#radical compassion

[socialist-microwave-laser]

hi, recently i learned from your blog about the true meaning of zionism and what it actually means to jewish people, so i dont use the word zionist anymore and now i say "pro israel people" (but is that still problematic?). ive read from a couple palestinians who expressed their frustration about being policed on using the word "zionist" and having it taken away from them, as it is what they've called their oppressors since the occupation began. and as for the pro pali circle, especially the one that im in, we all support jewish self-determination but we do not support the state of israel because it was built on the nakba. we don't want "death to the israelis" and we also believe that the state of israel needs to be dismantled because its existence is what continues to oppress the palestinians.

so i explained all this because im not exactly sure if there is any antisemitism in this line of thinking? i want to be pro pali but i dont want to be antisemitic while im at it. i wasnt sure who to ask about this but since im learning a lot from you, i hope its okay that im asking you about this. thank you

hi! i hope it's alright i took a bit gathering my thoughts on this, i wanted to make sure i had a good array of opinions to give your response the proper attention it deserves. i ran my ideas past some people and gathered some additions from them, so hopefully it's at least a start

i'm gonna put this under a cut bc i just know it'll be long. sorry in advance about all my parentheticals lmao

first, i want to mention that for palestinians specifically, i honestly don't blame them for not accounting for the wide spectrum of usage of the word zionism. zionism is an incredibly present and specific threat in their lives, even if it is a very very narrow zionism in the wider scheme of things. when you're spending all your time in fear and trying to survive oppression or trying to just keep yourself alive, you don't exactly have time for nuance. my gripe is with non-palestinians who do have the luxury to be nuanced and take a step back and learn about this sort of thing

second, don't be complacent about your circle all supporting jewish self determination. if there's anything i've learned in the last six months and five days, it's that a lot of leftist spaces, even ones that say the right things and have the right discussions, still have very antisemitic biases. a lot of leftists (at least in the circles i run in) are always going on about needing to be self-questioning, self-examining, open to accepting that they may be wrong, open to """unlearning biases""" but there's a line a mile long between talk like that and actually doing it. i don't know your community, but i can't begin to count the number of friends i've lost lately. just don't get complacent about this, please

third, some people identify using the phrase "pro-israel" to talk about being for its ideas rather than its actions (even tho that's not really the language i use). there are a lot of people (a lot of jews!!!) who love the state of israel and have been advocating against its actions and policies since day one. my rabbi gave me a list of books to read that address these other visions of a medinas yisrael that is more focused on coexistence and justice, if you're interested i can attach it.

i also want to note that "pro-israel people" includes the tel aviv protestors, who have been protesting against the government's attempt to get rid of democracy. all the organizations i list below can be called "pro-israel people" one way or another. i highly recommend just saying what you mean: "people who support the disproportionate response of the israeli government and military," "people who support the marginalization of palestinians and non-israelis in the region," that sort of thing (thank you @vhenadahls). a lot of zionists, "pro-israel people" are your comrades, and we need all the help we can get. don't alienate who you don't have to

i also want to bring up, since we're talking about the jewish definitions of things, the meaning of "israel" is also important to note here am israel – the people of israel, aka what we now call "jews" b'nei israel – the children of israel (same meaning as am israel) eretz israel – the land of israel medinas/medinat israel – the state of israel it's important to mention that in most jewish texts and prayers, "israel" tends to refer to the people. i can't speak for anybody else but i know personally when i see someone identify as "anti-israel" my brain understands it as how it's used in jewish spaces, even when i logically know they tend to mean the state. that's just a personal thing tho, idk if this is something that also happens to others

fourth, and this gets into me-being-an-anarchist territory so head's up haha. i think like "we don't support [state] bc it was built on violence"—on one hand, yes and therefore you need to apply that to all states that fit such a mold with the same amount of vigor instead of only focusing on The Jewish One (tho if you ask me, an anarchist, i would say that violence is inherent in every state, and therefore every state should be dismantled). and if we're going that route, are you going to decide what takes precedence based on number of people dying a day? total number of deaths, or number per capita? or are you going based on length of time a conflict has been going on? whatever you do, don't base it off whatever's on your timeline the most. most people have already let ukraine leave their minds, and yemen and sudan never entered it to begin with. here's the acled's conflict watchlist for the year 2024 (side note, rather wild seeing the us on this list lmao), i recommend you take a look through this and really think about where your priorities should lie, or how to even choose. it's something worth thinking about, even if/when you decide that israel/palestine is the best usage of your time/energy [link]

