For sure the culture wars are as much a war of class with the intention of keeping similarly poor people divided as anything. The rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. If all poor people were united, it’d be extremely difficult to keep them all poor, so wars of culture over race, religion (ie abortion rights), gender, etc. tend to be continuously kept in the forefront, with the intention of keeping the poor fighting instead of uniting and fighting oppression together.

To me, that doesn’t excuse any behavior tho, and make things that increase those divides ok. People choose much of the path they take in life, and one can choose to avoid derision and negativity. Which again, is the actual point here. I know I’m not the one to bring everyone together singing Kumbaya. I just know I don’t like that stuff around me so I avoid people that are entrenched in beliefs that are divisive and even harmful.

I’m not telling anyone to change. I’m just explaining why I avoid certain folks. The question was “why doesn’t Derrick respond to certain people,” and this is my answer. I also tend to avoid conversation with people in my family with problematic and negative views of society they wish to share as well. It’s one way I’ve found to make my personal experience in life more positive, and prevent the cynicism that can cause depression and an inability to help elevate those around me. I can’t make oppression stop, but I can avoid some of its terrors.