It's Been A While/Hell in a Handbasket 2020
I casually came by my blog just now and realized that I hadn't posted since 2019. This surprises me and doesn't at the same time.
My life has changed drastically and my main coping mechanism, DENIAL, has warped my ability to process reality outside of my own as well as keeping track of time.
I finally came back here to express myself after spending my morning consuming horrific images of the riots/protests in the month of 2020. I use a slash because there is no clear way to label what is happening.
Our nation, our HOUSE has been on fire for so long and that fire is now consuming the capitalist consumerist culture that has helped to blind us, to indoctrinate us for as long as we can remember.
I am not here to offer an opinion on the matter of systemic racism, oppression, and the corresponding methods to dismantle them.
I am here because I think that this is such a precarious time for our collective mental health and I want to talk about it.
I want to talk simply about Cyberbullying and Freedom of Speech.
I am usually one of the opinion of just turn off the computer if you are trolled, go do something else, they are just twitter finger gangsters. Just walk away, comments can't bully you if you don't read them. I've been one to say that cyberbullying isn't real, to just stay out of the muck that is the cesspool of the innanet.
I struggle intensely with anxiety and can barely bring myself to read any comments made on items I have posted, even though they are usually positive. Not sure what the clinical term is for this form of anxiety but the fear of criticism or even being noticed paralyzes me at times and leads to my general isolation from society, online and in the real world.
In these troubling times, I find myself crying more than usual, my spectrum of depression leaning more towards rage every day, feeling myself spiraling out of control and alone. Due to this maddening sensation, I have been spending more time on Twitter and YouTube for a sense of human connection, an outlet for the voices in my head. I use Twitter for access to real time access of what is going on in the street, for the truth in images that the news won't show. We no longer have to wait for the news channels to feed us the skewed watered down versions and retelling of events. Just log on and at any time these past few days you have unprecedented access to worldwide events unfolding in their uncensored form.
The exchange and dissemination of information is fast and loose and I often fact check before tweeting or retweeting out of sheer emotion. I haven't really experienced any bullying on the platform but have witnessed it done to others.
This brings me to my point which is, whether right or wrong, we should all be able to express our opinions, to join in the conversations, in the comments, without fear for your mental or physical safety. I've stayed out of the mix for so long to avoid the toxicity of that shady place we call "the comments". I am now struggling with attempting to develop a thick skin just so I can participate in the conversation that is being had in this monumental time.
So please, next time you go to say some nasty shit to a total stranger, calm down, step back and consider instead that you can contribute to a conversation, not a personal attack.
Consider that someone might just be trying to be part of society for a little bit, before retreating back into their personal, mental hell, where they say much nastier things to themselves than you could ever think of.
One Love to All,
Jade Shakur from the Bronx
My life has changed drastically and my main coping mechanism, DENIAL, has warped my ability to process reality outside of my own as well as keeping track of time.
I finally came back here to express myself after spending my morning consuming horrific images of the riots/protests in the month of 2020. I use a slash because there is no clear way to label what is happening.
Our nation, our HOUSE has been on fire for so long and that fire is now consuming the capitalist consumerist culture that has helped to blind us, to indoctrinate us for as long as we can remember.
I am not here to offer an opinion on the matter of systemic racism, oppression, and the corresponding methods to dismantle them.
I am here because I think that this is such a precarious time for our collective mental health and I want to talk about it.
I want to talk simply about Cyberbullying and Freedom of Speech.
I am usually one of the opinion of just turn off the computer if you are trolled, go do something else, they are just twitter finger gangsters. Just walk away, comments can't bully you if you don't read them. I've been one to say that cyberbullying isn't real, to just stay out of the muck that is the cesspool of the innanet.
I struggle intensely with anxiety and can barely bring myself to read any comments made on items I have posted, even though they are usually positive. Not sure what the clinical term is for this form of anxiety but the fear of criticism or even being noticed paralyzes me at times and leads to my general isolation from society, online and in the real world.
In these troubling times, I find myself crying more than usual, my spectrum of depression leaning more towards rage every day, feeling myself spiraling out of control and alone. Due to this maddening sensation, I have been spending more time on Twitter and YouTube for a sense of human connection, an outlet for the voices in my head. I use Twitter for access to real time access of what is going on in the street, for the truth in images that the news won't show. We no longer have to wait for the news channels to feed us the skewed watered down versions and retelling of events. Just log on and at any time these past few days you have unprecedented access to worldwide events unfolding in their uncensored form.
The exchange and dissemination of information is fast and loose and I often fact check before tweeting or retweeting out of sheer emotion. I haven't really experienced any bullying on the platform but have witnessed it done to others.
This brings me to my point which is, whether right or wrong, we should all be able to express our opinions, to join in the conversations, in the comments, without fear for your mental or physical safety. I've stayed out of the mix for so long to avoid the toxicity of that shady place we call "the comments". I am now struggling with attempting to develop a thick skin just so I can participate in the conversation that is being had in this monumental time.
So please, next time you go to say some nasty shit to a total stranger, calm down, step back and consider instead that you can contribute to a conversation, not a personal attack.
Consider that someone might just be trying to be part of society for a little bit, before retreating back into their personal, mental hell, where they say much nastier things to themselves than you could ever think of.
One Love to All,
Jade Shakur from the Bronx
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