From One Survivor to Another

so, let’s say

mattachinereview:

that John Campbell is a person who has depression and, in his inflammatory post, was trying to satirize ableism. This is what I think is true, partly because of the new post “outing” other content creators—some of them are people he’s friendly/cordial with, and I don’t think that he’d suddenly lash out this way at them.  I think it mostly, though, because in Campbell’s art he’s demonstrated an understanding of depression as an arbitrary and very real condition that can strike anyone, regardless of how “nice” their life is.

I don’t feel that this changes the validity of the amount of rage that’s been levied at him. 

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yeah, even if he did intend for it to be satire, his failure to do it effectively is very clear. in all successful satire of a serious subject, there have to be clues (not necessarily obvious, but at least noticeable) that it is a joke. that can be achieved either by holding a position that is so absurd that no one could believe it (see: cannibalism in “a modest proposal”), or by using extreme hyperbole to exaggerate one’s claims so that people get the message (see: Stephen Colbert).

unfortunately, Campbell does neither. there are many, many people with depression out there who have had others question the validity of their condition— it’s not an extreme position in any way to claim that depression is fake because a society that values people based on their work capacity inherently tries to minimize it. and in terms of hyperbole, Campbell just doesn’t do it. lots of very direct, plain statements are not in any way a form of exaggeration.

because of this, I have to conclude that he is either 1) a really obnoxious, privileged jerk, or 2) he somehow failed to consider how his work would come across despite having worked with the subject matter and people deeply engrossed in it for years. both conclusions are reprehensible, and (if it’s for real) the simple apology that people keep touting to excuse him does not in any way make up for it.

1. gm likes this
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4. libidinousnarwhal reblogged this from mattachinereview
5. fun-gal-infection reblogged this from basedmcgoats and added:

   An interesting interpretation that I also agree with. It sucks that this backfired so bad on him, but it’s pretty much...

6. amydentata likes this
7. midnightonthefiringline reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

   I’m pretty much done engaging...issue, it’s making...tired...

8. mrheliotrope likes this
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10. violetmagician reblogged this from fromonesurvivortoanother and added:

    Yeah, this whole thing did not strike me as satire at all. Especially since someone brought this up while I was on...

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15. swordid reblogged this from thesaddestbitchinallofspectrum and added:

    this is I think very good

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22. mercreature reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    ok going to stop thinking about this, this is a good post about it if you think he’s depressed and this is ‘satire’

23. dubiousmerchant reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    last word, for me, on...Pictures For Sad Children issue. We

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29. fromonesurvivortoanother reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    yeah, even if he did intend for it to be satire, his failure to do it effectively is very clear. in all successful...

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31. fromonesurvivortoanother likes this
32. harmalade reblogged this from basedmcgoats
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34. basedmcgoats reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    i am currently mulling this over but i think i mostly agree with it.

35. johnewarren reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    More good feedback about John Campbell.

36. icecoldnukacola reblogged this from mattachinereview and added:

    an important post. i still...announcement reads like (attempted) satire. i still

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