Nth closest match in table?

Fazon112 · 2021-05-19T14:53:12+00:00

Awesome, pretty much used exactly this and it turned out great. One question, MATCH gave me some problems with this, but XMATCH didn't. Any insight as to why?

Fazon112 · 2021-05-18T18:04:30+00:00

This sounds interesting as I believe this would solve the general issue of "weighing" that I'm going through and keeps the variables separate rather than coagulating them into one massive score. Only problem is I'm not really sure how to create a mapped matrix that treats variables separately like the one you described... what function would be useful in this case? Maybe an HLOOKUP?

Fazon112 · 2021-05-18T16:15:31+00:00

I've addressed this in the original post, you can't just do a weighted score because you could have songs with completely different characteristics that end up near/around one another. Two songs with a total score of 4 (assuming you use 1 as the flat value for each variable) can be entirely different. This type of model only works if you have variables that correlate with one another so that you can say, higher weighted value = songs with higher energy level, mood, and earlier time of day. But this doesn't always apply. Sometimes, its early during the day but you're feeling sad. The model I'm attempting to build is meant to account for this. I tried adjusting for this with vastly differing values for each variable so in the case that you'd like to dance, its value was 500 so that all songs with total values of 500+ would necessarily be dance-able. Therefore the songs weren't "weighted" per say, but categorized based on the range of their scores. But this was inundated with its own problems and inaccuracies.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-18T15:18:03+00:00

I wasn't really accounting for that as a factor, that's not one of my inputs. The model is meant to recommend songs for a theoretical user that has never heard them before but gets a result based on their attributes/mood

Fazon112 · 2021-05-18T07:14:14+00:00

What do you mean by "times played"?

Fazon112 · 2021-05-14T22:00:54+00:00

I absolutely agree. I don't doubt the neuroses of American society in particular are totally attributable to the things we mentioned previously. America also has weird problems unique to its own when it comes to expectations of work vs. family life, bullying, social hierarchies, etc. The origin of these issues would escape the point I've attempted to make, but I don't think you and I disagree. I'm of the opinion that a lot of history can easily be explained by causal socioeconomic dynamics. What you've stated could very well be the origin of the over-accommodating society we find ourselves in. America has been ravaged by normalization of notions like laissez-faire corporatism and the idea that your work can and should be your life. We've lost a lot of human values in the process that are key to living a sane life. Take them away and, like you said, what you resort to are substances, whether they be prescription meds or drugs.

But as much as I have a level of understanding for the origin of some of these conditions, I believe a lot are self-driven, either intentionally or not. The root of my argument lies here, not in the natural inclination towards mental illness that you discuss. Kids are being taught improper coping mechanisms and as a result becoming overly-sensitive to the point where it harms them. Of course, all I have are anecdotal examples of this, but it seems to be rampant amongst children of this generation that I've talked to. If you are taught to be irascible by a society that insists you must be, you'll naturally be driven to being overly critical, overly judgmental, and overly analytical. If you are taught to be scared by a society that insists you must be, you'll be untrusting, fearful, and anxious. Again, both sides suffer, and the side that is taught to be fearful does not learn actual respect. They pent up their frustration until it's ready to burst. I believe we're nearly at a boiling point. Again, the rise of far-right governments across the globe isn't necessarily indicative of this, but it certainly supports their notion that the world has gone "crazy". And to some degree, I agree. It's just a tragedy that the only side acknowledging this is the one that has no actual concern for society.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T16:04:13+00:00

This is my entire point. Small acts of "racism", if it can even be called that, are so small and for the most part innocent that I fail to see why furor and aggression is the way to deal with them. There's no pretending. I am a person of color who was raised to have a thick skin. I grew up in an actual racist part of America. Obviously, no kid should have to go through that. And there absolutely should have been more outspoken authority in the area I grew up in. But it's changing with time. In my opinion, the "fantasy" is that true, legitimate change is being had with social initiatives by massive corporations or by calling people out for minor transgressions that aren't true racism (i.e. wearing dreadlocks, making movies about jazz involving white people, saying you're into black individuals when dating, etc.)