okay but. on the other hand. even if you do all that, what are you going to do about it? great, you believe a state is bad. how are you going to make the world better? how do we balance that with the fact that for the past 2000 years most jews have been getting kicked out of one place and the next, and the hope of zionism is that finally jews will be able to rest and live somewhere. if we're proposing the introduction of a new state apparatus, how do we accommodate that (incredibly understandable!!!) jewish generational trauma? (side note while making challah today i started listening to an audiobook of "people love dead jews" by dara horn that i think is a really good book for other reasons obvi but you may personally be interested bc it is a very good expanation for why so many jews identify as zionists) how do we create a state that doesn't depend on the subjugation of The Bad Guys? how do we ensure that palestinians, israelis, armenians, the bedouin, christians, jews, muslims, are all represented and empowered? how do we set up a framework where those groups can not only coexist, but that those who were once kicked out may have an opportunity to return?

i think a lot of people kinda see "[state] is built on violence and needs to be dismantled" and then pat themselves on the backs and say good job everyone we did it, but the more important thing is "what next?" not just "we're yelling at underpaid starbucks employees and harassing our local city council to release a statement advocating for a ceasefire" which does NOTHING politically or socially, it's just fucking performative. how are you going to personally help take the steps necessary to not only dismantle that state but also make it do that in the absence of the state there won't be a shit ton of people in fear and desperate and who don't know how to live with the people around them and without creating a power vacuum that will inevitably lead to this cycle repeating for the hundredth time since 722 BCE and the assyrian overthrow of the kingdom of israel

in the words of another friend: "“What does it mean to support ‘Jewish self-determination’ while still calling for the dismantling of Israel? Through what means, in a time where we are constricted by nation-states, could an exceptionally small and marginalized minority population that is geographically and ideologically surrounded by nations that have called for its extermination, have self-determination, which requires basic safety, if the only nation-state designed to be a safe haven for them no longer exists? Why are we starting, of all of the nations currently engaged in explicit, harmful violence against others, with this very small country as the one that must cease to exist for its crimes?”"

i'm honestly not trying to make you feel hopeless, but i also think these are important questions we all have to deal with right now. in a way, i'm lucky—i'm an advocate in this subject because i'm becoming jewish, and through encountering antisemitism and disinformation, i've become kinda forced to start doing all the research i can. others can't answer that so easily. my recommendation is finding something concrete that you can address and focus on. for me, it's become facilitating and having difficult conversations about this very thing, to help emphasize the humanity of everyone in this situation and help us hopefully learn how to live together

i recommend looking into groups like: breaking the silence – an organization focused on providing both current and former members of the idf the ability to anonymously talk about their experiences in the occupied territories b'tselem – a group to advocate for human rights in palestinian territories and to document any violations combatants for peace – coalition of ex-combatants in the israeli/palestinian conflict who have come forward to work towards ending the israeli occupation and advocating for peace in their shared land the forgiveness project – this is a uk-based group focused on using stories of both victims and perpetrators to explore alternatives to seeking revenge. i cannot beg everyone enough to please watch this discussion they hosted between pcff's rami elhanan and bassam aramin hadash – leftist political coalition working towards the establishment of a palestinian state alongside medinas yisrael, worker's rights, and much more mesarvos – young israelis refusing the idf draft parents circle families forum – organization of israelis and palestinians who have lost loved ones in this too-long conflict, focused on promoting dialogue the road to recovery – organization to take chronically ill people from gaza and the west bank to israeli hospitals so they can get treatment standing together – israeli-palestinian organization advocating for peace, equality, and social justice this is not ulpan – joint hebrew-arabic school working to break down cultural divides by first addressing the language divide zochros – organization advocating for the recognition of the nakba and instating the palestinian right to return

#tsiyyonus definition #anarchist #palestinian liberation #jumblr #jewish history #medinas yisrael #עם ישראל חי #peace activism #radical compassion

