Meandering Musing: Safe Spaces

So, here’s another ill-advised topic. Safe spaces. Perhaps that should replace the name for this pseudo-series? An Ill-Advised Discussion? Eh. I don’t know, but that’s already starting to get off topic.

Safe spaces are overtly a political left thing, and a rather radical one at that. It is the insinuation that there must be protected spaces where people’s positions aren’t challenged, where they are allowed to feel “safe”. This is heavily tied in with identity politics, usually citing how lgbt and minority groups are especially at risk… somehow. It’s honestly rather silly to think about, as the places these Safe Spaces are advocated for in places meant for higher learning. It doesn’t take a genius to understand the inherent conflict of interest when establishing a lack of discussion in a sphere meant solely for discussion of higher abstract concepts.

In that context, I think there is no substantial defense that can be made for Safe Spaces. They are inherently foolish and self defeating. But what about in another context?

I see a serious problem growing in many spheres of society. Everything is being connected to politics, even when it doesn’t fit. Video games can be political, but most aren’t. Movies can be political, but most aren’t. I could go on. But the most important thing, I believe, is just private relationships becoming political.

We have this real disgusting guilt by association occurring, where if someone has fringe political views, you can’t associate with them. They must be excluded from polite company, under threat of extending that social isolation to their associates. This gets really bad when people also insist on dragging politics into everything, as it is rare for anyone to only speak with people who agree with them politically. I see people ejecting friends and family from their lives simply because of political disagreements, and that strikes me as both petty and evidence of extreme immaturity.

Could we all agree on something? We don’t need to agree on everything politically. But we do need to have spaces where we set aside these political differences. We need to be able to interact with each other, especially close friends and family, without constantly dredging up political topics just to engage in fruitless debate that ends with both sides hating each other a little more.

This is the proper implementation of the Safe Space, in a way that would actually benefit society. At least, that’s my thoughts… I’m curious to hear what others might think.

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