Read on Twitter
A lot of people are tweeting they've had enough with the #Manisha outrage from women. They think 'bohot ho gaya' ab regular tweets pe utar aate hain. Fortunately I'm not following any of them, but the mighty Twitter algorithm shows them to me nonetheless. For them - a thread.
I'm a sort of UC male. My privilege has been that I've not had to worry about even knowing what caste I belong to but that the fact that I've had it easy thus far means I'm fairly upper in the hierarchy. So this outrage makes me uncomfortable but I think that's kinda the point.
It's showing me a mirror. I see something that I'd rather not see. Not because I am guilty of casteism (I'm sure I must be inadvertently) but because it shows me the unfair advantage I've had all this while in having a sense of security in this society (maybe this culture) that
most other people can't even dream of. So even the armchair activist in me gets really really uncomfortable. I try to look for things to do that can distract me from having to face that discomfort. Or having to look at that mirror. I believe it's the least offensive thing I can
do at this point. Not having any idea of what I can do right away to fix this situation is a feeling helplessness. Running away from actively thinking it through or engaging with people who are burdened by this evil every moment of their lives is a very offensive thing right now.
It's less offensive than indulging in whataboutery or false equivalents or flat out denying it, but it's still offensive. The most offensive thing, however, is asking people to stop outraging. I think there are things being said that need to be said. Yes they've been said before
but they need to be said again. And again. And then some. And if we UC folks pay attention, we'll find something in those tweets that might shake us out of our discomfort. Even if it's momentary. For me it was this tweet: https://twitter.com/ks_NotANiceGirl/status/1311980995185274884?s=19
As someone with three younger sisters, the reference to having daughters being a crime just shook me. For a moment it created enough imagery to move me to tears. My sisters are lucky to be married to wonderful husbands who care for them. But just the thought of the possibility...
Anyway, my point is that we privileged folks should not run away from such tweets. We might feel there's nothing in it to relate to but then *bam* out of nowhere there will be a sliver of a reference that will shake us out of our lethargy to deeply introspect on what's happening.
Oh don't get me wrong! I'm not a changed man. I'll still go back to running away from the mirror soon. But at least that'll be the least offensive thing to do. I'd still never tell anyone bahot ho gaya ab outrage bandh karo. That's the most disgusting thing to say on Twitter. /n