[mercifullymad]

Radical compassion is a will to care for, a commitment to feel with, a striving to learn from, and an openness to be vulnerable before a precarious other, though they may be drastically dissimilar to yourself. Radical compassion is not an appeal to an idyllic oneness where difference is blithely effaced. Nor is it a smug projection of oneself into the position of another, thereby displacing that other. Nor is it an invitation to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and amble, like a tourist, through their lifeworld, leaving them existentially barefoot all the while. Rather, radical compassion is an exhortation to ethically walk and sit and fight and build alongside another whose condition may be utterly unlike your own. Radical compassion works to impart care, exchange feeling, transmit understanding, embolden vulnerability, and fortify solidarity across circumstantial, sociocultural, phenomenological, and ontological chasms in the interest of mutual liberation. It persists even and especially toward beings who are the objects of contempt and condemnation from dominant value systems.

Most urgently, mad methodology primes us to extend radical compassion to the madpersons, queer personae, ghosts, freaks, weirdos, imaginary friends, disembodied voices, unvoiced bodies, and unReasonable others, who trespass, like stowaways or fugitives, in Reasonable modernity.

How to Go Mad without Losing Your Mind by La Marr Jurelle Bruce

#how to go mad without losing your mind #la marr jurelle bruce #mad studies #mad methodology #radical compassion #dw to anyone who has followed me here from insta i will not simply repost all my quotes from there #but bruce is too good and too insightful not to share on every platform #if i knew what was good for me i would reread this book at least every two months #my readings

[gliitterpunk]

Realizing that the way swifties talk about Taylor’s lyricism is exactly how I talk about MCR

#radical compassion #mcr #emo #music

[highlyentropicmind]

Hazbin Hotel is reminding a bit to "The Good Place"

SPOILERS

Both shows are about people in Hell trying to find redemption and discovering that it was never possible because the system is rigged, and I wonder, why is it that these stories are in the zeitgeist? Why do we find them so compelling?

I think part of the answer is that a lot of us come from religious backgrounds where we grew up hearing about Hell, how other people will end up there, or how ourselves will end up there because of our sexuality or stuff like that

This is not special, plenty people grew up learning about Hell as well, but for the most part their reaction was trying to comply as best as they could, but the theme of the current times is saying "no"

No, the idea of Hell is stupid, and cruel, and it makes no sense

This rejection of cruelty and rejection of the status quo is the reason why people are way more left leaning now a days, and why we don't become more conservative as they grow up, like our parents did

We are the generation of radical compassion, determined to make the world a better place no matter what, and there's no better way to tell that story and express those emotion than with literal demons fighting to change how the afterlife itself works

#hazbin hotel #the good place #philosophy #radical compassion #compassion #gen z culture #millennials

[thegaybluejay]

Love is radical.

Love is radical.

Love is radical.

Community care is radical.

Compassion is radical.

Kindness is radical.

Prioritizing love enough to walk away from hurtful and hateful people is radical.

Pass it on.

#this is why I love atla #atla #avatar the last airbender #love #compassion #radical compassion #social commentary

[paperlunamoth]

I wish we had different words to denote "hatred" in the sense meaning, "intensely disliking and disapproving of someone/some group of people because they are percieved as wrong/bad/immoral/harmful," "hatred" in the sense meaning, "actively feeling malice towards and wishing ill upon someone/some group of people," and "hatred" in the sense meaning, "believing that I and/or others would be/are morally justified in doing awful things to a person/group of people for the sole purpose of causing them harm, and that it is an objective fact that said person/group of people deserves to suffer." Because I hate like 95% of humanity in sense 1, but I hate like 35% of humanity in sense 2 (and I discourage within myself feelings of hatred in this sense), and I hate 0% of humanity in sense 3, and there is no simple and easy way for me to communicate those distinctions to people. I hate everyone and I don't hate anyone, and I hate how I can't express what I mean by that with a single word.