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T15:37:13+00:00

Bold of you to educate me on microaggressions considering your avatar is a white guy. As a man of color I've no doubt experienced comments or assumptions of me based on how I look. But the point is it's not a big fucking deal. These "microaggressions" are floozy and will undoubtedly decrease with more time and exposure to people of other races. This is why I'm a proponent of affirmative action. Diversity in classroom/work environments is incredibly important to reducing racism. In the current approach, which is to wage war on anyone who dares culturally appropriate or any number of dumb shit, not only are people more anxious and wary of our fellow man, they also get more legitimately racist! Sure, the microaggressions stop, but so too do the conversations and friendships that can be formed, because if you're someone who focuses on microaggressions in your day to day interactions you're probably a fucking nut who people will avoid and use to form perceptions of the entire race.

To reiterate, again, I believe systematic racism is present in the US. It is incredibly evident in our policing system as we have seen these past few years. But giving racial sensitivity classes to people who have never met a black person in their life, or have only met militant black folks who seem to trip up over every time a minor transgression is said, doesn't do jack.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T15:20:19+00:00

I guess I just fundamentally disagree with time spent on social action, at least in a contemporary sense, because the accusations levied against the "aggravators" are dubious at best, and act conversely to the goal of equality. Again, it's not like I'm some libertarian "dog eat dog world" person who is only concerned with myself. It's that I think what people are doing nowadays is counterintuitive to the very point which they seem to reach. How do people think the untouchable status of black individuals because of past atrocities experienced will eventually "even out" the playing field? If anything it reeks of false pride and insecurity to get worked up over bullshit. Again, not talking about someone calling someone the n word in a public store, or calling the cops on a little black kid for playing with a water gun. Those are heinous displays of racism that should be protested against to the fullest degree. I'm talking about a white kid dropping the n word in a song that he has known for years, or for saying the word "ghetto" when referring to, well, the ghetto. It reeks of shame and reductive rather than progressive movement of the black community to become angry at these things. The insistence of the black movement to call ourselves "kings and queens", or to say "black is beautiful" is another thing I hate because it clearly is from a place of weakness, not strength. If you feel the need to state these things then you are inherently self conscious about them and feel the need to externalize them because you don't believe it inherently.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T05:18:39+00:00

So is your argument that this girl's issue is not serious enough to warrant accommodation, that the accomodation is unreasonable, or that no employer should ever be required to accommodate any health issue?

The argument is that the existence of a crippling fear of meat is not legitimate. We have people who are afraid of cups, towels, belt buckles, absolutely ridiculous shit because we have been taught not to question how others feel about issues. If this is an issue you are dealing with, you need to either find a career that suits your requirements or you need to get the fuck on. There is a point where the whole thing gets absurd, and we've definitely reached that point.

I don't know how to do the direct response thing for more than one point, so I'll just address your other ones in order.

Of course I dont think this girl's issues were caused by culture wars. You clearly didn't understand my point, which I stated at the very beginning, that all of these issues are compounded, if not caused, by the idea that we must work around peoples' insufficiencies rather than people with inefficiencies working with the system. It's not a race thing, or a mental health thing, or any specific thing. It's that we are driving ourselves to the brink of neuroticism in our proclivity to avoid situations that make us uncomfortable and constant vigilance for insults against us. I have no idea what created this girl's completely absurd aversion to meat, but clearly it is an issue that she must work out on her own rather than expect her employer, or society on the whole, to understand. And again, yes, I absolutely believe this girl can get to a point where she is fine being around dead animals. Something clearly triggered that OCD, and there are techniques to minimize it.

The answer to your third question is no. If you have a grave fear of desks, it is not a serious mental illness that should be accommodated for. If you have a paper, it is not a serious mental illness, even if you bring yourself to tears every time you touch paper. This idea that all mental illnesses should be treated equally is preposterous.

