site banner

Culture War Roundup for the week of November 21, 2022

This weekly roundup thread is intended for all culture war posts. 'Culture war' is vaguely defined, but it basically means controversial issues that fall along set tribal lines. Arguments over culture war issues generate a lot of heat and little light, and few deeply entrenched people ever change their minds. This thread is for voicing opinions and analyzing the state of the discussion while trying to optimize for light over heat.

Optimistically, we think that engaging with people you disagree with is worth your time, and so is being nice! Pessimistically, there are many dynamics that can lead discussions on Culture War topics to become unproductive. There's a human tendency to divide along tribal lines, praising your ingroup and vilifying your outgroup - and if you think you find it easy to criticize your ingroup, then it may be that your outgroup is not who you think it is. Extremists with opposing positions can feed off each other, highlighting each other's worst points to justify their own angry rhetoric, which becomes in turn a new example of bad behavior for the other side to highlight.

We would like to avoid these negative dynamics. Accordingly, we ask that you do not use this thread for waging the Culture War. Examples of waging the Culture War:

  • Shaming.

  • Attempting to 'build consensus' or enforce ideological conformity.

  • Making sweeping generalizations to vilify a group you dislike.

  • Recruiting for a cause.

  • Posting links that could be summarized as 'Boo outgroup!' Basically, if your content is 'Can you believe what Those People did this week?' then you should either refrain from posting, or do some very patient work to contextualize and/or steel-man the relevant viewpoint.

In general, you should argue to understand, not to win. This thread is not territory to be claimed by one group or another; indeed, the aim is to have many different viewpoints represented here. Thus, we also ask that you follow some guidelines:

  • Speak plainly. Avoid sarcasm and mockery. When disagreeing with someone, state your objections explicitly.

  • Be as precise and charitable as you can. Don't paraphrase unflatteringly.

  • Don't imply that someone said something they did not say, even if you think it follows from what they said.

  • Write like everyone is reading and you want them to be included in the discussion.

On an ad hoc basis, the mods will try to compile a list of the best posts/comments from the previous week, posted in Quality Contribution threads and archived at /r/TheThread. You may nominate a comment for this list by clicking on 'report' at the bottom of the post and typing 'Actually a quality contribution' as the report reason.

13
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

Otoh, if I say that Gender Queer might not be a threat to children, I run the risk of being accused of being a pedophile.

a) A groomer, not a pedophile. I don't find the insistance on the most strict, and worst possible meaning of the word to be particularly honest, when progressives often use a broader definition of it themselves

b) Yes, the act of smearing someone with an insulting name is something both sides have in common. But that's not what he, or I was pointing out.

see lots of people on here

What's the point of these passive aggressive jabs? Especially since I didn't say people on the right don't ignore data, I said they don't think it's a faux pas to bring data.

A groomer, not a pedophile

  1. That is factually incorrect; if you look into it, you will find that the explicit term "pedophile" is used quite often.

  2. I don't want to get into this tiresome argument about how "groomer" is used, but the fact that "grooming" has several meanings, one positive or neutral ("the executive groomed his son to be his successor") and one negative (referring specifically to the tactics of pedophiles) does not mean that we can throw up our hands and pretend we can't know how particular people are using it. Moreover, the term "groomer" is really only used in two ways: 1) to refer to people who shape the fur of animals" and 2) pedophiles. Finally, if you are going to claim that progressives often use a broader definition of it themselves, you should probably not link to yourself.*

Yes, the act of smearing someone with an insulting name is something both sides have in common. But that's not what he, or I was pointing out.

Though not identical, I would say they are of the same class. Reasonable minds might differ, of course, but OTOH claims that "my out group is uniquely bad" are generally deserving of great skepticism, for obvious reasons.

What's the point of these passive aggressive jabs? Especially since I didn't say people on the right don't ignore data, I said they don't think it's a faux pas to bring data.

  1. You seem to be misusing the term, "passive-aggressive," since "Passive-aggressive behavior is a pattern of indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of openly addressing them"

  2. I am doubtful that the claim that that "think it is a faux pas to bring data" is true in any meaningful way; it is either false, or only true to the extent that it is indistinguishable from ignoring data. In my experience, most people of all political stripes get very upset when presented with data that upsets their hobby horses.

*Especially to a link which is not very honest; you say "It doesn't help that mainstream publications were using "grooming" to describe consensual relations between adults." and link to an article in which the only use of the term is: " “He started grooming me when I was a teenager"

That is factually incorrect; if you look into it, you will find that the explicit term "pedophile" is used quite often.

I tried to look into it, while the word "pedophile" appears with some frequency, I don't see it in a context that would imply people who don't think "Gender Queer" is dangerous.

I don't want to get into this tiresome argument about how "groomer" is used, but the fact that "grooming" has several meanings, one positive or neutral ("the executive groomed his son to be his successor") and one negative (referring specifically to the tactics of pedophiles) does not mean that we can throw up our hands and pretend we can't know how particular people are using it. Moreover, the term "groomer" is really only used in two ways: 1) to refer to people who shape the fur of animals" and 2) pedophiles.

That's just not true. You would be correct, if there was only one negative meaning, which would specifically refer to pedophiles. The link I provided has a definition that does not specifically mention children, and another link to a mainstream media article using the word to describe consensual relations between adults.

Though not identical, I would say they are of the same class.

I might agree depending on what kind of class we're talking about. If you mean that these behaviors similarly bad, sure. If you mean these are similar behaviors in terms of their structure, or the psychology behind them, that seems obviously wrong, and we seem to be discussing the latter kind of class.

Reasonable minds might differ, of course, but OTOH claims that "my out group is uniquely bad" are generally deserving of great skepticism, for obvious reasons.

Sure? But I missed the part where OP said that...

