Dunking

This post is primarily inspired by two recent occurrences, and the delight they caused liberal/progressive/leftist people: Bethany Mandel not being able to define "woke" when asked (despite having written a whole book on it) and John Steward "demolishing" Oklahoma state senator Nathan Dahm over gun control:

https://www.thewrap.com/jon-stewart-gun-rights-oklahoma-senator-clip/

What I want to stress most is that no one is demolished.

Senator Dahm is doubling down and asking for a rematch on Joe Rogan.

Bethany Mandel says she was humiliated, but her article about that is self-serving, blames an anxiety that her family was going to be criticized, and still never defines "woke" (though she admits it is a reasonable question, which is big of her).

https://www.newsweek.com/define-woke-bethany-mandel-conservative-book-1788538

Conservatives are tweeting their own definitions of the word, which lie and deflect.

In Mandel's defense, answering honestly -- especially to a Black woman -- could have been awkward. If you're going to accept the interview, you should have a strategy for that.

(And this is where it's good that I wrote about "woke" last week, because now I can link to it and move on: https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2023/03/waking.html) 

My take is that these dunkings do more harm than good.

I understand that sense of glee that we are smarter than them, but you should not need any additional proof. 

Plus, a lot of it is more about calculated evil than a lack of comprehension. It is hard to tell with some, I admit. Some are probably more manipulated than manipulative, but this is still not the way to reach them.

Instead, it reinforces their sense of being besieged by evil liberals, it gives their lies a platform, and breeds a culture where a (false) sense of domination is prioritized over actual good.

(Speaking of giving a platform, I am not including Lesley Stahl and Marjorie Taylor Green in this because it doesn't seem like there was even a dunk.)

This is not about conservatives' hurt feelings; this is about progressives' shriveled hearts.

I know there are a lot of different words that can be used, and I am willing to have that discussion. 

In this case, I lean towards "progressive" because that seems to be be the chosen self-identifier for many of those who focus more on scoring points against their rivals than working toward legislation or grass roots organizing or mutual aid or something that will help somebody.

In fact, that inner need to dominate is the kind of thing that results in some people resorting to guns for a final assertion of their dominance, where they will die but they will take others with them.

This does not accomplish anything good, and there is so much good to be done. We need to be feeding people, registering voters, making health care -- including mental health -- care available. There is so much work to be done.

The dopamine rush from feeling better-informed than someone who could not care less is a hollow substitute.

I know there are some who argue that these victories are important for shifting the conversation, and that will bring change.

I have doubts, but that will go into another post.