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.

Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
I will say, every person I've ever met with more than one tattoo has a weird penchant for self destructive habits/major life choices. One tattoo seems like the gimme. Lots of people get one tattoo. I see lots of people who's singular tattoo is a tribute to someone deeply important to them who passed away, like a parent or child taken too soon.
More than one, and their life choices become totally baffling to me. Not just in the tattoos, but just in all their habits. Bizarre, sudden choices that jump the path of life onto a different (often worse) track. Nightmarish eating, hygiene, spending or drug habits. There is even a peculiar breed of people who get lots of Christian tattoos who are plainly overcompensating for personality disorders that constantly threaten to cause them to break with their faith. It's like they need the words or symbols indelibly scribed on their body in easily viewed places as a reminder not to do shit. This sort of tattooed person is often less bad than the rest, but also tends to be a bit of a powder keg.
I guess if I had to pin a through line of all the people I've ever known with lots of tattoos, its that they are constantly wrestling (or wallowing) in a wide spectrum of self harm.
More options
Context Copy link