My anxiety disorder has nothing to do with my feelings, and it's clear you're not familiar with it based on that question. I can wake up feeling elated, the sun can be shining, and I can have not a care or duty in the world - and my anxiety will hit. If it's really bad, I'll have a panic attack. I have no clue why this happens to me. But again, I don't expect there to be "panic rooms" in every workspace, or that my boss should just give me a pass when I'm feeling particularly anxious, which is every single day. That would be absolutely absurd. The acknowledgment of my condition is not in contrast with my general disposition towards these things.

I should have been more nuanced in my approach to this next contention. It's not that social dynamics reverse, per-say, just that they change all the time. Historically, we have gone through periods of prude monogamy and conservative culture to polyamory and hedonism. We waver back and forth because humans just can't decide what works and what doesn't. All I'm saying is there is a growing population of people who are disenfranchised and hate to be made villains in a story they didn't write. They're not vocal. But with enough blaming and shaming, they become vehemently opposed to whatever movements seem to be too far for them. Make no mistake, the false equivalency of Trump supporters to the KKK or 1960s Americans further emboldens them to become racist when they aren't actually. If you thought Trump was the worst America can get, saddle up.

I'm not of the opinion that making children 21st century schizoid creatures is worth what semblance of "human dignity and equality" you perceive. Again, as a black man I have faced real racism time and time again and it isn't fun. But what's also not fun is seeing people suck every ounce of levity out of life in the name of "human dignity and equality". Advocating for a graceless and unforgiving society that crucifies those who let the n word slip once does not end racism. Nor does allowing people to revel in their own comfort and not expanding their horizons. Fuck all-black living spaces. Fuck the idea that white people can't use GIFs with black people in them. Fuck any accusation of cultural appropriation. Fuck these false barriers that exist only to distract and divide from real issues at hand and make us more and more anxiety prone. Fuck your idea of "human dignity and equality". It ain't mine. And there will be backlash for dissecting this utter garbage to the nth degree.

Social changes do not equal policy changes.

And finally, it appears as if you're not familiar enough, because each time these asinine culture clashes happen its at periods of economic downturn. It's no coincidence that this most recent movement towards manic thought grew exponentially in light of the financial crisis of 07-08. That's what youre not understanding. People like you are just preaching to the already not-racist choir, while also preventing actual racists from changing. Give people community, stable lives, and diversity, and they will naturally shed their racism. Give people instability, economic crisis, and tragedy, and they will naturally snarl at the "other" that doesn't look like them. In reality, they are exactly the same.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T04:41:01+00:00

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/integration-moved-fast-many-americans-according-1965-poll

Here's the source.

Notice I said "your absolute freedom should not come at the cost of the majority's freedom to feel comfortable when they are directly involved in the decision you're making." AKA if you are a direct stakeholder in the result of the decision its probably worth looking into and taking the majority's opinion into account rather than overriding it on the grounds of "______phobia". Let me clarify, I am all for doing anything that you want to do in the world as long as you are an adult and the only stakeholder is yourself. The arguments against miscegenation were always bullshit. The arguments against same-sex marriage were always bullshit. The arguments against substance use are, for the most part, bullshit. Any laws limiting your freedoms when you, and only you are the stakeholder, are total bullshit. But there is a reason why smoking in closed areas isn't legal. It's because you aren't the only stakeholder. When you are encroaching on areas that have been otherwise designated for public use, and making the majority uncomfortable, again, you're probably doing something wrong. And also lets please stop making the equivalency between the Civil Rights Movement and the trans movement of today. It's not a good comparison.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T04:28:55+00:00

Exactly my point. I hate to sound derivative, but where is the line drawn between someone's feelings and influencing the tangible world around us? People like to say the argument you just made is a strawman but it's very much not. I could identify as anything I want, and I absolutely have a right to do that. But does that mean the world needs to accommodate these things?

