When my wife and I first saw the coverage on Monday, and the shooter was described as female, both of us thought it must be a trans girl/woman. But the initial descriptions were so ambiguous it was difficult to tell how the person identified at the time of the murders. Then there was an initial acknowledgement by the mainstream press that the person identified as male and was going by the name Aiden, but all of the subsequent coverage I've read or seen describes her as a woman and gives her female name. There is definite obfuscation going on, but because trans issues are so inherently murky, it's difficult (at least on a surface level) to discern whether it's intentional or not. Thanks, Holly, as always, for your thoughts on this!
There's something that seems nefarious about asserting and pretending that mental illness is not in fact a mental illness. It's like being set up to be sucker-punched by reality. Being trans is, by definition, to have some aspect of one's mind out of contact with physical reality. To pretend otherwise only generates more mental illness (both in an individual and in a culture at large). Affirmations and railing against the unfairness of existence don't make these people any less mentally ill and when the distress of their condition isn't eased, is it any wonder that they look for someone to blame (and hate) when reality doesn't conform to their mental illness?
I need to just shut my mouth and brain off when talking to normies because I’ve reached a hard line. Yes, it’s mental illness. I’m now fully sick of the tissue-paper soft liberal/libertarian “hey man don’t judge let people be who they want.” It’s the exactly same mentality as letting homeless addicts be homeless addicts because “hey let them live how they want.” Letting people suffer passes for compassion. My disdain for these narcissistic enablers only grows stronger.
Don't lump libertarians in there 100%. Many of them think this is garbage as well, although I suppose we're likely to accept the "let people be who they want", though with the caveat "as long as they aren't forcing it on anyone else". As long as I don't have to go along with their cosplay and they aren't actually harming anyone else, well, I have weird hobbies too. When they cross that bridge, it's "all guns to the line".
I, too, was surprised at the media calling her a she, especially after reading that she was on male hormones to "transition". Why anyone thinks it's okay to murder someone, especially children, because they feel marginalized is beyond my understanding. She told her friend she wanted to die - why didn't she take her own life?
She needed help for her mind, not help to support her false beliefs. I've read that the highest suicide rate is among people who have had surgery to "transition", when their hopes are not realized.
I agree I’m not surprised by the fact of the attack. For all the reasons you’ve listed it’s not surprising at all.
I am surprised to see how the murderer is being defended. I guess I shouldn’t be. It fits with everything else behavior-wise. But it’s shocking to me that so many would make such a strategic error. The worst thing you could possibly do is defend/excuse the child murderer. Even the appearance of doing so is going to be damning in the minds of millions.
But being woke has always been at least partially about an inability to accept failure.
It’s definitely that bad. But the difference I see in this is the pushback it’s getting. I don’t know if it will be enough but I am finally seeing people start to fight back against this type of thing consistently. It’s possible that’s just my bias but I don’t think so.
It feels like a violent revolution is trying to happen, doesn’t quite feel like the conviction or muscle to make it happen yet exists. Back when the punch a Nazi slogan was being made popular something felt really, really wrong. Like anyone these Nazi punchers don’t like is said Nazi.
It's not at all disconnected from reality to not want to be observed by the panopticon while engaged in rebellion and possibly murder. Covid was the best thing to ever happen to these nihilists.
Another great article. LOVE the parenthetical explanation of your views re: Ukraine. I finally have words (yours,TY) to describe my ambivalence about our involvement there & yes, the untrustworthy media plays a big role. Not to mention my son served in Iraq & I’ve come to see how PC the military higher-ups have become &, as a result, how little they think of the grunts.
This will sound mocking, but are we to accuse them of...stochastic terrorism?
Upon further thought, that is merely The Iron Law of Woke Projection.
When my wife and I first saw the coverage on Monday, and the shooter was described as female, both of us thought it must be a trans girl/woman. But the initial descriptions were so ambiguous it was difficult to tell how the person identified at the time of the murders. Then there was an initial acknowledgement by the mainstream press that the person identified as male and was going by the name Aiden, but all of the subsequent coverage I've read or seen describes her as a woman and gives her female name. There is definite obfuscation going on, but because trans issues are so inherently murky, it's difficult (at least on a surface level) to discern whether it's intentional or not. Thanks, Holly, as always, for your thoughts on this!
Yes! I got the shooter gender id too- it was confusing reporting. Thx for this comment.
