Yet More FASCISM? (A bulletin from a student at the school for designing a society)

I want to point out the danger of letting language use us. In "Sexist Ads Have Got To Go!" (by Kathie), I found these words:

"The ad made me feel too shitty"

I want to know how an ad makes us do things? (Hey, I've let ads "make me" too! But that was before I started to catch on to the ideahh that i don't HAVE to let ads have any impact on me; WE ARE NOT BEING FORCED to LET ads have an impact on us!--but if you or anyone can show differently, i'd like to see that!) I want to tell you that you don't have to let ads, or anything else "make" you do anything. If we let ads like that one that "made" Kathy "pissed off,
invisible, discarded, used, ridiculous... I
felt so shitty I tried to avoid that whole street: how
fucked up is that!", we're just LETTING THE DESIGNERS OF THESE THINGS continue CONTROLLING us!

Anyone else want to stick their neck out into this dangerous thread? Maybe my fellow sdas'ers have an even more interesting way to look Kathy's language (and mine!). Imagine a sign above my metaphorical door saying: "Dissent Welcome!"


Then there was Paul K replying to Eric H on the topic being discussed:
"I do not ask that you change your opinion of the ad campaign, but that you consider the effects on people other than yourself. While marketing campaigns may have little effect on some people, they are designed to send very powerful messages to the masses."

I've learned to see the "but" in a new dimension. Look at the way language is using you! (Or, are you consciously using "normal", status-quo language--re: limiting freedom--yourself?--Look at the way you say "yourself" to Eric...!)

As for the way marketing campaigns are designed to effect the masses...yes! Do the masses have to continually ALLOW themselves to be victimized by them? And when do these ads actually victimize us? Apparently, if we avoid them, or censor them, that's supposed to seriously ward off the danger??

We use arguments like this and we don't seem to see how we get caught in an overwhelming trap. Basically, that we become the very same fascists that we claim to be trying to change!

Finally, Judy L asked a significant question:

"How do I deal (respond) to/with someone who is oppressing me without oppressing them and still feel okay about me?"

I'm reminded of the idea of the "power of the respondednt". Know what that entails?