Introducing the Micropedia, Your Guide to Not Getting Canceled
Do you live in perennial fear that your name will one day be plastered all over the net next to the hashtag #canceled? You’re not alone in this irrational fear, but thankfully, there’s a new encyclopedia designed to save you from the trauma of being unceremoniously canceled online.
It’s called the Micropedia, but we like to call it the anti-cancel dictionary. At first glance, it appears as if the website is a 10-page long warning of all the phrases you shouldn’t say lest you want to start a debate. But a closer look tells you another story—one that revolved around the context that makes the phrases and words in the Micropedia problematic.
Let’s start with micro-aggressions: according to the creators of the Micropedia, micro-aggressions are seemingly innocent phrases that can cause distress to minority group members. This can be anything from a simple saying to something outright racist. Some phrases that have been categorized as micro-aggressions are: “You look exotic” and “That’s so gay” are just a few common micro-aggressions you might come across.
Now, you might be thinking this dictionary is just spouting political correctness—and you’d be right. That is essentially what’s happening, but Micropedia takes it a step further to discuss the history and context of a particular phrase—and how we can phrase things better.
When language is our main form of communication, our choice of words matters more. That’s what the Micropedia is trying to teach readers, but without the irritating self-righteousness of long debates on Twitter threads. Being told that the phrases you say can be offensive to someone can be off-putting, and we can already hear the chants to “stop being snowflakes!” at the back of our heads. But the Micropedia isn’t out to judge but to educate.
“Micro-aggressions can be hard to talk about; so often people don’t even know they are doing it,” said Stephanie Yung, creator of the Micropedia. “We wanted to create a nonjudgmental platform, where people can learn about things they have said or done that have caused harm, and correct their behavior.”
The Micropedia covers divisions from age (“OK Boomer”) to ethnicity (“You’re a credit to your race”) to religion (“Did your dad make you wear that hijab?”)
Check out some microaggressions below.
To learn more about the micro-aggressions bible, visit The Micropedia website. After browsing through all the pages, let us know what you think. Do you think it’s educational? Or is it just another case of political correctness? Let us know in the comments below.
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