African American
Related: About this forumThe sage wisdom of Momma 1StrongBlackMan ...
"Your ill opinion of someone else's motivation says way more about you than it does about the person you are accusing ... You can only conceive of things that you can see yourself doing, even if you believe it's not what you would actually do."
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We all know what's in it. Dragons, fairies, man eating beasts, bad wizards, bigfoot, insanely tight clothing, baby bears, Lannisters, and too much tuna.
Neon Gods
(222 posts)Because I support better policing (i.e., less militarization, respect and equal treatment of all citizens), it's been suggested that my motivation for this belief is that I "hate police." That says a lot about the person accusing me, don't you think?
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I think this applies, specifically, to all the angst regarding industry insiders taking positions within the/this Administration.
I don't have a problem with it, primarily because ... I am a public servant, that came from private industry, and I currently make policy in/around the area in which I used to work. And, I know a bunch of other public employees that are doing the same thing. We all do our jobs, to the best of our ability, without consideration of what we used to do ... and it's our former employment that provides us with the knowledge/skill set to do the job we were hired to do.
Neon Gods
(222 posts)I was a federal employee (now retired) for over 30 years. The problem I had as a manager was former Congress-critters who were hired by contractors to pressure my agency to contract out work to their company.
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)I had to parse it out a bit before I understood, but it's absolutely correct.
I think I'd like your momma, but I suspect I'd have to take a thimble on the head now and then. I get a bit hasty.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I may challenge someone's actions, I rarely attempt to ascribe a motivation to another's actions, let alone the evil someone MIGHT do..
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)But if I'm posting here, it's usually rhetorical: either to get them to look inside themselves or to provoke a specific response. I'll admit to a somewhat abrasive style.
Surely, I'm not as wise as your mother, but then I am Feral.
brer cat
(24,592 posts)I think much of the anger and misunderstanding on DU comes from members divining the motivations of others. Most of us are quite capable of saying something dumb or hurtful even though we have no evil intent or dislike for the person we are addressing. We jump on political leaders for being "bad" if we just disagree with a particular vote or policy, often times even though we haven't taken the time to understand their reasoning.
Momma 1SBM sounds like a wise lady. Please let her know she is appreciated by bunch of strangers.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)And even when/if the reasoning is explained ... in painstaking detail ... It's not enough to say, "Okay, I understand why he/she did it, I just disagree"; nope, it has to be pure evil, revealing its head, once again ... even when in the end, it doesn't work out the wayI predicted and the result is actually beneficial.
Nope, I just remove to my next proof of evil outrage.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)He who says there is no such thing as an honest man, is himself a knave.
The constant vitriol and rank suspicion leveled at some, says a lot more about the ones doing it than an object of venom.
Your mom said it better, 1SBM. You come from a wise family.