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Ariane Goodwin's avatar

In a recent conversation with a zlennial (his self-referential label), he referenced a local yoga ashram who created "scholarships" for people without the financial means to pay full price. He was upset at what he saw as a patriarchal label that diminished people who had to "claim" their "scholarships" to enter.

But when I asked him what other term this ashram could use in place of "scholarships," he looked confused. When I pressed, he protested that he didn't need to provide a different solution; that being upset was justification in itself.

It's this lack of imagination that frightens me the most. Outrage at "them" (whomever they are) is an acceptable end point. A solution brought about by thoughtful connection is unimaginable.

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Nicholas Goodey's avatar

This is the classic virtue signal.

I AM OFFENDED BY THIS BLATAN EXPRESSION OF [Insert current trending thing to be offended by].

OK, do you have a suggestion for what we could do to improve it?

LEAVE ME ALONE I'M TOO UPSET TO BE OF ANY USE TO SOCIETY

Simply being seen to be incensed by something is the holiest act. We are living in the image-based age. 'I posted a black square on instagram, obviously I'm not a racist'

What would I suggest people do instead of having these absurd explosive reactions to things?

1) Understand why the are having such a reaction

2) See where, if anywhere, they exhibit the same behaviour in their life

3) Address that behaviour

4) Get off the internet

Also, a Zlennial is just asking for disparagement. You know how much I love people identifying with groups rather than being themselves and standing alone. Which is a huge contributing factor to this phenomenon - groupthink and collective identity.

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Ariane Goodwin's avatar

OMG, at risk for being redundant... this is another perfect standup gig! Writing+editing+standup gig = OMG, yessssss

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