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I know that nossy Send a noteboard - 01/02/2012 11:15:48 AM
but I also wanted to make sure you knew you could be. :P

Depends. Are you focused on perceived issues with the person talking about the issue or on the object of that issue? If it is the former, then there is more self-examination to be done, I would guess.

Answered by comments below, I think.

Why does this rile you so? It doesn't bother me at all because I know that I enjoy all sorts of privileges (and for the record, she notes her own in the post I'll link to below) and that sometimes I have to have these things pointed out to me to make sure I don't say/do some really stupid things, because that really could damage working relationships with students from different backgrounds.

Also answered below, though I did want to point out that I fully agree that it is necessary to break out of the ol' paradigm and to learn how to be aware of other viewpoints and feelings. I like working on that (though I'm sure I don't always succeed), but I don't think that is what that person is all about, unfortunately. She will have some good points, of course, but for me it all is blown to pieces when she can so easily make the decision to treat another human like shit because that person is white (aka, of different color). And I watched it happen.

Thing is, sometimes one "wars" for reasons that aren't obviously harmful, but which end up being so. Charity begins at home and before I tell anyone that they need to reform, I best make sure I'm trying to reform myself. Her comments make me think but they don't make me react because I consider things beforehand. I suspect part of the issue here is unfamiliarity with the months-spanning discussions on her blog. I've been following it since June or July and she discusses more than just one or two topics. I don't always agree with them, but then again, I don't always agree with myself after a period of time :P

I do have to be honest - if I could stand her for more than a few minutes, I might be able to learn something from her. I certainly didn't give her that chance, which is part of what I'm trying to say. She doesn't necessarily appear to be trying to enlighten people - she's trying to be amazing to those who already agree with her. That's fine, but I don't have to respect it or want to read it.

There are two main paths to go from here: 1) Consider why the reactions are occurring and do something about it, or 2) Shrug it off. Being irritated and doing nothing leads to what? That's not for me to answer, except for myself alone.

I already know what I'm doing. I always spend time thinking about these things beyond a shallow level, and that will not change. I also like discussing them. However, I will not be taking this argument to her. I've already seen that it's pointless.

If you're reading her Twitter conversation (and I presume some of her discussions with me), you might have noticed that often there is a lot going on there that is not based in anger or frustration. I think she'd be an interesting person to talk global literature with, as there aren't too many who discusses Twain and Nabokov and their writing vis-a-vis Tolkien.

She might be, but I have no interest. I'd much rather talk to someone like Tom. For some reason, when he insults me it makes me laugh.
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The racist elements in Tolkien's writing - 29/01/2012 01:31:02 PM 2438 Views
She has some points, of course. - 29/01/2012 02:25:32 PM 1226 Views
Quite a few points - 29/01/2012 02:40:45 PM 1318 Views
Re: Quite a few points - 29/01/2012 04:59:11 PM 1086 Views
Mostly agreed with the article, but thought she undermined herself with her own racism. - 29/01/2012 02:50:11 PM 1287 Views
I wish I could agree with you, but I can't in full - 29/01/2012 02:58:05 PM 1287 Views
I'm not bothered by the tone. Annoyance is justified. - 29/01/2012 03:03:07 PM 1232 Views
Re: I wish I could agree with you, but I can't in full - 30/01/2012 02:11:07 PM 1230 Views
Do you really believe that? - 30/01/2012 02:44:19 PM 1294 Views
Just read your Twitter convo... nice try, but looks like wasted effort. *NM* - 29/01/2012 10:37:08 PM 554 Views
Yes. - 29/01/2012 10:41:15 PM 973 Views
Oh, also: - 29/01/2012 03:07:03 PM 1035 Views
Well, I'll be honest. - 29/01/2012 10:34:46 PM 1164 Views
Let me try to summarize some of her points with the invective filtered out, then. - 29/01/2012 10:48:24 PM 1360 Views
Thank you. - 29/01/2012 11:10:13 PM 1394 Views
What the hell, might as well go and play devil's advocate, right? - 30/01/2012 04:50:30 PM 1294 Views
I expected that. - 30/01/2012 05:39:59 PM 1199 Views
Of course you did. I'm predictable that way. - 30/01/2012 10:28:10 PM 1190 Views
Re: Of course you did. I'm predictable that way. - 31/01/2012 12:39:46 AM 1087 Views
Re: Of course you did. I'm predictable that way. - 31/01/2012 08:38:46 PM 1128 Views
I <3 you, but there are several very key things we are not going to agree on. - 31/01/2012 10:02:22 PM 1545 Views
Oh. - 31/01/2012 11:07:52 PM 1190 Views
- 01/02/2012 12:17:59 AM 1290 Views
Hmm? - 31/01/2012 10:10:22 PM 1114 Views
Yeah. I got to reading Encyclopedia of Arda just now, and it told me the same thing. - 31/01/2012 10:35:54 PM 1040 Views
As a sort of group answer (I've been mostly absent from forums the past two days) - 31/01/2012 10:45:55 PM 1382 Views
I don't mind if you tell me I'm out of line here, but - 31/01/2012 11:55:04 PM 1209 Views
I'm rarely ever offended - 01/02/2012 01:54:58 AM 1399 Views
She was referring specifically to the Twitter "conversation" I had with the blogger. - 01/02/2012 09:05:28 AM 1188 Views
Yes. - 01/02/2012 10:47:22 AM 1324 Views
It makes me wonder what she thinks is happening in Zimbabwe, for example. - 01/02/2012 11:13:11 AM 1349 Views
I've been thinking about that. - 01/02/2012 11:29:18 AM 1151 Views
Re: I've been thinking about that. - 01/02/2012 11:40:11 AM 1409 Views
We're nuts. - 01/02/2012 03:09:15 PM 1151 Views
I know that - 01/02/2012 11:15:48 AM 1210 Views
That blog post was mostly good, but the exception is a rather large one. - 01/02/2012 08:35:57 PM 1068 Views
Do you mean exception*S*? - 02/02/2012 04:27:03 AM 1137 Views
The Hobbit came out in 1937. - 30/01/2012 01:35:45 AM 1110 Views
She hates Tolkien's writings to begin with ... - 30/01/2012 06:34:29 AM 1256 Views
The tone of the article is massively annoying - 30/01/2012 06:45:19 AM 1295 Views
I laughed while reading it - 30/01/2012 04:30:50 PM 1161 Views

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