#random thoughts #misanthropy #radical compassion #anti retributivism #determinism #luna's

[fregolicotard]

26.12.2023

This is one of my presents from Santa. I can't wait to start reading it! I started on another book, though. 😅 Also, please don't look at the "Currently Reading" section on my GoodReads. It's a disaster 😅 Also also, yesterday we met with some dear friends, I drank an unholy amount of alcohol and today, for the longest time, I thought that I was having a hangover but I think I am actually having a cold. Great. Amazing. So happy. /s

#360of365

#books #radical compassion #tara branch

[returning-to-her]

Is your nervous system short circuiting?

Ever feel like your nervous system is short circuiting? My brain often does. This is part one of two. Check yes if this is you Your nerves feel like they are hitting a wall over and over again. Thoughts go on a loop like they can’t find an exit point. You can feel certain parts of your brain or nervous system locked up like a knot. Clenching. So much clenching in your body and…

View On WordPress

#anxiety #CPTSD #depression #fire #freeze #grounding #healing #healing trauma #health #mental health #nervous system #overwhelm #panic #radical acceptance #radical compassion #self love #stress #survival #trauma

[goffickemotherapy]

We need to let go of two myths.

"It is not okay for someone to get something for free."

"Those who do wrong must be punished"

These are the core of bullshit

#raccoon therapy #thoughts #society #sociology #justice #radical compassion

[yourhealingjournal]

you can always start again. clean up your socials, make new playlists, donate clothes you no longer wear. try out a new recipe, move to a new city and make new friends, pick up new hobbies you never thought of before. there is no limit to how many times you can press the reset button. it's okay to change and start over. you don't need anyone's permission to do it.

#gentle reminder #note to self #positive self talk #be kind to yourself #healing #recovery is possible #self care #positive affirmations #self love #trauma recovery #actually traumatized #complex trauma #actually bpd #affirmations #radical self love #healing quotes #inner child healing #self acceptance #self compassion #self healing #self respect #recovery quotes #mental health recovery #actuallymentallyill #actually borderline #childhood wounds #childhood trauma #abuse recovery #send it to someone you love #actually cptsd

[progressum]

“Vulnerability is powerful. Vulnerability is not a weak thing and that was a huge lesson for me.

Those experiences of connection are profoundly transforming. It often revels around receiving compassion from someone who we feel we don’t deserve it from, from someone we had once dehumanized.

When we’re open, we’re curious, we’re authentic, we’re courageous in our activities, we’re daring, we give other people permission to do the same.”

– Tony McAleer, author of The Cure For Hate: A Former White Supremacist’s Journey From Violent Extremism to Radical Compassion.

#Tony McAleer #Radical Compassion #White Supremacy #personal

[socialist-microwave-laser]

i'm a leftist because i love humanity and i want to do whatever i can to help it bloom into its full potential. you're a leftist because you're searching for a way to excuse your blood-thirsty power fantasies about punishing those who you've deemed "morally inferior" to yourself. we are not the same

#anarchist #leftist #peace activism #radical compassion #i love humanity #i love humans #anti capitalism

[thepeacefulgarden]

#new year #new year's resolutions #perfectionism #self compassion #doing your best #fuck diet culture #acceptance #you matter #radical acceptance #in the present #here and now

[highlyentropicmind]

Something in the Zeitgeist is making people have very cruel fantasies

Conspiracy theorists talk about the "Storm", where the current governments will be deposed, their satanic crimes exposed, and they will be tried and executed live on television, for them to watch with glee, and all their neighbors who didn't believe them will watch too, and see they were right all along

For Christians it is the "Rapture", where all the good people will be taken to heaven, and the rest will be left to suffer to the Apocalypse. The saved ones will not watch the Apocalypse, but they sure love reading books and watching movies about how they will suffer

Even leftists can suffer from this, for them it is the "Revolution", where all the billionaires will be killed, and possibly literally eaten, and afterwards [cue music] * we'll never have problems again *. Because everyone knows that winning the revolution is the easy part and there's never any infighting afterwards

My answer to this is to have Radical Compassion. I want a better world for EVERYONE, even those trying to make the world worse

#zeitgeist #radical compassion #revolution #rapture #conspriacy theories #conspiracy #christianity #eat the rich

[vizthedatum]

Accept that you will disappoint people.

radically self-forgive yourself so that guilt and shame don't become a part of your wiring

so that you can show up and be accountable

#radical self-forgiveness #forgive #shadow work #healing #inner work #trauma #neurodivergence #queer #self love #harm #prose #love #relational love #self-compassion #accountability #growth #honesty #emotional healing #we all make mistakes #grow from your mistakes #ptsd #c-ptsd #masking #people-pleasing #codependency

[moonlit-positivity]

Feeling suicidal?