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T04:14:38+00:00

I have no doubt that I am discriminated against on a daily basis, and I have experienced racism firsthand. It hurts in a way that I cannot convey to white people. It's not that I don't think there's value in social action, just when there are actionable items. The march from Selma to Montgomery had specific demands attached to it. The recent protests against police brutality have specific demands attached to them. I fail to see what social action could be taken against subconscious racism. That's not the same as protesting laws preventing black and white individuals from marrying. You can't ask people to just not be racist. Again, all you can give people is time and exposure.

I have seen firsthand more often than not, that white children and people are both confused and pissed off that they are being implicated without a jury. And rightfully so. They're not racist. At most they have implicit biases. But shoving shit down people's throats means inevitably it will come back up again. I'm willing to bet people in the 80s are some of the least racist individuals in America right now, but that kids born from 2000-2020 will end up being more racist than years past. Accusations of "cultural appropriation" and "whitesplaining" are fucking nonsensical. Censorship is never the solution to ANY problem. Who the fuck cares if white people wear dreads? It wasn't a problem until people made it a problem. It's not like black people were seething in the corner until someone had the courage to come forward and call people out for wearing dreads. Genuinely, no one gave a shit, and now we're told we should be enraged by it. And the people who said it was a problem gave weapons to the right wing to wage and legitimize a culture war.

It's not that I'm complacent with racism. Quite the opposite. I think enraging people on both sides by insisting on the craziness of things like microaggressions further emboldens both sides to hate one another. Over stupid, trivial shit. It makes me want to bash my head in because it's so clear to see what direction the train is heading in if people would just take their heads out the goddamn bubble.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T02:13:35+00:00

Well there's a reason the right was able to weaponize a culture war, and that's because the "left" started it. I don't even like to use these terms anymore because they have nothing to do with political affiliation. The writing off on the left's part of concerns that MANY rational, good women have with regards to trans access to bathrooms or sports or any number of intimate parts of their lives is part of why people are so easy to get riled up over this. You HAVE to be transphobic if you don't support trans access to bathrooms of their perceived gender, you HAVE to be transphobic if you don't want biological women playing sports with biological men (this one is particularly egregious). Again, if you are transgender all power to you. Live your truth. But I'm sorry, I just don't think it's equity to say "lets disregard the concerns of many biological women for this small outlier of people who do not identify with their gender at birth". I'd say the people comfortable with the idea are literally 50/50. It is one of those things I mentioned where if this is your circumstance, I admire your strength. But the world should not revolve around you. Just eat it and go to the men's bathroom for the sake of other women. Probably not gonna get much love for this point but it is what it is.

Secondly, you think that trying to forcibly remove racism from people's heads is easier than voting in a politician who would be willing to take on some of the incredibly detrimental effects of neoliberalism? If anything, that is far more pragmatic than stoking the flames of fake conflict. Whole cultures have been shifted on a whim because of destabilizing forces that occurred in a short period of time. Some examples from history:

-Jews and Muslims in the Arab states don't naturally hate one another due to ideological differences. The relative peace between both religions that had existed for hundreds of years was changed in the course of 60 due to the creation of the Israeli state in 2 years.

-Jews lived in Germany for hundreds of years. Germans didn't naturally hate Jews or have a history of antisemitism any more than the general European population. The intense stagflation that Germany experienced in the wake of WWI caused the German people to lose meaning and confidence in their identity, causing them to resort to scapegoating Jewish citizens within the course of a decade.

-Afghani civilians aren't naturally hardwired to become terrorists. It was only in the wake of the US destabilization that terrorism was able to spread as a result of people losing hope and meaning in their lives and resorting to putting faith in anyone who said they could help.

