Contact Us
Sign In
Sign Up
Rules Admins Moderation Log Random Post Random User
What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.

Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.

New post guidelines

If you're posting something that isn't related to the culture war, we encourage you to post a thread for it. A submission statement is highly appreciated, but isn't necessary for text posts or links to largely-text posts such as blogs or news articles; if we're unsure of the value of your post, we might remove it until you add a submission statement. A submission statement is required for non-text sources (videos, podcasts, images).

Culture war posts go in the culture war thread; all links must either include a submission statement or significant commentary. Bare links without those will be removed.

If in doubt, please post it!

Rules
Recommended Posts And Communities
Recommended Realtime Chats
- Quokka's Den Telegram
- Astral Codex Ten Discord

@alexandertheokay's banner

p

alexandertheokay

0 followers follows 0 users
joined 2022 September 12 14:22:17 UTC

Verified Email

User ID: 1163

alexandertheokay

0 followers follows 0 users joined 2022 September 12 14:22:17 UTC

No bio...

User ID: 1163

‎

‎

Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 25, 2023

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

That worked, thanks!

2

Context

Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 25, 2023

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

How do I figure out the email address attached to my account? I forgot which email address I used when I signed up.

2

Context

Wellness Wednesday for June 21, 2023

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

I also give up my seat for elderly men, so ending that phrase with women would have been incorrect.

4

Context

Wellness Wednesday for June 21, 2023

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

I give up my seat for elderly, weak, and pregnant people, but not women.

There are lots of reasons why, but the biggest reason is I want to be the kind of person that I like.

11

Context

American middle class is the worst socioeconomic group to ever live

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

I'm neither pro nor anti-HOA. I just want people to have their pick.

7

Context

American middle class is the worst socioeconomic group to ever live

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

Its very easy to find neighborhoods thay are 100% HOA controlled. If you look at a mixed development, its easy to buy a house with no line of sight to non-HOA property.

The people I sympathize with are the ones trying to find a home that isn't HOA controlled. That is very difficult if you live in a part of the country near major job centers.

7

Context

American middle class is the worst socioeconomic group to ever live

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

That's not a problem. The neighbor can just ignore his whining.

6

Context

American middle class is the worst socioeconomic group to ever live

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

What's the problem here?

4

Context

American middle class is the worst socioeconomic group to ever live

alexandertheokay 10mo ago

The problem with communal property is it is usially poorly maintained and policed by hall monitor personalities.

I like my yard. I keep it the way I want it. My neighbors do their own thing with their yard. It is different and highly personalized.

14

Context

Link copied to clipboard

Action successful!

Error, please try again later.