Toxic Positivity and Empowerment
Oct. 1st, 2021 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mazecraft13There is an intersection/conflict within my echo chamber on toxic positivity and self-empowerment memes that is a bit disturbing. Algorithms have a tendency to boost the signal on similar ideas that inevitably are repeated ad nauseum and can take on the role of conditioning not unlike brainwashing.
I have written before about the tendency for (even good) ideas to become corrupted as they are generalized and applied where they are inapplicable. A lot of the self-empowerment memes I am seeing lately are actually quite toxic if they are applied where they don't fit.
Like a post from one or more of these pseudo-psychology pages and over time you are going to be indoctrinated with an avoidant and dissociative reactionary mindset that eviscerates everything it sees. And underneath the hardened shell through which no love can pass will still be a person deeply hurting and unable to receive comfort.
The guardian we set to protect us often becomes the jealous guard that won't let anyone close. This isn't to say that we should allow toxic people unfettered access to us, nor allow abusive or manipulative behaviors to weaken and rob us of our sovereignty. But those protective measures should not become a defining characteristic of your personality.
Take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, be curious and flexible, do not hold too tightly to anything lest you squeeze it out of shape. And of course, protect yourself from those that would harm you intentionally or not.
In regard to toxic positivity, I would say that many of us already understand that it is harmful to ourselves and others to ignore pain, injustice, disparity, and violence. It is the height of entitlement and privilege to focus only on the good in this world because it is not directly impacting us. Further, for those that are dealing with enormous challenges physically, mentally and emotionally, toxic positivity places yet another burden on them to try to live up to a fantasy ideal that completely disregards their experienced reality.
All that being said, even those that are struggling with tremendous adversity and trauma might need reminding once in a while that beyond the threshold of whatever difficulties they are going through is a world that still has some good to offer. (Cue Sam's speech to Frodo from the LotRs). Cause honestly sometimes those reminders might just be the thing that can get them through one more day.
I have written before about the tendency for (even good) ideas to become corrupted as they are generalized and applied where they are inapplicable. A lot of the self-empowerment memes I am seeing lately are actually quite toxic if they are applied where they don't fit.
Like a post from one or more of these pseudo-psychology pages and over time you are going to be indoctrinated with an avoidant and dissociative reactionary mindset that eviscerates everything it sees. And underneath the hardened shell through which no love can pass will still be a person deeply hurting and unable to receive comfort.
The guardian we set to protect us often becomes the jealous guard that won't let anyone close. This isn't to say that we should allow toxic people unfettered access to us, nor allow abusive or manipulative behaviors to weaken and rob us of our sovereignty. But those protective measures should not become a defining characteristic of your personality.
Take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, be curious and flexible, do not hold too tightly to anything lest you squeeze it out of shape. And of course, protect yourself from those that would harm you intentionally or not.
In regard to toxic positivity, I would say that many of us already understand that it is harmful to ourselves and others to ignore pain, injustice, disparity, and violence. It is the height of entitlement and privilege to focus only on the good in this world because it is not directly impacting us. Further, for those that are dealing with enormous challenges physically, mentally and emotionally, toxic positivity places yet another burden on them to try to live up to a fantasy ideal that completely disregards their experienced reality.
All that being said, even those that are struggling with tremendous adversity and trauma might need reminding once in a while that beyond the threshold of whatever difficulties they are going through is a world that still has some good to offer. (Cue Sam's speech to Frodo from the LotRs). Cause honestly sometimes those reminders might just be the thing that can get them through one more day.
So, I offer the following Vonnegut quote we've seen so many times as a reminder, with the caveat that we still need to honor and address the struggles too:
“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place”
― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
