About Me
A dissident is defined as “a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state.” I have never thought of myself as a political person, and I still don’t, because in spite of what people might tell you, this isn’t about politics. It goes much deeper than that.
Through an increasing emphasis on trainings and programs grounded in Critical Social Justice, an incredibly dehumanizing ideology which –amongst other things– prioritizes a person’s immutable characteristics above their individual character, Smith College and other institutions like it have created and nurtured a hostile living and working environment for its staff, students and faculty.
As an employee, I decided to take a public stand against these regressive policies and practices at Smith and the divisive, and destructive ideology that fuels them in a series of YouTube videos. It was my hope that in doing so I could not only improve working conditions for all staff at Smith, but for working people everywhere who suffer under similar policies in their respective workplaces.
Smith did not respond in a positive manner, and I was placed on an administrative leave pending an investigation. When the investigation concluded I was offered the chance to settle in exchange for my silence. I knew I could not return to such a hostile work environment without further jeopardizing my mental and physical health, so I had to make an incredibly difficult choice. For me, it was decision between comfort and freedom. As Americans, many of us have been lucky to enjoy both. We are now living in a culture in which increasingly, we must choose between the two; for me that meant either remain in a hostile, psychologically abusive environment or give up my income. It is hard to believe we have allowed things to get to this point, and yet that is where we are now, and we must deal with it the best we can.
About This Newsletter
I had originally intended this newsletter to be about music, film and art. I wanted to amplify works of art that have not succumbed to the very authoritarian ideology that destroys art. But after the first issue of that newsletter (which I had christened Gray Ghost) something didn’t feel right. It felt pretentious and cold.
Since so many people are going through the same thing as I did at Smith, and since there are few public outlets dedicated to exploring the inner world of people who fight this orthodoxy, I decided a diary would be better. Because “woke” ideology relies on psychologically abusive tactics to replicate itself, sharing my internal process as I navigate the public process of challenging my powerful ex-employer feels like it might be of use to others in some way, and hopefully helpful to me as well.
As Jordan Peterson said “If you don’t say what you think then you kill your unborn self.” Living a lie is the worst kind of death. I want you to know you are not alone. There are many of us. If we can risk talking about it with each other, then we can know we are not crazy or “racist” or (fill in blank here). Most of all, we can know we are not alone. Once we know that –we feel it in our bones– anything is possible.
Why Subscribe
I will continue to make YouTube videos, but only when I have something to say that cannot be said here. And although I am working on a few other endeavors, –a podcast with my friend, writer Jenny Holland, volunteering at Counterweight, and hosting a weekly zoom meet-up with my Locals Community – this newsletter will now be the main source of personal information about me.
A look into the inner life of a reluctant dissident.
Because song, film, art and literature play such an important role in my life, this endeavor will naturally include reference to the work of artists that nourish me during what is an incredibly stressful, overwhelming situation. So if you want the full experience, get yourself a Spotify account; they are free if you can put up with the ads which aren’t that bad.
Support
By becoming a paid subscriber to Diary of a Dissident by Jodi Shaw you will help me financially. This will not only enable me to continue my expensive legal action against Smith College without worrying all the time about money, it will allow me to continue doing the kind of work that is important to me.
It’s either that or paint sheds, kids.
I am on Twitter & Gab
@jodi_shaw