"Inspiration Porn"

[Cyborg Girl]

An interesting article on "inspirational" survivor stories:

http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/10/survivor-stories/

The term “inspiration porn” refers to stories that emphasize how individuals have overcome difficult circumstances and succeeded. It is often applied to disabled people and people from poor backgrounds who become successful.

The point of inspiration porn is not to help the subject heal, but rather, to inspire others. It aims to inspire awe in the “triumph of the human spirit” by emphasizing one central message: “If I can overcome my difficult circumstances, you can, too!”

The stories of survivors are sometimes reduced to inspiration porn.

Framing stories as inspiration porn focuses on making the audience feel inspired, rather than helping the survivor heal or helping the survivor get their opinion across.

[geonuc]

I don't even like the use of the word 'porn' in the term.

[SciFi Chick]

I tried to get through that article, but I am just sooooo sick of being told how to speak English, and how to think, and I'm really really sick of people looking for ways to be offended.

It's like a lot of people don't know how to look at intent. They only look at how they feel. I looked up 'inspiration porn', and that phrase seems to have been coined by disabled/handicapped people who don't want anyone to give them encouragement for overcoming their disabilities. Hell - some of them don't even want to be called disabled.

Just give me a fucking break. People need to stop getting so goddamned offended by those of us who didn't major in sociology or gender studies. I'm sick of it.

This kind of garbage is actually hindering communication rather than promoting it, and it stinks of an agenda to gain power unfairly.

[Cyborg Girl]

@SFC

I think the complaints are pretty legit, if you look at the actual status of disabled people in the US. Those with disabilities have a harder time getting by. Just being looked to for "inspiration" doesn't really cut it.

As for gaining power unfairly... I think that's the crux of the issue. Can you really begrudge people wanting to gain power, when they're at a significant disadvantage?I mean, I have an unfair amount of power, just by being physically able, white, and male. IMO it's only fair that people who have it worse off want to level the playing field a bit; and only fair that the people with an unfair advantage give them some say.

IDK. Maybe it's barking up the wrong tree, but it makes sense to me. If we want a better world, we have to question some of our old assumptions - the same way you got me to question my assumptions regarding Baltimore, etc.

[squ1d]

Article about "inspiration porn" is "outrage porn"

[SciFi Chick]

Article about "inspiration porn" is "outrage porn"

rofl

[SciFi Chick]

@SFC

I think the complaints are pretty legit, if you look at the actual status of disabled people in the US. Those with disabilities have a harder time getting by. Just being looked to for "inspiration" doesn't really cut it.

As for gaining power unfairly... I think that's the crux of the issue. Can you really begrudge people wanting to gain power, when they're at a significant disadvantage?I mean, I have an unfair amount of power, just by being physically able, white, and male. IMO it's only fair that people who have it worse off want to level the playing field a bit; and only fair that the people with an unfair advantage give them some say.

IDK. Maybe it's barking up the wrong tree, but it makes sense to me. If we want a better world, we have to question some of our old assumptions - the same way you got me to question my assumptions regarding Baltimore, etc.

Don't know how I missed this post.

Anyway, it's fine to question assumptions, but it's not fine to assume that people who use certain words are meaning them in the way that they get accused of. I think intent is important, and when the victimized groups ignore intent, they cut off communication, thereby cutting off their own noses to spite their faces. Make sense?

[Cyborg Girl]

Well, yes. And intent is important, it's just that the actual impact is more important. Tokenism can be well intended, but how well has it worked in the past?

[SciFi Chick]

Well, yes. And intent is important, it's just that the actual impact is more important. Tokenism can be well intended, but how well has it worked in the past?

I'm not talking about tokenism. I'm talking about people using words that marginalized groups have changed the meaning of, and these people aren't aware of that change, so their intent is being attacked incorrectly.

And sometimes tokenism actually leads to things getting better. It sucks during the process but it is a process.