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As a non-libtard who occupies a vague place somewhere in the reactionary spectrum, the main problem is that most liberals come in with the assumption that anyone who isn't a liberal is obviously some sort of underground cave creature who dropped out of primary school.
This is an exaggeration, of course, but not so much as to be uncharitable. I consider myself to be somewhat of a didact, albeit, not as well read as I could theoretically could be (No, I have not read most of the Greeks, or much of Continental philosophy.) But then again, most liberals don't, either. But what I do have is a high school education where I was brought up in to understand the liberal perspective. I grew up as a liberal. Indeed, for most of my life, I was the libtard.
I think I can say with some confidence that most people here are, in fact, former libtard, which is to say they are heretics to liberal orthodoxy. If we weren't, we wouldn't feel a need to be here.
It is a very predictable pattern. A libtard comes in. They snark. They snipe. They complain about downvotes. They write very big poasts on how We're All Chuds and Witches as they leave. I find it very foolish. I would not, say, go into /r/Atheism and complain that I am surrounded by godless euphorics. (I would be banned.) The atheists are armed with many rote arguments against standard Christian apologetics. Similarly, I am armed with many rote arguments against normie liberalism - as I suspect others on this forum have as well.
Getting past that is where the truly interesting conversations begin, but that requires knowledge of the rote arguments: which many drive-by liberals simply refuse to engage with.
Which is to say, if you wish to make liberal arguments, you have to work for it. You cannot rely on logos and institutional credibility alone. You must establish your ethos to your audience, demonstrate credibility, and communicate to the vibe - the pathos - of the Motte. It is a muscle that liberals are flabby and out of shape, unused for so long. It will get stronger with use. Don't despair. Liberalism's ideals is worth defending. If you don't stand up for it, who will?
It’s interesting because I’m one of the few who grew up being taught fairly reactionary social values. We were not cave trolls. But it is immediately obvious when someone grew up with these attitudes vs being a convert.
I’m curious what makes it so obvious. Is it just the greater fervency of the convert?
Well for one, nobody from my bubble worried about getting ‘divorce raped’ or cited it as a reason not to get married. If you have a concubine you have to marry her sooner or later. This is a broader attitude- if you do things right, no point in worrying about them going wrong.
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And from being on the Motte for years it feels like Liberal incursions inevitably struggle with a sort of 'In my ordinary place of conversation everybody agrees with 90% of what I'm saying automatically, and questioning anything beyond 80% of the platform is literally banned. I am thus wildly uncomfortable with being in a spot with the no no words being allowed'
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