Small things that can help:

Make your space safe. Remove any dangerous items & ask someone safe to hold ur meds etc.

Soothing soundscapes like rainforest, beach ambiance, etc. Even calming screensavers on YouTube like bubble aquariums and rainy moods, etc.

Vent, talk it out, cry it out, sleep it out

Angry yelling, into a pillow if you're concerned about noise

Allow yourself to feel bad. Nothing good comes from keeping it bottled up inside.

Music, art, dance, hobbies, distract with coping skills that engage ur body too

Soft blankets, teddy bears, comfort items

Allow your body to express it's pain. Cry, shake, shake ur shoulders, flail your arms, punch the air, stomp ur legs, scrunch up ur face in pain. It is okay to move! It is okay to make noise! It is okay to stomp around and pretend to be in a tantrum! This actually helps your body release pent up emotions! If ur worried about looking silly then find a private space to try some of these out.

Allow yourself to be destructive in other ways, like ripping up some old clothes or tearing pages out of a magazine

Normalize your feelings. You're not a bad person, but if you feel like you are then that's okay too.

Go outside, or look out the window

Remember that all emotions pass. This moment feels so big, and that's okay. It's gonna pass.

Simulate touch to your nervous system. Butterfly hugs (place a hand over your heart and lightly tap), self hugs, weighted blankets, hold comfort items to your chest. Something to signal to ur body that ur safe.

Leave sticky notes of encouragement around ur house. Ur favorite affirmations, words you really wish someone would say to you, and maybe some reminders that you are safe & strong & capable & you're gonna be okay

Moodboards, vent art, visualize and express your pain (can be gory & explicit. It's your pain, express it however you need to)

Think of yourself as being sick with a cold. You need a blanket and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. What kinds of things can help soothe you while you're feeling this way?

Big things that can help:

Make space for what you're going through

Learn how to say "no" to other people's bullshit more often

Talk about the bullshit that's dragging you down more often

Learn how to notice things that make you explode inside

Make the effort to commit to a hard change even if it's gonna be hard & ruffle some feathers

Even if those feathers "support you", even if you love them, even if they're your family or a close friend, if they're causing you more harm than good then it's time to let em go

Accept your current position. This means to stop denying & pretending that you're not feeling pain. There is no need for you to keep "sucking it up" until you're fucking dead. Accept that this is where you are so you can start to move towards a safer space.

Adapt a policy of genuine honesty with yourself and everyone else around you

Make an effort to complain a lot more than you do now, preferably in safer spaces that can support & hold space for you. That's actually gonna help you figure it out for yourself.

Be more selective with who gets access to your time and energy

Cut the dead weight & loose ends

Allow yourself to grieve and mourn a helluva lot more than you do now

Allow yourself to express your anger and disappointment at the world & the bullshit you've had to endure

Find ways to give back to yourself

Find ways to restore your faith in yourself & in humanity

Cultivate yourself a safe space

Prioritize safety, healthy communication, mutual respect, consent, boundaries, and self compassion

Dig in deeper with yourself, your thoughts, feelings, & emotions and start validating & finding ways to be more tolerable of yourself

Learn how to take a break when you need it

Find ways and inspiration to keep you going through the darkest moments

You are worth the effort. You are worth the effort to prioritize yourself, you are worth the effort to prioritize your health, stability, & peace of mind. Things aren't gonna change overnight, and these feelings of hopelessness may be too largely overwhelming to move by yourself. You've gotta start somewhere though. Baby steps. One foot in front of the other. You will get there.

Hope this helps 🌸

#recovery #ptsd #trauma #mental health #boundaries #healing #healing thoughts #suicide #suicide awareness #suicidal thoughts #suicidal ideation #self harm #self hate #self love #growth #radical acceptance #self compassion #emotional regulation #trauma recovery #abusive relationships #toxic relationships #advice #life advice