What is a Social Justice Warrior (SJW)?

[creaker]

The High School clique analogy rang true to me. So much of this stuff smacks of the fashion forward sneering at the fashion challenged.

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches
Had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches
Had none upon thars.

Those stars weren't so big. They were really so small
You might think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
Would brag, "We're the best kind of Sneetch on the Beaches."
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they'd snort
"We'll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!"
And whenever they met some, when they were out walking,
They'd hike right on past them without even talking.

When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball,
Could a Plain Belly get in the game... ? Not at all.
You only could play if your bellies had stars.
And the Plain Belly children had none upon thars.

When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts
Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,
They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches.
They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches.
They kept them away. Never let them come near.
And that's how they treated them year after year.

[ToomuchStuff]

The most succint definition I've seen comes from an atheist web site.

"A social justice warrior is someone who actively condemns and seeks to harm those who express socio-political views contrary to his or her own while claiming to promote social justice."

This is a great article I saw from a person who sees the current SJW approaches a problematic and way too exclusive: "9 ways We Can Make Social Justice Movements Less Elitist And More Accessible."

I got to thinking about this, yesterday morning, before going to work. (long day yesterday)
What happens when you get more SJW's together in a group? The more you get together, at some point they feel empowered to provide their own justice. (vigilante, revolutionist, ethnic/religious cleanser, etc.)
Beliefs, values, etc. are not universal and do change (hence this discussion), so those groups that have had social values others don't, still see themselves as doing the right thing, whether Kosovo, Germany, the KKK, etc.

[catherine]

I got to thinking about this, yesterday morning, before going to work. (long day yesterday)
What happens when you get more SJW's together in a group? The more you get together, at some point they feel empowered to provide their own justice. (vigilante, revolutionist, ethnic/religious cleanser, etc.)
Beliefs, values, etc. are not universal and do change (hence this discussion), so those groups that have had social values others don't, still see themselves as doing the right thing, whether Kosovo, Germany, the KKK, etc.

That's true. I think social media has had the same effect. We self-select people to our liking--people who reinforce our beliefs with superficial memes to make us feel good.

At the same time, there's a difference between the SJW that is militant, exclusive, judgmental and the many brave people who have made meaningful social differences--like Civil Rights Movement, the leaders of the women's movement, etc. The difference between the two groups is exactly what the article points out: the less effective movements are the ones who are angry and self-righteous and use up their energy on semantics and sheer blether.

Mother Teresa was a SJW, but you never heard her put down others. The modus operandi of the best SJWs is to walk the walk with love and charity.

[nswef]

Well put, Catherine.

[Zoe Girl]

Loved the article. It explains why I tend to not join a lot of things, instead take an approach rooted in Buddhism and those groups. However I call out things when they come up, I talk about the deal, and focus more on being a friend than perfect. It is just really sad that we spend so much time on the arguments around social justice than building relationships and connection

[ApatheticNoMore]

again I don't have much to do with social justice warriors, but I am beginning to suspect that in some cases the slur is just used for just people who make people aware that other people besides white males exists, which I suppose is as shocking to them as young child finding out the universe doesn't revolve around them. WAAHHH!!!

[Williamsmith]

In my mind a Social Justice Warrior is simply a person who hasn't yet fully realized the complexities of real life and accepted the fact that other macro and micro world views can exist and be perfectly justified. In a word, they fail to maintain "perspective" to the detriment of others. They tend to look at people as blocks of unchanging wood or metal instead of understanding that the human being is being molded and shaped like playdough continuously. I could have been labeled a SJW at certain points of my life. I try to remember that.