Hey everyone, I have been seeing some discourse about the political axis on the board. I wanted to present a clear distinction between what it feels like to be uncomfortable versus victimized. The reason I present this information is because these two feelings are very important to distinguish when speaking politically.
I saw some people present the idea that conservative people may feel uncomfortable in academic spaces expressing their ideas. I do not necessarily think this is a bad thing. Being uncomfortable may be unpleasant, but it is not akin to political persecution. Being in an uncomfortable state is beneficial to growing and actually allows you to deepen your knowledge of your own ideology better. When I am placed in an uncomfortable state I am questioned, but not victimized. I may feel uncomfortable explaining my ideas and being questioned, but I am not persecuted for them. The moment my personhood is questioned, is when I become victimized. I do not believe conservatives are being victimized in this way, and even accentuating discomfort into victimization lends them more credence than some conservatives deserve. Conservative ideology deserves to be put under the microscope and questioned just like any other