P.S. Played any Tokyo Mirage Sessions? Picked it up for my girlfriend's birthday and we're enjoying it so far.

Thanks dude. I'm sorry this undoubtedly came across personally and it wasn't intended to pick on you at all, I just happened to see the wrong thing at the wrong time.

I've been in a bad place… well, for the past five years or so, if I'm honest, and having gradually seen the people I care about and used to talk to on a daily basis slowly become people I find very difficult to talk to out of fear that I'll inadvertently say something "offensive"… well, that's kind of difficult.

This is at least partly my own problem, I know, and stepping away from Twitter and Facebook was just one means I'm trying to improve my mental state, but given that I still want to share my work, I can't exist in a complete vacuum, much as I'd like to sometimes.

I don't have anything against people wanting to be "better" with regard to social awareness — I pride myself on trying my hardest to live and let live whenever possible — but I've seen too many people (not counting you in this category) become completely insufferable shitbags in the name of "social justice" that it's hard for me not to react negatively to it. I don't want to lose any more friends.

I'm not sure what else to say really, it's kind of hard to express what I'm thinking. I am sorry if it felt like I was singing you out, though, and I want to thank you for being understanding and cool about it.

Cheers.

I feel bad that my tweets came off as a "tirade," or "outrage," or "slacktivism," or whatever. The last thing I want is to drive a wedge between anyone. These were personal thoughts I had, along with a conversation with my girlfriend that I wanted to share, because I thought the conversation might be valuable, and it felt important to me. If your contention is that sharing those sorts of thoughts has a necessarily negative effect…fair enough.

I tried to be aware of the middle ground you mention, to acknowledge the complexity of the matter and recognize that all involved are good people, not to say "I'm right and you're wrong." Apparently I failed at that. (My girlfriend, in fact, brought to my attention that I had veered closer to "public shaming" than she would have liked or than I intended, so you're not alone.)

I had an extremely sheltered upbringing, and I have a sincere desire to broaden my horizons, not just out of guilt but because I know there is so much I don't know, and I love to learn. So when I see people willfully choosing to remain ignorant, I do have a reaction. Perhaps that reaction is unjust — I don't necessarily know how ignorant the people at that party were, or what their true feelings are, though I could gather some impression from listening to their conversations — and perhaps I'm projecting my issues onto them. But I think there's always merit in examining the reasons why we do the things we do — not to judge but to improve, as individuals and as a society.

I know you've frequently been treated unfairly by internet folks, so I know this is a sensitive subject for you. (I don't say that to be condescending, but just to acknowledge that I'm aware of what you've been through.) But my "pointless, unnecessary handwringing and guilt" DID have a purpose for me: it helped me organize and express some of my complicated feelings on a matter I consider important, in a forum where I hoped I might receive feedback and learn more.

And if you deem that purpose unworthy…I guess I don't feel the same way.

I'll probably just keep belaboring things if I continue, so I'll leave it there. In any case: I still read and enjoy all your posts here, even when I disagree with them. I almost always learn something new, and that's never a bad thing.

Hope you're well.

— Shums