multiplicity_archives | Consumer-friendly multiplicity (Reply)

Not technically being multiple, I always feel a bit odd posting things like this.

Well, this is an issue that's come up several times in this community specifically--and is furthermore bound to in just about any community that deals with social perspectives. The issue concerns putting on a public face that will gain you credibility.

A common sentiment seems to be that if people stumble onto the multiple community and find people talking about nonhuman system members, "fictional" characters, trauma-split systems, etc. etc. then their response will be to think that the entire community is irretrievably delusional. (Yes, I understand that the position of some is that nonhumans et al. don't exist at all; I'd request that that not be the discussion of this post.) The idea is a simple one: if you don't want people to think you're crazy, act in such a way that you avoid what are considered the earmarks of insanity.

I can't help but feel, though, that this is ultimately self-defeating. After all, people will never really accept the nature of a community if that nature is kept hidden, diluted, or sugarcoated. It's the old bromide about getting people to accept you as you are.

How do you go about convincing people that you're not crazy-in-the-disordered sense? Being confrontational has its value sometimes, but on the whole it tends to unsettle people--and unsettled people tend to get defensive and more resistant to changing their attitude, not less. How do you become visible enough that people will take notice and reconsider their positions, all the while juggling your own imperfections and/or so-called "questionable" qualities?

Phrased slightly differently, how do you deal with the fact that unless you're beyond reproach, society in general will tend to slap you with the "crazy" label and push you to the side--and if you are beyond reproach you're not being human/genuine, and that's not helpful either?

</brainspew>