[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Ehhhh I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand, really ****ing stupid thing to say out loud in public. On the other, I think the backlash is probably more damaging than the statement itself?

It wasn't a brag, it was a (very, very badly worded) way of saying that when he was young and stupid something happened that turned him into a racist and that that was wrong, and stupid, and he realised that and is pointing out that his mindset was completely wrong. Was there any need for him to bring it up? Probably not, and like I said he should have been much more careful with his wording (I think he was wording "his mindset at the time", not how he feels now)...

...However... Why I think the backlash is damaging. Because it's saying "It doesn't matter that you think it's wrong now - the fact that you EVER thought like that means your career is over." And the reason that's a problem is that it is very damaging to getting other people to change their ways. Are "bad people" not much, much less likely to try to do better, if the message is "it doesn't matter what you do now, you will always be judged on who you once were". Making a change is hard and if it feels like you're going to be regarded as "the old you" forever, anyway, then does that not decrease the incentive to change?

People who WERE once racist, or homophobic, or anything else like that but now have a different mindset should be encouraged to share their story... because while it might be uncomfortable, doing so just might spark the idea of change in someone else. The "pretend it never happened, sweep it under the carpet" mindset doesn't benefit anyone.

One of the most damaging things to progress in today's world is the inability to forgive and let people learn from their mistakes. Some people will always be hateful but a lot of people are just ignorant in the moment and can learn from their mistakes but when people go on the attack against them, it hardens them, it makes them a martyr.

There's a time for anger and a time for empathy, if we are ever to truly change things we must seek to help people understand rather than alienate them and cut off their potential to ever learn.

When I first saw the headline and the initial story I was like 'jesus ****ing christ, how to sink your career in a few words right there'. But after reading the full story, I think it's important that he spoke about it and show that people can change and that they can learn.

I do feel that the reason why the world is currently in a period of electing Trumps and Bolsoneros, why the extreme right is on the rise, is because I think people have become more concerned with attacking rather than empathy, some people deserve to be alienated but most have the capacity to learn and do better. I think the left has often created sympathetic right wing figures through the cancel culture and have impeded progress through their own extreme actions.