https://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/qfvho/what_the_complainers_misunderstood_about_the/
created by I_read_a_lot on 03/03/2012 at 13:35 UTC
290 upvotes, 51 top-level comments (showing 25)
I want to point out one thing to the obvious bunch of complainers about the "faces of atheism" trend taking over the front page.
Most atheists in the US are considered as a bunch. They are mistrusted also because people don't *know*. People fear what they don't know. It is a common strategy for hatred or mistrust to dehumanize the target. I don't think you need a history lesson to see how what I say is verified over and over. With this initiative, a broad set of people with different social statuses (mothers, dads, soldiers, students, doctors) now have a human face, a family, a profession, granting humanity to a dehumanized class, while associating it to an insightful verse of a hobbyist, but close to the common people philosopher.
There's a lot of power in this idea, and I hope it will make a difference somehow.
Comment by [deleted] at 03/03/2012 at 20:19 UTC*
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Did anyone think about the other subreddits?
I mean for fuck's sake look at the front page of /r/circlejerk
Comment by [deleted] at 03/03/2012 at 13:45 UTC*
86 upvotes, 7 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by mizkatt at 03/03/2012 at 22:37 UTC
9 upvotes, 1 direct replies
As someone in a big (supposedly liberal) city who has a kid who is facing anti-atheist teasing in his class right now, it has been really great to see these posts this week. Being a non-believer can be isolating, and these posts gave me a smidge of hope. If they didn't do that for you, fine. There are plenty of posts that don't speak to me, but I don't feel the need to denigrate the posters because I don't "get" it. Question to other atheists: If you don't like it, can't you overlook it? and Questions to religious people who are trying to troll here: what is it about being honest about our beliefs that scares you so much? How does it endanger your faith or your world to find out that we look like everyone else? Catholics and Mormons and many other groups pay for TV ads that do basically the same thing as the "faces" posts. How can you be sure it isn't just your own insecurities or questions that you are reflecting onto our posts?
Comment by Keiichi81 at 03/03/2012 at 20:37 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I didn't personally comment on or downvote any of the "faces" posts, but it WAS annoying to come to /r/atheism and see literally the ENTIRE front page taken up with individual face posts. It would've been better to confine them all to one post.
Comment by KeswickPinhead at 03/03/2012 at 17:02 UTC
19 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I took it as a kind of similar approach to what the Mormons are doing with their recent ad campaign...."I'm (fill in the blank) and I'm a Moron". Why shouldn't atheists try and sell our message in the same fashion. I'm Craig Wilkins, and I'm an Atheist.
Comment by robotronica at 04/03/2012 at 02:03 UTC
5 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Here's why the trend bothers me. And I am well-prepared for the downvotes. I live in Canada. Unless America (a mighty 30 minute drive away) is somehow a COMPLETELY different cultural climate, you fall into one of two categories as atheists dealing with... I don't know, oppression, religious harassment... Whatever you want to call it.
1. You come from a community or neighbourhood that IS that religiously myopic. And that sucks. BUT You being an atheist is NOT the worst thing going on there. Racist, sexist, homophobic attitudes (the big easy three, but also systemic oppression, as well as other negative attitudes) are on-going, so the atheists' complaints sound like so much whining.
OR 2. And you guys are the worst. People who haven't had to deal with any actual injustice pretty well ever. But because being oppressed lends your story or life some credibility, or edge, or I don't know what you want from it, you seek to be outraged by the way your otherwise homogeneous cultural group treats your one basically insignificant difference.
If you're in group one, I can tolerate it. It just seems like you missed the bigger problem. If you're in group two, you're white. You're middle class. You realized that the Bible didn't add up in the 10th grade. Congrats. You've been on /atheism long enough to know you aren't a snowflake. Your face is not important to atheism.
Comment by OtherSideReflections at 03/03/2012 at 17:52 UTC*
16 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Exactly. People need to know we're here; they need to meet us and see we're just like them. Too often we're demonized as a caricature of ourselves that can be easily dismissed or attacked. That's why Republican politician Wade Kach could completely change his stance on gay marriage just from meeting a few gay couples[1]. And even more significantly, research has shown that **as awareness of atheists goes up, prejudice against them goes down.[2]**
Granted, most redditors are already familiar with atheists. But to identify yourself as an atheist here, among friends, is at least a start. Not only will plenty of theists see it, but it can help us build the confidence we need to go out and do the same in the real world.
