For decades, leftists made great efforts creating intellectual-sounding rationalizations for cultural Marxist ideology. Lately it’s gone on freakish tangents that not even the Frankfurt School could’ve anticipated. If they’d made as much effort solving social problems (rather than worsening them), the world would be a better place. However, fixing things was never the goal.
Social Justice Warriors and other True Believers have developed an elaborate vocabulary to frame their arguments. By understanding what they really mean, we can expose their absurdly faulty logic.
1. Person of Color (PoC)
This means anyone not of European heritage; the more hip term for non-white. PoCs are assumed to be denied privilege; even if one compares a white busboy to an Asian billionaire. The term enhances the self-awareness of their racial heritage, something that Whites are discouraged from developing. For comparison, the difference between a “man of religion” and a “religious man” is the difference between a minister and someone who simply believes in God.
The rhetorical trick: Under normal circumstances, each race pursues its own interests, within its own territory. Very different groups with separate agendas lumped together as People of Color encourages mutual solidarity against Whites. Naturally, whites are strongly discouraged from having any solidarity, reinforced through guilt trips induced by the usual suspects.
Worse, multiculturalism pushes several disparate groups into the same territories, creating volatility. Furthermore, all PoCs are expected to follow everything the leftists tell them. Dissenters can be accused of disloyalty to their heritage.
Translation: Colored person.
2. Prejudice plus power
This is the new definition of “racism”, the most potent devil-word in the SJW vocabulary. I first saw it on a website for Leon Trotsky fans, but it’s been making the rounds. Naturally, this means only whites fit this “prejudice plus power” redefinition, because supposedly whites have privilege and PoCs don’t.
Thus, Jared Taylor is “racist”, despite being Mr. Reasonable. Meanwhile, Colin Ferguson—who murdered six passengers on a commuter train in Long Island for racially motivated reasons—was merely having a bad day. William Kunstler and Ron Kuby—his pro bono attorneys—invoked the “Black Rage” defense, but you won’t find too many leftists calling it a “hate crime” for obvious reasons.
The rhetorical trick: It’s the old fallacy of special pleading, resting entirely upon the “privilege” argument. Further, “prejudice” is greatly expanded over the traditional definition of preconceived judgment, and evidence (like what Jared Taylor frequently discusses) is no defense.
Translation: Only whites are “racist”; everyone else can do no wrong.
3. Privilege
This is a big grab-bag of advantages that an individual might have, supposedly unearned and at the unfair expense of others based on some group identity. Aside from race, the argument goes that men are privileged and women are not, straights are privileged but GLBTs are not, beginning a very long list. This is the basis of the SJW “victimization Olympics” hierarchy, the sole determinant among them of who is right or wrong.
Further, society must give special handouts (which is real privilege) to compensate. I’m considered privileged, although neither my race nor my sex gets me scholarships, Affirmative Action hiring advantages, set-asides in awarding government contracts, etc. Okie dokie…
The rhetorical trick: All this rests upon the leftist notion of hyper-equality; everyone is exactly the same—or should be. Unequal outcomes result from malice, rather than actual differences, life choices, or behaviors. No evidence need be given.
Leftists have a saying, “Privilege is invisible to the privileged.” So it’s as intangible as spectral evidence at the Salem Witch Trials. For those considered under-privileged, it causes resentment (as intended), but also defeatism and disempowerment. Finally, that’s silly. Luciano Pavarotti can sing better than I can—does this mean he stole part of my talent?
Granted, growing up in a good neighborhood—an example of privilege—is advantageous over growing up in a rough one. However, the character of a neighborhood actually depends on who lives there. Furthermore, urban problems became considerably worse because of leftist social engineering. Still, they’ve always blamed amorphous social forces, lately calling it privilege. It’s a circular argument.
Translation: You don’t deserve the things you have, and you owe everyone else.
4. Problematic
This is the catch-all term for anything even vaguely politically incorrect. There are no clear standards; in the Current Year, one can get in hot water for something that once was innocuous or even regarded positively. (For instance, saying “I don’t see race” is problematic because it denies a PoC’s essential identity.) Something “problematic” isn’t always outright thoughtcrime, though they want it either discussed their way or not at all.
The rhetorical trick: This is a way to derail discussion, because reasons. Note well, problematic doesn’t mean factually wrong.
Translation: You can’t say that!
Triggered
Traditionally, “triggering” means a PTSD sufferer reliving a traumatic event (a combat veteran hears firecrackers) or a recovering addict experiencing a stimulus causing temptation (a former cokehead sees a pile of laundry detergent). The expanded definition applies to SJWs becoming enraged upon experiencing thoughtcrime. Unfortunately, since too many millennials have been coddled, they’ll freak out when hearing opinions contrary to their world view.
Although they’re pampered snowflakes, SJWs never have any consideration for the feelings of others. They haven’t the least concern for how much their irrationality, sophomoric rhetoric, blatant rudeness, imperviousness to reason, and insufferable smugness profoundly irritate everyone else.
The rhetorical trick: The basic idea is that your contradictory opinion is causing such psychic pain that you’re a big bully for disagreeing. Lighting a firecracker behind a traumatized combat veteran’s back indeed would be a dick move, likely resulting in a beating. However, developing a thick enough skin to handle differences of opinion is part of becoming an adult.
Translation: I’m butthurt.
Conclusion
(Time for a break!)
Unfortunately, SJWs actually believe all that baloney. They’re enemies of everything decent and normal, and the society that gave them their comfortable lives. Fortunately, their ideology rests on a flimsy house of cards, and now you know how to knock it over.
Read More: 7 Recommended Products For Your Butthurt Liberal Friends
This is a test comment.
One of the “Rules for Radicals” by Saul Alinsky is the concept of force the enemy to live by his own rules. Now the only problem with this is that if the SJW is appealing to said rules to try and control the way the enemy behaves then he opens himself up to charges of hypocrisy if he does not live by those same rules.
This is why we get to enjoy the delicious irony of seeing recently a number of powerful SJW’s getting hoisted on petards of their own making. #neogaf anyone? So I would suggest that we take away the moral high ground from which they hector us.
As an example one time I had an argument with a raging SJW loony from my church. When she lost the argument after having exercised the “white privilege” schtick she immediately went crybully and started bellyaching about how she was abused as a kid. My immediate response was to ask her to exercise her victim privilege and show us all what a righteous person she had become. And oh boy! The triggering was a delight to behold.
They have not learned that no matter what argumentation style they use it can be also used as a weapon against them. Once you identify their rhetorical tricks then get to and work out how to turn that trick back on them. They hate that because you’ve managed to trigger their amygdala and they are feeling pain. Keep prodding that pain and they’ll do whatever they can to get away from that pain.