You seem to be misusing the term, "passive-aggressive," since "Passive-aggressive behavior is a pattern of indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of openly addressing them"

Like vaguely gesturing at "lots of people on here" instead of addressing them directly?

I am doubtful that the claim that that "think it is a faux pas to bring data" is true in any meaningful way

The example brought up by OP seems to be clearly describing such a case.

*Especially to a link which is not very honest; you say "It doesn't help that mainstream publications were using "grooming" to describe consensual relations between adults." and link to an article in which the only use of the term is: " “He started grooming me when I was a teenager"

Is 18 not a teenager, and an adult?! Who is being dishonest here?

I don't see it in a context that would imply people who don't think "Gender Queer" is dangerous.

I have no idea what that means; I assume that there is some sort of typo.

But I missed the part where OP said that...

Then you need to read more carefully; that is exactly what this discussion is about.

Like vaguely gesturing at "lots of people on here" instead of addressing them directly?

  1. Again, you clearly do not understand what the term means.

  2. I am not talking about specific persons; I am talking about a general phenomenon. I note that you have not claimed that it does not exist, but instead have resorted to a silly ad hominem argument.

Is 18 not a teenager, and an adult?! Who is being dishonest here?

And your evidence that she was referring to his actions when she was over 18 is what, exactly?

I have no idea what that means; I assume that there is some sort of typo.

Possible grammar brainfart. You said that expressing the idea that "Gender Queer" is not dangerous would mark you as a pedophile. I don't see the word "pedophile" being used here, to describe people expressing that belief.

Then you need to read more carefully; that is exactly what this discussion is about.

Can you help me out? I see him discussing a specific type of behavior, which seems to be unique to the left. I don't see him saying the left is uniquely bad in general.

  1. Again, you clearly do not understand what the term means.
  1. I am not talking about specific persons; I am talking about a general phenomenon. I note that you have not claimed that it does not exist, but instead have resorted to a silly ad hominem argument.

These two points are contradictory. If I misunderstood you, believing that you had specific people in mind but are avoiding addressing them directly, then I understand the term, and used it correctly.

And your evidence that she was referring to his actions when she was over 18 is what, exactly?

You know what it is, because you read the article where this is clearly stated:

Wood, now 33 and a star of HBO’s Westworld, has said that she met shock-rocker Manson when she was 18 and he was 36.

I don't see the word "pedophile" being used here, to describe people expressing that belief.

Well, when I google "gender queer" and "pedophile" I get many examples

Can you help me out? I see him discussing a specific type of behavior, which seems to be unique to the left.

That is precisely what I meant by "my out group is uniquely bad"

then I understand the term, and used it correctly.

No, you aren't, but there is no point in discussing it anymore.

Wood, now 33 and a star of HBO’s Westworld, has said that she met shock-rocker Manson when she was 18 and he was 36.

Thank you, I missed that, but why not point that out in the first place?

More importantly, this really doesn't help you much, because even Wood is using "grooming" to refer to an attempt to prep someone to consent to sex. So, if I say, "Joe wants kids to read book X because he is a groomer," am I not saying that Joe is trying to prep kids to have sex with him, and hence that he is sexually attracted to kids?

Well, when I google "gender queer" and "pedophile" I get many examples

Oh. The sandwiching of that statement between references to "people here" made me think you also meant this is how people here would react.

That is precisely what I meant by "my out group is uniquely bad"

Ok. If I said "uniquely bad", I'd mean that the level of badness on the part of that group is higher than all other groups I can think of, not that there is a certain type of bad behavior that is unique to it, but is compensated by bad behavior on the parts of other groups, that are unique to them.

If we go with your definition, I disagree with the statement "OTOH claims that 'my out group is uniquely bad' are generally deserving of great skepticism, for obvious reasons". Different groups act differently, there's nothing surprising about it, and people should not be skeptical of a claim like that.

Thank you, I missed that, but why not point that out in the first place?

I suppose I didn't think someone would just skim the article looking for the first thing that they think would disprove what I said, and come back here to call me dishonest? Why did you call me dishonest instead of just asking why I thought she was an adult?

More importantly, this really doesn't help you much

Sure it does! You were insisting the term groomer only refers to pedophiles, and now we agree it's flexible enough to cover sex between adults. We're not that far from agreeing that psy-opping adolescent girls into getting double mastectomies might also be grooming.

I suppose I didn't think someone would just skim the article looking for the first thing that they think would disprove what I said, and come back here to call me dishonest? Why did you call me dishonest instead of just asking why I thought she was an adult?

I didn't skim the article looking for evidence that would disprove what you said; I in fact looked for evidence that supported what you said, because I assumed that is why you linked to it.

We're not that far from agreeing that psy-opping adolescent girls into getting double mastectomies might also be grooming.

No, we are nowhere near that, unless someone does that in order to get them to have sex with them. That would be grooming, but so too would be giving them a tootsie pop in order to get them to have sex with him. Or giving them advice with the intent to get them to have sex with him. It is the intent to convince someone to have sex which makes it grooming.

I didn't skim the article looking for evidence that would disprove what you said; I in fact looked for evidence that supported what you said, because I assumed that is why you linked to it.

If that was the case, why did you call me dishonest instead of just asking why I thought she was an adult?

No, we are nowhere near that, unless someone does that in order to get them to have sex with them. That would be grooming, but so too would be giving them a tootsie pop in order to get them to have sex with him.

If the "pedophilia" part of the definition can be relaxed, why not the "for sex" part, especially since we're talking about minors in the latter case? It's not hard to find pre-"ok, groomer" articles that don't restrict "grooming" to sexual behavior? For example:

Insisting that grooming has never been used to describe non-sexual behavior seems like literal gaslighting to me.

More comments