Comment by MrDavintsi at 03/03/2012 at 16:31 UTC
19 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I like the "faces of atheism" idea, because i like hearing peoples story. I would *not* like seing it becoming a permanent trend though
Comment by marspaz at 03/03/2012 at 19:06 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
ironically reminiscent of the " Im a Mormon" campaign that took place recently...
Comment by squigs at 03/03/2012 at 21:56 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think there are probably a hundred different reasons that people are posting and upvoting these. Part of it is that we all have something to say and we've been given the chance to say it. Part of it that we're a community and it's nice to put a face ion the community.
Comment by grouch1980 at 03/03/2012 at 23:17 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
And it accomplished its goal. Everyone now knows a little more about the type of people that make up r/atheism.
Comment by ReyTheRed at 04/03/2012 at 01:03 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think people just like to react negatively to new things showing up, especially when they cover the entire front page.
I like those posts, but I would prefer to have a good mix of content. I hope people keep throwing them up every once in a while, but having nearly every post being one is a bit annoying.
Comment by calrebsofgix at 03/03/2012 at 19:18 UTC
7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I live in Texas, one of the states that y'all (yeah, y'all, German has a y'all, too, guys) seem to think is the most bullying towards atheists. Most of my friends are atheists and not a one of them has ever complained to me of any kind of harassment. In fact, I would say I get more shit for being a Jew than I've ever known anyone to get for being an atheist and I'm not even particularly Jewish. I'm sure that y'all (there it is again) have dealt with your fair share of difficulties, don't get me wrong, but uploading "faces of atheism" to "r/atheism" isn't going to change that. If you want to spread your message you have to do it outside your comfort zone, and that can be dangerous.
Comment by xCAMPINGxCARLx at 03/03/2012 at 18:56 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I didn't participate, but I've enjoyed this faces of atheism trend; some people just don't get it and would rather bitch about it.
Comment by FadedAndJaded at 03/03/2012 at 22:30 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
People really care this much about this?
Comment by danimalplanimal at 03/03/2012 at 23:48 UTC
2 upvotes, 3 direct replies
uh...one problem...only atheists visit r/atheism
Comment by GavinZac at 04/03/2012 at 13:27 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Personally, it annoyed me because:
If you disagree, fair enough. My only reaction was to downvote the worst ones and attempt to humourously participate.
Comment by wilsonography at 03/03/2012 at 17:50 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
/agree, coming from a very strong Christian family and social circle, /r/atheism is my support group and pick me up when I'm feeling stressed about the impending rain of BS that will come when I tell everyone. Putting a face yall is...comforting I guess :P
Comment by [deleted] at 03/03/2012 at 16:04 UTC
16 upvotes, 5 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 03/03/2012 at 18:06 UTC
7 upvotes, 3 direct replies
I want to know how people can become so full of themselves to the point where they quote themselves
Comment by kontankarite at 03/03/2012 at 19:28 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Basically, there are those who are afraid of collectivism. They seriously think that the best way for people to treat each other is isolated islands with no connection. It's symptomatic of a far bigger problem our society faces and it's the condition of alienation.
I can attest that it's unfair to condemn the whole thing as a circlejerk or an attempt to garner self indulging attention. It was certainly not my intention to do so. I did it because I saw what looked like a swell collective message that could have went viral. It was my chance to take part in something that could be big, that could change the public discourse.
Comment by Copra_Sanctum at 03/03/2012 at 15:42 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You can't please everybody, and shouldn't bother to
Comment by EmpRupus at 03/03/2012 at 17:25 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I agree with you 100%. It was a welcome change with people showing great courage to put up their faces and tell their background story. It is important for any minority and persecuted group to reveal themselves and support each other in the fear of having to face consequences for revealing their religious beliefs. It was heartwarming.
Comment by [deleted] at 03/03/2012 at 17:22 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It's exactly the same concept as We Are Atheism.
Comment by goboatmen at 03/03/2012 at 18:51 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Most of the complaining is from people who feel "overwhelmed" by the amount of 'facetheist' posts. That really pisses me off. If you're active enough to make a post complaining about it, you're not lazy enough to unsubscribe. This is not intended as overwhelming- we're simply contributing insight amongst ourselves.