Vocality
This conversation is inspired by some conversations I've had with friends lately. These conversations have set me to thinking, so I decided to write a blog post on the subject so I could work through my thoughts and figure out how to better speak on the subject. I hope I don't make anybody feel called out by this post and instead hope people can pull away some insight and inspiration.
Additionally, I asked Dallas for permission before writing this blog. He was surprised by my idea to discuss this, but Dallas and I have had intimate conversations about this subject even before anybody else brought it to our attention.
What I have been stalling about is the subject of Dallas' vocal activism on social media. Dallas' vigilance isn't in question, however there have been questions about the personal cost of being so vocal. There have been concerns about whether Dallas may alienate people who aren't as political, or that his aggression may hurt other people's feelings. There has even been speculation that his activism may repel people from his art, something Dallas has invested some time into testing.
I want to break the ice by saying that I am proud of how vocal Dallas is. It should be said that Dallas is just as vocal in person as he is online and that he was even more vocal before some life experiences left him with some scuff marks. I believe the world needs people as vocal as Dallas, and at one point in my life I was just as vocal.
I don't use social media as much as I used to. Since meeting Dallas I have retreated some into our loving relationship and I have been doing some much needed self healing, but I struggle sometimes with not feeling like I put myself out there enough to help impact the world in a positive way. I don't connect to the world the way Dallas does. He knows what is happening and watches history write itself, and he works to change the story when he sees the world plot taking a turn for the worse.
I used to put more effort into my social media, sharing stories on Facebook and posting rainbows all over my page. When Dallas and I met, he was very impressed by an essay I had written and then shared on Facebook. (It was written regarding the privatization of prisons). The problem I have with social media is I see people like Dallas being hidden behind algorithms and I become discouraged from spending my time on a platform that picks and chooses whose voice matters. At least on a blog I feel like my content is mine and I don't have to worry about something being deleted by inconsistently enforced community standards or temperamental moderators who feel called out when you state some truth that they choose to take personally.
I'm not a stranger to online arguments, and I know how it can make most people feel. When I decide I need to give somebody a piece of my mind, I feel the mix of adrenaline and nausea. I know it must be scary to see Dallas stomping around social media like Godzilla, but there's method to the mayhem. Dallas doesn't expect to change the minds of people he argues with or that they'll see the light. He knows that most people are too stubborn to back down from their argument and acknowledge when they are wrong. It is a public performance. He is giving his ideology a voice so that other people watching and reading can hear his ideas and adopt them into their own thoughts. He is showing that if he can be strong enough to use his voice then other people can be strong enough to use theirs.
Even when Dallas is being aggressive it should be understood that he ultimately comes from a position of love. He often quotes that "wisdom is healed pain". I have seen the town he comes from and I have met his family. He has shown me photo albums with pictures of friends and coworkers that took him for granted, and he has shared insecurities left by the boys that came before me. I understand that when he engages with people online he is trying to protect people more fragile than him that would may not have survived what he has. On a personal level, I have had experiences reminiscent to some of what he has gone through, but I don't know if I could have survived if I was in his shoes.
Additionally, I asked Dallas for permission before writing this blog. He was surprised by my idea to discuss this, but Dallas and I have had intimate conversations about this subject even before anybody else brought it to our attention.
What I have been stalling about is the subject of Dallas' vocal activism on social media. Dallas' vigilance isn't in question, however there have been questions about the personal cost of being so vocal. There have been concerns about whether Dallas may alienate people who aren't as political, or that his aggression may hurt other people's feelings. There has even been speculation that his activism may repel people from his art, something Dallas has invested some time into testing.
I want to break the ice by saying that I am proud of how vocal Dallas is. It should be said that Dallas is just as vocal in person as he is online and that he was even more vocal before some life experiences left him with some scuff marks. I believe the world needs people as vocal as Dallas, and at one point in my life I was just as vocal.
