Freedomain Radio

AESTHETE:

maybe.
maybe i should just let her go.

that won't be so hard.

From a practical standpoint or from an emotional standpoint? 

Nathan:

I'm not even sure that talking to a 5 year old condescendingly is the right way to talk to a 5 year old, much less a 17 year old or 33 year old.

i agree condecension at any age is at the very least rude and disrespectfull.

Nathan:

I'm not even sure that talking to a 5 year old condescendingly is the right way to talk to a 5 year old, much less a 17 year old or 33 year old.

Very true.

matt_J:

good luck. update us on what you decide and how it goes.

Here's what happened:

She called me more or less two hours ago,
and commenced by speaking to me in the fucking baby voice she always uses when speaking to me.

After a couple exchanges of words,
I immediately said,
"Mom, until you can learn to speak to me like I'm an adult, I will not talk with you."

She said, in a ridiculous voice, that was maybe an attempt to evoke some sort of guilt out of me,
"Saaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmm......"

I said,
"Well, mom, I guess I'll see you later."

I hung up.
She hasn't called me back since.

To return to and elaborate my earlier thought:

Speaking to a child condescendingly is harmful and possibly hurtful because he is not equipped to counter the effect. Speaking to a (functional, and not necessarily chronological) adult just makes one look silly. The adult simply processes it and assigns one to the category of fool.

Aesthete, you are correct to help your mom to stop being a fool.

Anyways, does this letter sound condescending to anyone else? I feel like I might be imagining it.

Yes, I definitely got that feeling.

I'm not even sure that talking to a 5 year old condescendingly is the right way to talk to a 5 year old, much less a 17 year old or 33 year old.

Very true.

I don't see one single question there about your beliefs...

ugh 

Not only that, but she read Anne's article, figured out that Anne's leans towards freedom, and actively avoids looking any closer.  Then she insinuates that political apathy, particularly not voting, is the cause of totalitarianism - not a whole lot of empathy for the poor people in situations worse than our own.