judgemental. And the while, I watch her becoming increasingly dissatisfied with her life (because she doesn't quite believe the 'big-is-beautiful' mantra) and I am silent. Which is cowardly, because really I should be telling her the truth - in the same way I would if she were starving herself and becoming stick-thin, when 'society' would congratulate and approve my intervention. What, though, is the difference? Over or under eating both damage people's health, that is a fact. But, one has become acceptable - even promoted, if you look at some of the more trashier media where women - and men - are defiantly bulging out of their clothes, demanding that "Karens" and "Kevins" stop criticising them because they are simply jealous of the fact that they are hot. They have become media sensations!
Because I don't want to "fat-shame" - I go along with this. But it's nonsense. Would I watch my own offspring over-eating or under-eating without concern? No, I wouldn't, so why should I think it's OK for others to damage themselves?
OK, I've strayed off the point. And the point is that we appear to have now reached the stage where open and honest debate is almost prohibited, because it calls into question other people's assertions or group-think. And this is now no longer acceptable.
I don't think I am judgemental; I try not to comment disparagingly on people's appearances; I accept that everyone is 'different' in their dress or behaviour, I don't think people are ugly because they are overweight, I respect anyone's right to be what they want to be or identify with whatever they want to identify with, but I am not going to pretend that the naked Emperor is wearing clothes.