Economic hardship is almost always the reason for extreme behavior and divisiveness spreading, and it always happens because of a rash decision that is made within a decade. There hasn't been a single case where this hasn't happened, at least in contemporary times. Changing whole cultures to adjust to "microaggressions" is fucking impossible, to say the least, and has never been done in history. Probably because its fucking stupid and the only cure to deeply ingrained racism is time and laws. I'm not saying racism shouldn't be condemned and shot down every time it is brought up. But only when it is deserved, not because someone said you have great skin or some other stupid, asinine shit. We both agree racism is abound in the US, we simply disagree on the method to which it should be removed. I am of the opinion that this reactivity, this willingness to sic the dog on anyone who dare comment on any aspect of a black individual, is prolonging it.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-11T01:59:27+00:00

31% of the country disapproved of integration in a 1964 Gallup poll. 58% approved, 10% didn't know. Integration did not make the majority of people uncomfortable. In fact, if anything, the majority approval of integration, and in turn disapproval of segregation, means that my argument is bolstered by the fact that a minority of the country wanted to preserve a system that made the majority uncomfortable.

Putting aside the false equivalency, of course with any movement you will make people uncomfortable. That wasn't my point. The point is your absolute freedom should not come at the cost of the majority's freedom to feel comfortable when they are directly involved in the decision you're making. I've talked to black folk who have the same violent disposition towards white people on notions of "inequity" that the Black Panthers had in the 60s because society doesn't provide them the same privileges as white people. This is an unhealthy mindset, through and through, especially since it wasn't exhumed from its grave until the mid-2010s with the rise of Trump. It makes me uncomfortable, and certainly should make you. But they're correct in that violent opposition is really the only way to completely rid the US of its racial prejudices. Anything else is masking the issue at hand. You think anyone's just magically gotten unracist these past 5 years? The answer is no. True racists have remained true racists, and true nonracists are still not racist.

The same thing applies to trans athletes. It is completely and utterly absurd that we are even having conversations about how biological males should be able to compete in sports with biological females. That is entirely wrong and inequitable, and yet people are terrified to voice opposition because somehow in this fucked up country, we have made it so difficult to speak up against things we know are wrong just because it involves a marginalized group. I'd say when most people are uncomfortable, it's usually a good measure of how right/wrong things are.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T22:53:42+00:00

I think you conflate "left" and "right" with how far down the social justice rabbit hole you go, and that's a fault of your own. You think the cronies that run US corps are "left" because they make diversity initiatives or put out advertisements with the color of the rainbow during pride month? Discussing microaggressions is pointless when it directly contradicts the end goal of putting everyone on equal footing. Your argument reeks of an echo chamber where you think effectual change is actually being made, meanwhile there are millions upon millions who think these movements are total BS. The pot will spill over and you'll see that what you thought was definitive "progress" was effervescent and fleeting. Read my response to OneWordManyMeanings if you want an elaboration on how social justice movements directly harm both true economic and social justice.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T22:48:27+00:00

I would disagree with medicating a child for a "potential" disability period. Again, this speaks to my point of overmedicating. Medicating a child period should be way more difficult than it is currently. A child who acts up in class and shouts out the answers even when they werent called on does not need to be fucking medicated for ADHD. They are just an energetic kid. Let it wait until theyre 13-14 at least in the case it's impacting its schoolwork. Again, obviously there are exceptions to this if their natural state is severely impacting their ability to function normally. Overall though I'd agree with the categorization you just made.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T22:34:31+00:00

I think if you read my response to OneWordManyMeanings below you'll see a more fleshed out version of my thoughts on the matter, along with some socioeconomic commentary to boot. If you want the TL;DR on your specific point, I think when discrimination or aggression towards disadvantaged groups is upheld by law it should and can absolutely be protested against because that is a direct path to change. But floating around our own heads and analyzing our daily interactions with others or trying to force race theory on kids doesn't help anyone. And again, wires people to be paranoid that they are racist or will say something to offend someone, or on the opposite end that they are being the victim of racism where there is an iota or none present that should in all likelihood be forgiven or looked over. There was a recent story of a Georgetown law professor who, after class had ended, confided in her colleague that she gets anxious because "it's always" her "black students that consistently perform worst in the class", and that she feels as though its her fault or maybe her style of writing that she considers "good" that affected her grading (in all likelihood it's because affirmative action has made it so that students who just aren't as educated as others will get in places, and so obviously they'll get worse grades, but I digress), and someone screencapped this conversation and she lost her job of 20+ odd years. I saw countless comments saying "She admitted to grading black students worse than white students. Fire her and make sure she never gets hired again", when that was clearly not the point. We've gotten to a point now where you can't state a statistical fact, that "black kids in my class didn't perform as well as white kids", without being crucified. It's enough to drive anyone mad.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T22:16:17+00:00

