I disagree with the notion of microaggressions being the primary factor. It’s worth considering that people often bypass Hanlon’s Razor, immediately assuming the worst intentions in others. This tendency is exacerbated by “main character syndrome,” where we’re inclined to believe that other people’s actions are always centered around us.
What do you mean by “the primary factor”? The primary factor in what? I think it’s true that in many cases, microagressions don’t matter in comparison to macroagressions. E.g. when people make Jew jokes, I’m a little on edge not because of the joke itself, but because the joke being told is a bit of evidence (and maybe a part of a strategy) that some people are trying to gain common knowledge of a shared goal of physically attacking Jews. On the other hand I think that in some contexts, the microaggressions together are an attack on their own, even without the threats.
I disagree with the notion of microaggressions being the primary factor. It’s worth considering that people often bypass Hanlon’s Razor, immediately assuming the worst intentions in others. This tendency is exacerbated by “main character syndrome,” where we’re inclined to believe that other people’s actions are always centered around us.
What do you mean by “the primary factor”? The primary factor in what? I think it’s true that in many cases, microagressions don’t matter in comparison to macroagressions. E.g. when people make Jew jokes, I’m a little on edge not because of the joke itself, but because the joke being told is a bit of evidence (and maybe a part of a strategy) that some people are trying to gain common knowledge of a shared goal of physically attacking Jews. On the other hand I think that in some contexts, the microaggressions together are an attack on their own, even without the threats.
It’s not about bad intentions in most practical cases, but about biases. Hanlon’s razor doesn’t apply (or, very weakly) to systemic issues.