I've Tried to Make Sense

 I picked up this recent 'chat-topic'....training classes to influence white folks to pretend to be 'less' white.

So, the jest of this training gimmick revolves around ten things:

1.  You ought to be less oppressive.

2.  You ought to be less arrogant.

3.  You ought to be less sure of yourself.

4.  You ought to be less agreeable with other white folks.  

5.  You ought to be less defensive.

6.  You ought to be less ignorant.

7.  You need to be more humble.

8.  You need to listen to everyone....even stupid people.

9.  You need to believe people....even if they are wrong.

10.  Finally, you need to have less concern, less enthusiasm, less focus, and less interest in general topics.

The list here...are simply talking points for a trainer to set up a seminar (likely to be three or four hours) and get you into some mindset that you can be trained to be.....well.....'LESS'.  

I sat and thought about my habits.

Generally, the minute I identify you as stupid or lacking common sense....I hit my personal 'mute-button' and from that point on...whatever you say....I'm not going to pay attention to it.  Nothing personal on skin-color or skin-condition or even education-level (I do it to PhD folks as well).....it's an automatic gut-feeling that comes over me (kinda like being in a grassy yard and seeing four snakes hanging out at one end).

Generally, trying to suggest to me over x-topics that I need to feel less focus or interest....I'll switch to a persuasion situation, and convince you in two minutes that you might not have my interest in mind.  

Generally, telling me to trust ALL people....just won't happen.  I'm a born skeptic and once you start on some Chevy pick-ups are all five-star vehicles....my trust level dissipates real quick.  I can think of about 5,000 different arguments you could start up on full and absolute trust, and I'd just push back against that level of thinking.

Generally, if you measured me up on humbleness....I'd near a '9'.  Most people I've ever worked with....probably were a '7' or above.  If you were a royal a-hole fellow, there's pretty good odds that I didn't do much to help you, or buy your product, or see your discussion advancing too far.

Generally, on being ignorant of things (say the top 100k in the world of topic)....I read an awful lot....ask a lot of questions, and would suggest that there might be a few things that I am absolutely ignorant on (raccoon breeding cycles, basic transmission repair, Star Wars characters, Catholic demon chatter, romance novels, vegan foods, Japanese beers, benefits of meth, Japanese cartoons, and barn-building).  But when you open this discussion of being ignorant....what exactly are you referring to?

Generally, on being less defensive....if you are suggesting that you say we need to do something, and I must accept your conditions....well, no....it won't work that way.  Again, what exactly are you suggesting to be less defensive about?

Generally, I base discussions on the logic in the matter, and facts....I don't care what skin you have or don't have....you need to base some discussion item upon on logic and facts.  If you can't use either....it's not a discussion, and we don't need to worry about mutual agreement.

Generally, if you are asking me to be less sure of myself....how did you arrive at that level of thinking?  Are we just flipping a coin and every other flip....I need to be wrong, even if I am right?

Generally, if you are asking me to be less arrogant....what's the odds that you yourself.....are displaying arrogant behavior?  Ten percent?  Fifty percent?

Finally, this less oppressive chatter....if you suggesting I accept a marginal service or third-world political system, or a educational level that you'd expect in Paraguay....then I'm probably going to oppress you a good bit.  It's the same, if you walked into a restaurant and paid for forty dollars for a marginal dinner with a can of some soda.....you'd be fairly oppressive about the situation.  

All of this leads me to one general feeling....there's some less-than-smart individuals who are fairly screwed-up in life and figuring there's got to be some way to level the playing field and bring people down to their level.  Frankly, that's probably not going to happen. 

Yeah, I did go and spend some time thinking over this discussion, and I tried to make sense out of it, but it fails the 'logic-test'.  Added to this....Asians and Latinos will just start laughing if you convey they also need to be re-trained and follow this process.