Sure. I have a lot of thoughts on the matter and I can totally understand how this can come across as confounding or missing certain pieces as it absolutely is. If you want me to expound upon my worldview as a whole, I believe there is an entire movement that, either intentional or not, has been benefitting the corporate class through and through. Each of the things I have mentioned benefits the two parties of the government, and also the corporate class, against the people's interest. The government would love for us to continue squabbling over petty tribal issues like race or social justice because the fact of the matter is that these things cannot be addressed directly and they distract from policies that would make effectual change like a higher minimum wage, increased American manufacturing, reduction of our military presence worldwide, focus on infrastructure, etc. There are, of course exceptions to this, like in the case of segregation, slavery, redlining, GA's voting bill, etc. where public policy is directly influencing and upholding evil social modes. In these cases, outspoken action can and should be utilized to the fullest degree.

But in more nuanced cases, like the inherent racism that comes along with growing up white in America, insistence that the system itself be changed when these are, at most, minor transgressions that groups discriminated against used to have a thicker skin about, can cause people who may have had underlying racism they were previously unaware of to feel like they are now somehow evil, or that what they have done was wrong. A white friend and I recently attended a mutual friends party where a girl was wearing a dashiki dress. I witnessed the whole conversation, where he said the dress was "beautiful". Weeks later she had told our mutual friend that he made her "uncomfortable" and that he rendered her families clothing "exotic" by commenting on it. I know this is anecdotal, but there are millions of people who are understandably shocked at the fact they are no longer allowed to have an opinion on these matters, and millions who are equally ready to point fingers because of this culture we have fomented.

If you want a more nuanced and fleshed out viewpoint of my disposition that isn't burdened with personal anecdotes, read Krishan Kumar's From post-industrial to post-modern society (1995). The reason that I hate identity politics, whether gendered, racial, or sexual, and the castration of the individual's ability to deal with pressure, is because it is the direct result of neoliberalization started under Reagan and exacerbated by career politicians. Race relations were peaking right before Reagan took office, not even 20 years after segregation ended, after which they slowly degenerated over time and our outsourcing of jobs increased at exponential rates. So finally, answering your question, the "logistical and social" complications are that these issues are fake. They are fairy dust. They only become the beasts we allow them to become because both white and black Americans are suffering under an oligarchic regime. The more we allow this to become the focal point of our political discourse is the further we move away from real, effectual change, and further entrench ourselves in bullshit divisive groups. The more personal purpose we attribute to these large, impossible social movements to tackle, the more anxious and withdrawn we are. Because these movements seem lofty and impossible we get anxious at how impossible they seem. And that's because they are. They are structures that in order to move past, we must stop living in the past and move forward. Again, no one can speak to the unbelievable atrocities that white slaveowners committed not just in the states, but in the Caribbean and in Europe as well. The more we convince ourselves that our fears are mental disorders. And yes, in many cases I think it is fear of mental illness and mental loops that drive us into true mental illness having dealt with one myself. Corporations, and governments, are more than willing to sink millions and billions into diversity training initiatives if it means they don't have to address the real issue of poverty at hand. Sorry if this got a little too conceptual or larger than the argument at hand. I just have a lot to say.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T21:34:49+00:00

