I’ve always been curious about where the idea of stigmatizin..
Added 2024-11-01 13:35:06 +0000 UTCI’ve always been curious about where the idea of stigmatizing certain personal preferences came from. In my mind, there are simply things that people enjoy which don’t harm anyone and things that bring unwanted suffering, either to others or oneself. The former is fine, the latter isn’t. It should be that straightforward, but it’s not. Society has found ways to shame people for their harmless interests—be it a fondness for animal costumes or any other niche fascination.
What’s truly baffling is how certain negative traits, such as indifference, manipulation, and a lack of compassion, are accepted as part of daily life. Take, for example, a student who chooses not to share an important file that would help his peers. Nobody judges him because “he wasn’t obligated to.” Or a teacher who notices a student is clearly distressed and detached but doesn’t take a moment to ask if they’re okay—because their grades are fine, and that’s all that matters. Or someone who refuses to help an injured bird, even when lending a hand would cost them nothing. Such acts of neglect and coldness pass unnoticed.
And yet, if someone has an unconventional interest, they’re more likely to be mocked and judged. Conversations about them rarely focus on their kindness, their reliability, or the support they’ve offered others. Instead, people laugh behind their backs, highlighting what society deems “embarrassing.” It’s astonishing how far we’ve drifted when harmless personal interests are more criticized and shunned than traits like indifference or callousness, as long as they fit within the bounds of the law.
