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Comment by 5upplied_demand

14 hours ago

> I think pursuing things like the eradication of an expression that is genuinely considered gender neutral by large swaths of people is the sort of thing that loses you goodwill for the big stuff.

On the flip side, someone unwilling to do even the “small stuff” pretty much already lost the goodwill that they would be willing to do the “big stuff.”

Put another way, if you ask someone to take a small step for you, and they refuse, would you feel like they are more or less likely to take a big step?

Not at all, it’s just that those (i.e. sensible) people just think that this small step is in a direction that’s entirely orthogonal. Unless of course the goal is virtue signaling rather than solving actual problems.

Completely false, and this goes into reasons for performative activism.

Stop saying 'guys' is performative, it is not moving the needle at all on the big stuff. The strongest people also have strong wills, taking it or leaving it. They could be the best people to have on your side.

  • > Stop saying 'guys' is performative, it is not moving the needle at all on the big stuff.

    The majority of most jobs is performative and doesn't move the needle (mindless "How was your weekend?" chitchat, loads of unnecessary meetings, sales people saying "LFG", etc.). Getting so worked up about this one seems like an odd line in the sand.

    > They could be the best people to have on your side.

    It might be hard to know if they are so adamant about something so small.

I would be concerned that if I ask them to take a bunch of small steps they will marvel at my chutzpah for asking them to take a big one.

  • If a person won’t even return your text messages, you don’t ask them to help you move.

    • Bad analogy, it is more like they said they don't believe in texts but you can call any time and they'd love to help you move. But they won't answer your texts.