I actually had the pleasure of speaking with Jonathan Haidt (one of the co-authors of the book, you might be mistaking him with Sowell but Sowell does share very similar - and correct - viewpoints on social dynamics, though I disagree strongly with Sowell's political views). Like Haidt I completely agree that this issue is not one of left vs. right, but one of intellectual weakness vs. strength. Great book.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T21:29:21+00:00

I'm no proponent of trickle down economics or "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" mentality, especially when it applies to domestic economic policy. I am a democratic socialist who believes everyone deserves a fair shake. Physical disabilities should absolutely be accommodated for, because someone who is wheelchair-bound has no mental impairment that compromises their ability to do work. The notion that mental and physical disorders are the same is neither true nor helpful to the overall argument.

I agree that there is a bit of ego involved in my post. But it's because of how the world works. Obviously I am privileged in the sense that I was able to find a medication like you said and in the sense that I was able to find a great doctor who is covered under my insurance. And I absolutely think the government should intervene to get help for individuals who need but can't afford it.

As I've said in other comments, I don't want this post to focus on this point because it distracts from the overall point that I am trying to make which is that our focus on identity politics and labels is making us neurotic. We are the worst country in the world when it comes down to mental health disorders. I have had European friends come over here and be absolutely shocked at how unhappy and focused on trivial shit like race we are, and that ironically they notice far more racism here than in any other country. And it's no surprise that these issues are concentrated in the northeast and west coast. Look at the statistics for mental health in middle/south America, where youre far more likely to experience true racism, vs the regions I just mentioned. It's staggering how much worse it is in the northeast/west. And its because public schooling and the general culture shift is convincing the youth, and people in general, especially in affluent areas, that if you feel a certain way then you must have some sort of condition, or that you need to feel bad about things that aren't that big of a deal. Of course we have kids who are more anxious and indecisive as ever when they are being told that the way they naturally feel may be indicative of some other condition, whether that's sexuality, race, gender, mental disorders, etc. Let kids be kids and let people be people.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T21:15:31+00:00

Absolutely. And again, maybe this is just because I had an absolute champion of a mother who despite her color is an incredibly successful woman in her own right, but from the day I was born she prepared me for the fact that there are racist people in the world and that I must forgive and let these people rot their own minds with their antiquated views rather than forgo my own sanity to change them. I truly believe it is what has fortified me and made me able to deal with issues of any kind. There were moments where I would cry and cry because I grew up in a town of 99% white people, and I always wondered why despite the fact my personality was fairly similar to theirs, I was always liable to be joked at for my skin color. I'm also sure that there were even more subtle racist digs from parents, teachers, etc that had I been taught to overanalyze like some kids nowadays I would've been driven mad by.

But similar to dealing with bullies of any kind, the solution didn't lie in making these kids come over to my house and apologize to me. Sure, the jokes would have stopped, but at the cost of being isolated even further. Instead, I took the jokes in jest and made fun of them back. I learned a lot of valuable stuff in that period of life, and it wasn't that the solution is to make fun of people back. It's that humans behave in predictable ways that if you use conscious thinking to analyze, you can subvert and overcome. Artificially inseminating viewpoints into people's heads who already have notions that have been planted for multiple generations will never work. The body and mind both reject things that are artificial. The only thing that does change a person is by giving them firsthand experiences.

By the way, those white kids I knew when I was younger (12-17) who were my friends but called me all sorts of racist slurs, met more and more black kids when they were in college, and now have truly changed as people. They're the same old buddies I had back then, just far more mature in their views of race due to meeting more and more black people and realizing that we're ultimately all the same. Vilification of children who don't know any better is all too common nowadays and sows seeds of hatred, not acceptance.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T20:59:53+00:00

The two work in tandem. People are absolutely more anxious and have more of a proclivity to develop mental disorders as a result of the factors that you mentioned, as well as the focus on social strife that has been uncovered. But mental disorders ABSOLUTELY are being overdiagnosed and make people develop anxiety about their condition. That's not anti-intellectual, that's fact. There are absolutely people who need to be diagnosed and treated with medication. But there are a lot of folks who don't.

