3:17PM

The best trauma doesn’t affect anyone but the traumatized.
The best trauma is a story of triumph and perseverance that has little to do with who you are today, or its impact can be woven into a hero’s cape.
The best trauma is in the past. It doesn’t continue indefinitely. It was overcome.
The best trauma is on otherwise un-messy bodies with understandable minds and fun personalities. They are white or upstanding enough. They are able. They are sane. They are smart. They can function. They are desirable. They are productive.
The best trauma can be managed with self-care. Has a host with money to burn on trips and shopping sprees.
The best trauma can be appeased with cute new clothes and a prescription for Xanax.
The best trauma needs little community involvement, just a simple task here or there to feed the complexes of saviors and allies. It never needs sustained efforts.
The best trauma doesn’t manifest itself in anger. It is not protective. It has learned to trust. It doesn’t have violent tendencies.
The best trauma comes alone. It is not entangled with other traumas. It was not made worse by institutional intervention.
The best trauma can be soothed by therapists and never gets to the point of social workers.
The best trauma gets along well with social workers.
The best trauma only has one trigger. And, everyone understands what it is intuitively. It doesn’t require any inconvenient accommodation.
The best trauma knows not to make a fuss. It knows that if it can’t meet any of the other expectations, it should suffer alone. Stay in isolation.
The best trauma is willing to explain itself. It is gracious and grateful that anyone is even listening.
The best trauma is ready to be the spokesperson for the latest hot cause or campaign. It is reliable. It knows to stay on script and when it is time to shut up.
The best trauma doesn’t make anyone else feel guilty. It can be easily used as a tool to burry the traumas that do, the traumas that implicate.
The best trauma has a common and clear enemy, a recognizable established villain. It wasn’t caused or upheld by anyone we like. It was nobody’s fault here.
The best trauma doesn’t need anyone to be accountable.
The best trauma is convenient. It has a familiar narrative.
The best trauma has nothing to do with who the victim or survivor is. It could’ve happened to almost anyone.

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