There's something that seems nefarious about asserting and pretending that mental illness is not in fact a mental illness. It's like being set up to be sucker-punched by reality. Being trans is, by definition, to have some aspect of one's mind out of contact with physical reality. To pretend otherwise only generates more mental illness (both in an individual and in a culture at large). Affirmations and railing against the unfairness of existence don't make these people any less mentally ill and when the distress of their condition isn't eased, is it any wonder that they look for someone to blame (and hate) when reality doesn't conform to their mental illness?
I need to just shut my mouth and brain off when talking to normies because I’ve reached a hard line. Yes, it’s mental illness. I’m now fully sick of the tissue-paper soft liberal/libertarian “hey man don’t judge let people be who they want.” It’s the exactly same mentality as letting homeless addicts be homeless addicts because “hey let them live how they want.” Letting people suffer passes for compassion. My disdain for these narcissistic enablers only grows stronger.
Don't lump libertarians in there 100%. Many of them think this is garbage as well, although I suppose we're likely to accept the "let people be who they want", though with the caveat "as long as they aren't forcing it on anyone else". As long as I don't have to go along with their cosplay and they aren't actually harming anyone else, well, I have weird hobbies too. When they cross that bridge, it's "all guns to the line".
I, too, was surprised at the media calling her a she, especially after reading that she was on male hormones to "transition". Why anyone thinks it's okay to murder someone, especially children, because they feel marginalized is beyond my understanding. She told her friend she wanted to die - why didn't she take her own life?
I'm afraid this is just the beginning...
She needed help for her mind, not help to support her false beliefs. I've read that the highest suicide rate is among people who have had surgery to "transition", when their hopes are not realized.
I’m not disagreeing but do you remember the source for that?
I originally read it about 6 yrs ago. Can't find that particular article, but here's one:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/transgender-teens-7-6-times-more-likely-to-attempt-suicide
Thank you.
I agree I’m not surprised by the fact of the attack. For all the reasons you’ve listed it’s not surprising at all.
I am surprised to see how the murderer is being defended. I guess I shouldn’t be. It fits with everything else behavior-wise. But it’s shocking to me that so many would make such a strategic error. The worst thing you could possibly do is defend/excuse the child murderer. Even the appearance of doing so is going to be damning in the minds of millions.
But being woke has always been at least partially about an inability to accept failure.
Or an inability to accept reality...
What "strategic error"?
It would be a strategic error if we could count on normal mainstream society being vocally against murdering children.
But we don't have that society anymore, Rick. Not even the one we had six years ago.
We openly advocate mutilating children, and we do it with tears, saying that we're providing them "loving care."
This is not an error.
It's this bad.
It’s definitely that bad. But the difference I see in this is the pushback it’s getting. I don’t know if it will be enough but I am finally seeing people start to fight back against this type of thing consistently. It’s possible that’s just my bias but I don’t think so.
I do hope you're right. I don't wanna be right about this.
When a behavior is encouraged and celebrated, you get more of that behavior. In this case, narcissism is being encouraged and celebrated.
The narcissist is always misunderstood, and it's always somebody else's fault.
I can't say I'm surprised by any of this, I just don't understand why it's being celebrated and defended.
The only thing that would surprise me is if the radical left ever demonstrated any internal consistency.
It feels like a violent revolution is trying to happen, doesn’t quite feel like the conviction or muscle to make it happen yet exists. Back when the punch a Nazi slogan was being made popular something felt really, really wrong. Like anyone these Nazi punchers don’t like is said Nazi.
"Nazis should be punched, also, everyone who disagrees with me is literally Hitler."
More excellent commentary from Holly Math Nerd.
But I have to say, my favorite part is the legend on the poster: "Wear A Mask".
Just confirmation of how disconnected from reality the promoters of trans ideology have become.
I thought the same thing!
It's not at all disconnected from reality to not want to be observed by the panopticon while engaged in rebellion and possibly murder. Covid was the best thing to ever happen to these nihilists.
Spot on.
Another great article. LOVE the parenthetical explanation of your views re: Ukraine. I finally have words (yours,TY) to describe my ambivalence about our involvement there & yes, the untrustworthy media plays a big role. Not to mention my son served in Iraq & I’ve come to see how PC the military higher-ups have become &, as a result, how little they think of the grunts.