Here’s a picture someone posted to Reddit about a day ago:
The general consensus amongst Redditors who saw the post was that it was hilarious. At last count, the post had gotten 1,157 up votes and 318 down votes, giving it 830 net upvotes. That’s a shitload, even for Reddit; it’s gotten more net upvotes than all but one of the posts currently on the front page of the subreddit (r/vertical) it was posted in.
It’s also pretty fucking offensive — a rape joke, a murder-of-women joke, and a necrophilia joke all rolled into one. Sure, it’s a “joke,” but it wouldn’t be hard to make the argument that pictures like this one, which make violence against women into a joke, can actually serve to encourage such violence.
If you did believe this, what would be the appropriate reaction to such a picture? You could post critical remarks about it in the comments section for the post on Reddit. You could post about it in ShitRedditSays, a subreddit devoted to ferreting out misogyny and racism and other bigotries on Reddit. You could post about it on your blog.
Or you could declare the picture an “unambiguous call for murder” and the person responsible for it to be a ” depraved and murderous male supremacist.” You could offer a reward for information on that person’s real identity, and post that person’s personal information — including their phone number, their place of employment, their home address — online. And if someone points out that posting such information might lead to this person being physically harmed or even killed, you could say: I don’t give a shit.
But that would be wrong.
It would also be terribly time-consuming, because crap like this gets posted to Reddit all the fucking time.
The proper response to speech you don’t like, however vile you think it is, isn’t violence or harassment, but more speech.
If what someone says goes beyond the bounds of free speech, you have other options. If someone threatens you personally, in a posting on the internet or by letter or email or phone call, you have the right to (and you should) report them to the proper authorities. If someone threatens you physically, you have the right to defend yourself.
But a misogynistic picture on the internet is not a threat to you. Nor is a misandrist video. These things are challenges — and in many ways opportunities — for you to make your case against hate. Responding to shit you don’t like on the internet with harassment and threats — implicit or explicit — of violence? That is hate.
I would CB but I just got done watching reefer madness and now I’m scared straight!
@Snowy: You know what is funny…that is the name of my cat. Further proof that feminists are just timid little kitties. HAHAHAHAHHA
Keep telling yourself that Brandon.
@Elizabeth: lets see…I can support myself, I have no debt, I have a loving girlfriend and I pretty much see the world as my playground.
So how am I miserable?
Well, that’s good, Snowy. I’ve heard that smoking the Wacky Tobaccy leads to socialism, jazz, and consorting with Negroes.
If you were not miserable, you would not be trying to get cheap thrills from badly mocking feminists. Instead you would be out living your life.
And yet, here you are. Once again.
Oh noes, I’m named after your imaginary cat? The only thing I can say is, thank god I’m not named after your imaginary girlfriend! *hides timidly*
@Elizabeth: The same could be said of you. Why aren’t you out living your life instead of writing comments directed at me.
Mocking feminists and feminism is actually my guilty little pleasure. It’s even better in person when I laugh at them in the most unapologetic way possible.
@Snowy: Seriously? Why would I lie about a fucking cat? What purpose would that serve? Nothing is what it would serve.
I don’t have to lie to you people…my own thoughts and real actions serve me much better than any stupid lie can do.
It’s funny, if you didn’t like your family, that’d be one thing, but again.. you’re here. And ostensibly do. You’re with people you’re not usually near. That isn’t the same for all of us XD
I really have no idea. Why would you? Also, why do you troll a feminist blog when you’re obviously so above it all? I guess it’s a mystery.
You should probably get better at it… the only way I can see you being a slightly less minor inconvenience is if your laugh is actually annoying. XD
We totally believe you, you’ve just been so honest and forthcoming in the past!
@Rutee: What part of “I will see my entire family tomorrow and be spending most of the weekend with them” don’t you understand? Seriously, are you just dense?
*goes off to listen to jazz and talk about socialism with negros*
@Rutee: I made a feminist girl cry…does that count?
Brandon, I salute you. You’re living the dream, man. It’s a good life if you don’t weaken.
BTW, I’ve noticed the womyn on this board sure do just love when they can rile a guy up, just like with NWOS but sure do just hate it when they’re the ones getting riled up i.e. they can’t get his goat. As usual, they can give it good but it seems they can’t take it well lolololol XD
Well, maybe you’re in a nothing town, but I would think you have shit to do if you’re not in a tiny town. Hell, even my hometown had shit. Either that or it’s a hella small reunion…
Brandon: Thing about the non-trollish types on here is that, believe it or not, they’re entertained even when you’re not around. The comment threads that trollish types have yet to show up in often turn into conversations about literature or cooking or games, the forums exist with topics that have nothing to do with you or others who come here just to feel clever by being assholes, and there have even been a couple real-life meetups.
In other words: they’re enjoying themselves without resorting to acting juvenile and being such a poor specimen of humanity that they think irritating people for no other reason than the joy of being a near-nonsensical ass is fun.
You’re the type of person who thinks that’s fun, and…honestly, it really is kinda sad. The folks here enrich themselves, even if only slightly, by hanging around here. You just make the world a marginally worse place.
@Rutee: WTF are you babbling about?
It’s friggin 1:30 in the morning where I am. What else is there to do besides troll manboobz till I get tired, so I can go to bed. I already checked facebook and my email.
Oh, Snowy is the cat’s name. I thought it was called Reefer Madness.
Are you in Florida? Because most cities are open all night, you just have to know what you’re doing XD
Reefer Madness would actually be a marginally clever name for a cat.
Blah, blah, blah.
Who’s getting riled up here? XD
Whoever Brandon’s arguing with, apparently.
Reefer Madness would be a great cat name. Reminds me of a video my om sent me of our cat. He had just eaten a bunch of catnip and was wriggling on the floor on his back all drunk-like. Awww, stoned kittyyyy.
Oh. And mara-juwanna’s bad, mmmkay?