• positiveWHAT@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    If toxic masculinity is destructive masculinity like “boys be boys” and neofascist pundits, then toxic empathy would be something like Stockholm-syndrome. In context it does sound more like the expression stems from sociopathy.

    • Etterra@discuss.online
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      14 days ago

      How did “boys will be boys” go from “coming home at age 7 covered in mud, with a skinned knee, and a frog in your pocket” to “sexual assault and felony gun possession?”

      • Droggelbecher@lemmy.world
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        14 days ago

        Even in the first one, ‘boys will be boys’ is often used to explain why you react differently to the same scenario depending on whether it’s a boy or girl. I remember being scolded for this stuff as an AFAB, while boys got away with it. Same story with getting into little physical fights, being rowdy, aggressive, destroying stuff. I guess that can be a slippery slope into the latter one, if you keep it up long enough. Just my attempt at an explanation.

        • Etterra@discuss.online
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          10 days ago

          While you’re not wrong about the double standard, the slippery slope argument is a logical fallacy for a reason. Consider pranks; just because you do something harmless, like the old cliche of a whoopie cushion, doesn’t mean it’s okay or inevitable to escalate until you’re harassing people on YouTube or endangering people because “it’s just a prank bro.”

        • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world
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          14 days ago

          Some of us heard our own parents use the phrase to dismiss innocent childhood shenanigans. If people have been using it to dismiss assault since the 80s (which is possible, I’m not doubting that), there were still plenty of people through the 90s and 00s that didn’t use it that way.

          What I don’t understand is, if OP wasn’t exposed to that use of the term and/or didn’t realize it at the time (perhaps due to being a child), how does that make them a “shit human being”? Is everyone who doesn’t know everything a “shit human being”? Because if so, I’ve got some bad news.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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      14 days ago

      I can’t really find a better way to phrase it, but I could see an excess of empathy leading to some toxic behaviors. my SiL frequently goes to a church where people “give 'till it hurts” and then next week is the one begging people to help. because they gave away all their savings the week before, and now can’t afford the medical procedure they got lined up next week.

      The issue here is that a little financial responsibility would have saved everyone from being in that position in the first place. collectively, the issue is they have no impulse control and a priest taking advantage of it.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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      14 days ago

      Sounds more like manipulation, when the other comment said it can weaponized, I’m assuming he meant manipulation, which is deceptive and not empathy at all, and that is what sociapaths use

    • lurch (he/him)@sh.itjust.works
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      14 days ago

      If it’s pulling someone to the left, it can’t be toxic. Also, if the headline is a question, it’s not a sign of quality. (One point for Betteridge’s law of headlines.)