• Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.techM
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    11 months ago

    I was first exposed to that with my father, who is so deep in conspiracy theories that I don’t talk to him. Hell I don’t even know where he is anymore. The biggest one is that Michelle Obama is actually a man. Which confused me until I learned why these people do. Exactly with what is happening with “deep state” garbage we see here.

    Fragile men literally cannot understand strong women. They literally invent anything that helps them “justify” why this woman is so important. For Michelle there was no way a strong, classy, elegant, black woman could be regarded so well. She must be a man.

    For Taylor she couldn’t just be that popular. It couldn’t be that other people (even men) like her and think it’s fun, it has to be a conspiracy.

    I both loathe and pity the people who think things like that. Loathe because they push this on other people, and pity because obviously they have such negativity pushed on them for so long, and they obviously have no idea how freeing it is just to let go off it.

    I’m a man, and I took my wife to see Eras last year, and it was amazing. Shockingly enough, I’m still a man afterwards, and my wife loved that I shared my swiftie-ness with her. She even made freindship bracelets for us! It must be exhausting being them, worrying about their manliness because they saw Taylor on a screen for a few seconds.

    • vexikron@lemmy.zip
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      11 months ago

      Same with my dad as well, unfortunately. I actually had to move across the country due in no small part to his idiot ass making me homeless.

      That part is complicated, but this part isnt: Hes a QNut with no friends, a long history of being right about everything all the time who has no problem lying by omission or directly to make himself into the victim, who thinks that Tom Hank’s son rapes and eats kids for their adrenochrome, thinks antifa did Jan 6th, and took great pride in showing me exactly how he manufactures ghost guns, assault rifles with no serial numbers, in his garage.

      He raised me on Rush Limbaugh. I was even into the conspiracy-world, but eventually went to college and got degrees in econ and poli sci and he would never listen to a damned thing I said about those topics. I eventually got out of the conspiracy world, but I couldnt get him out.

      For all his talk of being highly logical, what he was actually good at was rhetoric and controlling conversations. Any time he actually sensed he was losing, topic change time for dumb jokes… or now he is offended because he doesnt appreciate being talked down to.

      Sorry this is a rant but goddamnit what an abusive asshole. Hope I never fucking see or hear from him again.

      Anyway: Yes, exactly, fragile insecure men hiding behind brute strength and little else literally cannot understand that there are many kinds of strength. Many of which involve integrity, which they infuriatingly claim to be all about, but in practice, will always choose what benefits their fragile ego the most.

      The saddest thing in the world is a bully who never grew out of that mindset, but is now old, weak, non intimidating, and has nothing to show for their life other than repelling everyone around them, and is now a victim of society.

      • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.techM
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        11 months ago

        Unfortunately I know your story all too well, even down to Rush. Completely understand and empathize with you. I think you hit the nail on the head. They’re older, they’re angry, life didn’t turn out how they wanted and they look for people to blame, who they deem lower than them.

        Taylor entering the super bowl just pokes holes in that whole mindset. Football isn’t just for them, they aren’t the target audience, another thing that due to their stubbornness will leave them behind.

        We get a few more people and I’d say we almost have the making of a new community here. It stings, for me I have my dad an ultimatum, he drops all the racism and hate and I stay in his life or I leave, and he chose his anger. I still process that, I’ll continue processing that, and I completely feel for you in your situation. Stay strong, brother/sister

        • vexikron@lemmy.zip
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          11 months ago

          Thanks for the kind words.

          Fortunately it looks like I will be able to escape the homelessness trap, though it will likely take me a few years to fully physically recover from everything I have been through, who fucking knows how long for mental or financial recovery.

          A shame I am so well versed in politics and economics… and I dont think I ever want to discuss such things in person, ever again.

          Too much trauma.

          • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.techM
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            11 months ago

            I won’t lie, it’ll take a while to fully get up on your own feet - but it’s absolutely worth it in the long run. It hurts now, the anger, the confusion, all of those feelings I felt, but they’ll slowly morph into new feelings. Now I don’t feel as much anger at my dad, more pity that he is so stuck. I don’t feel like I left my family, I know they chose themselves over me, and that still stings but it’s something I can work with.

            I also set up a rule of no more politics in discussions, it’s honestly just easier. I view it as that way someone who disagrees with me and I can become friends, and then maybe later we can realize that we aren’t so different after all. Maybe I’m not the terrifying liberal boogeyman the media has made me out to be.

            It sucks at first, but you already did the hardest thing. Work on yourself, work on reflection, get extra help if you need it, and you’ll be okay. Know that you aren’t alone in what you’ve been through :)