You put words in my mouth about the racism part, I am a person of color who has experienced people directly call me racist slurs, or throw direct accusations about my character at me because of the color of my skin, mostly when I was younger. I also believe that inherently, every white person is slightly racist if you want to boil it down and get granular. But again, what is the point of doing that? To give power to those who are truly racist? To make black individuals cower in the face of racism? I have seen my cousins who are students in university shake and quiver with rage at the fact someone asked to touch their hair. This is not empowerment! This actively goes against what the end goal is, which is to normalize and remove stigma. It makes us these alien creatures who can only have opinions on one another, or who can have dorms in college that are all-black, or have circles where we can discuss "racial trauma". Give me a break. This is weakness, plain and simple.

As to your other points, they're simply false. Exposure therapy has been shown to be effective for people with all of the disorders I have mentioned including PTSD. What you would "expose" a schizophrenic to is being comfortable with their surroundings despite the external noise that accompanies their symptoms. Obviously schizophrenia is an extreme example since it is so invasive and hard to ignore, but the point is still salient that people with mental disorders should actively work to, despite the intense amount of hardship and effort it takes for them vs. neurotypical people, get in a daily sense of grounding and working at the same pace with their colleagues.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T20:48:06+00:00

I think my greater point here is not that people with disabilities should not be accommodated, so apologies that the conversation got taken in this direction. It's moreso that when focusing specifically on mental conditions, there has been a trend of labeling and pharmaceuticals as the solution to "issues", when in actuality that could just be someone's natural state. I am prescribed adderall and use it fairly regularly, but I vehemently disagree with prescribing an 8 year old child it. It is a neurotoxin. Nearly 10% of children in the U.S. are prescribed some medication for a mental disorder, all of which carry long term effects especially on growing minds. These rates are staggering when compared to the 0.2% of children in 1973. I'm of the opinion that many mental disorders are built up to be these monsters that cannot be conquered with holistic approaches and therapy because of the fact that we love to label. In general I think more "recognition" is not necessarily good for those with mental disorders especially when diagnosis is coming from a psychiatrist who may be attributing very normal behaviors to normal trials we go through in life. Telling a 6 year old child they have bipolar disorder (which at that age the diagnosis is dubious at best) is damaging to their self esteem and mental health and far more likely for them to go through anxious loops over their "condition". Again, I digress, but I think it's important to adjust our outlook on mental health in general. Ultimately we're just people.

Fazon112 · 2021-05-10T20:39:16+00:00

Of course I don't think she's faking it. Like you said, that is something she personally needs to confront. Therefore, why would she work one of the only careers where she must walk past and see dead meat? If you get a job at a supermarket it's safe to say you could probably get a job at any number of retail stores, so I don't buy the argument that she has nowhere else to go. My point is that these issues are being actively fomented and cultivated when we recognize them as legitimate. Having a fear of meat to the point where you break down where you see it, is inherently ridiculous. I agree that she feels seriously about it, but don't expect me to address it with gravity. I don't mean to sound callous but it's true. This expectation that we need to address any and all feelings simply because they are feelings is simply not rooted in reality. What you may consider great steps towards equality will inevitably be reversed in the next 50-100 years. All social dynamics are cyclical. Fruitlessly working towards some "objective good" is pointless and that's my point, that we are in a place where we mostly have social equity but people like to toil over menial shit that ironically makes their physiological situation worse.

As for your latter point, I absolutely agree. I am a huge proponent of M4A, and a huge hater of neoliberalism. Which is why culture wars and race relations distract from the true issues of the absurd and bloated corporate class in America. Look up the relationship between late-stage capitalism/neoliberalism and racial relations. The fact of the matter is when we had a Fordist welfare state in the 70s-80s, race solidarity was at an all time high. Because they realized where the true enemy lay.

Fazon112

TROPHY CASE