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You ask me why I bother with the circular argument, so I’ll tell you. Writing untruths about me causes me harm, quite simply. If even one person reads this and believes this is me, when it’s not, it diminishes me. It’s a small esoteric way, I understand that. But I also understand that silence is implied consent. And I do not consent to this or any untruths about me. People can write whatever unpleasant things they want that I have actually done or stated explicitly that I believe in, but you are completely off base about me. So I speak up for myself. I’m not out to win, or even change your mind, but I do simply have the right to correct gross misstatements about myself. And this isn’t about you at all, I argue the points simply because it is never okay to give implied consent with silence because you don’t think you can ‘win’. Just writing the truth is enough.
Now you say the statement is arrogant, and you assigned me the motive of cultural superiority in an earilier post. Is it not arrogant to assume that I believe I am culturally superior? You have no idea what my thoughts on my own culture are, you never asked, and I haven’t offered them.
The use of the word communism in this piece was releveant. Those I met and discussed what life was like there under practicing communist governments, like China and Russia(Which I did not at all confuse with Japan, but those are the countries that are run by communist-based governments that I have personal experience and discusssion with people from, and have done the research on you called for me to do in your original post) have all stressed the lack of choices. Ayaka in this story is facing a severe lack of personal choice, and makes an anology in her mind. I also researched what would have been expected of a daughter in her position in her culture. It was not a blanket statement on my views on the governmental process, but the anology works for the situation.
Furthermore, it was a piece of fiction to begin with. The fact that you took one line from a piece of fiction and wrote that I didn’t understand the idea and practice of communism from a single sentence, and no further mention, was kind odd to me in the first place. Then when I objected, you assigned me the motive of cultural superiority. But you have no idea what my personal cultural knowledge or views are, and then you say I sound very arrogant. Why is it not arrogant of you to decide what is in my head from a piece of fiction? You didn’t even choose an exposition or factual essay I wrote on a topic in depth which would offer a reader a detailed look into my thought processes on a topic.
Now you have diminished my friends. They would not write “Ooh, aah, of course you’re right and oooh, isn’t she nasty blah blah blah.” My friends tell me flat out when I’m being stupid, when I’m misreading things, and when I’m off the deep end. My husband is particularly good at going for the truth as opposed to what I want to hear. Sucks sometimes, but it’s good for me. I know you didn’t mean harm by that statement, but there is some there. You also say ‘And if I could really care enough about this to post about it in my journal, I’d get a mirrored reaction.’. I think that perhaps that is a rash statement that I am reading out of context, but if that is honestly true and you don’t have friends who will say when you go too far, I extend an invitation of friendship to you. Everyone should have friends who will drop the ego boost and speak honestly. I think you must have these people, and I’m wrong to take that statement as serious, but I believe in this so I will make the offer anyway.