“This is their perceived entitlement to being treated with dignity, even if they don’t treat others with dignity.”
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And then this post from Steve Quist in response
Now, do you think Steve has ever bothered to look up, nevermind quote, racism, sexism, do you think he’s spoken out against bigotry in any other way shape or form?
Probably not. He’s doing what most people on the internet seem to - finding facts to substantiate their opinions, rather than establishing their opinions based in fact. He’s just confirming to himself - and trying to garner the support of the larger public - that his preconceived notions are valid and correct and he doesn’t have to do the scariest thing of all - learn!
Sidenote: why can’t he screenshot like a normal person
I’m not ageist. I’ve examined a lot of my own prejudices and biases and while I had plenty as an able bodied affluent cis white man, a bias against OLDER people wasn’t one of them. If anything, I (now in my near mid 30s) am less likely to trust the judgement of people in their 20s - but I know they’re speaking from the heart.
I remember how much I thought I knew, how much I thought I was gonna stay the same and think the same things when I was in my own 20s. And thankfully, I was wrong. It turns out (some) people grow and change a ton in their late 20s and early 30s, as they figure out who they want to be and learn from their mistakes. Some people don’t learn from their mistakes, and instead keep doing things the same way for many years. And after long enough doing that, it becomes who they are, with less room for change.
I do think of people who are older as more fixated in their ways, and rigid in their perspectives. But I’m not prejudiced by that belief, and recognize that many are not. I know you can learn so so much from older people, but if they’ve been fixated in the same beliefs for many decades, I don’t consider that the case. I want to learn from people who have learned from others, not people who have convinced themselves they were right.
Sayings exist for a reason. I know from experience that an old dog can in fact learn new tricks, but I’ve also met stubborn dogs who aren’t interested in learning at any age, because they don’t have to to get by, so they just keep doing whatever is tolerated from the people around them, not minding that their entitlement becomes everyone elses problem. It’s cute when it’s a puggle, less so when it’s an old white dude using his platform to whine.
Learn some new tricks. If you want to be listened to, speak for more than just yourself - because I am listening to many people who represent your demographic, but who act with compassion and consideration, instead of self-centering every situation.
Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort a person feels when their behavior does not align with their values or beliefs. Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a person holds two contradictory beliefs at the same time."
Like, old white people believing they are entitled to more respect than old black people.
Like considering “Ageism” an issue, but remaining silent during transphobia xenophobia and antisemitism because you don’t actually believe in rights for everyone.
Like understanding that a prejudice can be about negative attitudes and institutional policies that reinforce stereotypes, but only actually applying that knowledge when it’s about white men.
This phenomenon is how men who think they’re good people, who consider themselves helpful members of society, who value their integrity - treat others a way they don’t want to be treated themselves.
It results in a hypocrisy they can’t see, which ends up being what their lives and often personalities revolve around, and it’s part of why they’re so insufferable.
Again, “This is their perceived entitlement to being treated with dignity, even if they don’t treat others with dignity.”
David Fucking Webb's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