I don't use social media as much as I used to. Since meeting Dallas I have retreated some into our loving relationship and I have been doing some much needed self healing, but I struggle sometimes with not feeling like I put myself out there enough to help impact the world in a positive way. I don't connect to the world the way Dallas does. He knows what is happening and watches history write itself, and he works to change the story when he sees the world plot taking a turn for the worse.
I used to put more effort into my social media, sharing stories on Facebook and posting rainbows all over my page. When Dallas and I met, he was very impressed by an essay I had written and then shared on Facebook. (It was written regarding the privatization of prisons). The problem I have with social media is I see people like Dallas being hidden behind algorithms and I become discouraged from spending my time on a platform that picks and chooses whose voice matters. At least on a blog I feel like my content is mine and I don't have to worry about something being deleted by inconsistently enforced community standards or temperamental moderators who feel called out when you state some truth that they choose to take personally.
I'm not a stranger to online arguments, and I know how it can make most people feel. When I decide I need to give somebody a piece of my mind, I feel the mix of adrenaline and nausea. I know it must be scary to see Dallas stomping around social media like Godzilla, but there's method to the mayhem. Dallas doesn't expect to change the minds of people he argues with or that they'll see the light. He knows that most people are too stubborn to back down from their argument and acknowledge when they are wrong. It is a public performance. He is giving his ideology a voice so that other people watching and reading can hear his ideas and adopt them into their own thoughts. He is showing that if he can be strong enough to use his voice then other people can be strong enough to use theirs.
Even when Dallas is being aggressive it should be understood that he ultimately comes from a position of love. He often quotes that "wisdom is healed pain". I have seen the town he comes from and I have met his family. He has shown me photo albums with pictures of friends and coworkers that took him for granted, and he has shared insecurities left by the boys that came before me. I understand that when he engages with people online he is trying to protect people more fragile than him that would may not have survived what he has. On a personal level, I have had experiences reminiscent to some of what he has gone through, but I don't know if I could have survived if I was in his shoes.
Some of Dallas' aggression comes from his understanding of what is at risk for the world. Dallas remembers details. He remembers the lessons of Martin Niemoller, that all rights are human rights and that we all must support each other in this world. He remembers when somebody says something that lacks empathy and he remembers if somebody has done something that contradicts their current behavior. For everything he calls out, he can also play out scenarios to see how they are likely to unfold, and he is often correct. Some of his predictions are about world scale issues, but he has also predicted personal situations and helped prepare me for things that I personally would have never expected.
With so much insight, Dallas is aware of what he sacrifices by being so vocal and he accepts the price. Dallas is already estranged from many people from his past so he has nothing to lose when speaking about his past experiences with them. He also acknowledges that not everybody is capable of living in empathy, and for those who disagree with his vision of universal compassion, he deserves to interact with people who can share this vision with him. It is also his staunch belief that the role of an artist is to remind humanity of their emotional experience in the world. It is part of an artist's responsibility to bring these emotions into the world conversation so that we can look at things that would otherwise be hidden. If he didn't also have the emotional conversation then he would be a craftsman. The bigger conversation about sacrifice for Dallas is that he is sacrificing a part of himself to his own vision of a brighter future for our species, setting aside his costs and focusing on his goals. It's a lifework and a legacy. I find it inspiring.
With so much insight, Dallas is aware of what he sacrifices by being so vocal and he accepts the price. Dallas is already estranged from many people from his past so he has nothing to lose when speaking about his past experiences with them. He also acknowledges that not everybody is capable of living in empathy, and for those who disagree with his vision of universal compassion, he deserves to interact with people who can share this vision with him. It is also his staunch belief that the role of an artist is to remind humanity of their emotional experience in the world. It is part of an artist's responsibility to bring these emotions into the world conversation so that we can look at things that would otherwise be hidden. If he didn't also have the emotional conversation then he would be a craftsman. The bigger conversation about sacrifice for Dallas is that he is sacrificing a part of himself to his own vision of a brighter future for our species, setting aside his costs and focusing on his goals. It's a lifework and a legacy. I find it inspiring.
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