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Culture War Roundup for the week of January 2, 2023

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The 2022 Wypipo Awards

Yes, that's an actual headline at Yahoo News, published just a week ago. It's basically a long anti-white rant by a bigoted ethnic activist. I am fascinated that white Americans are so sissified in the face of this open bigotry. In many ways, their patience is Christ-like. I for one don't hope for a tit-for-tat development, because this world needs less tribalism and conflict. But as long as anti-white racism isn't called out, I can't take people who claim to be anti-racists seriously. And the editors at Yahoo news allowing this vile rant to be published shows that its ingrained in US culture.

I am fascinated that white Americans are so sissified in the face of this open bigotry. In many ways, their patience is Christ-like.

If White Americans are Christ-Like in the face of the slings and arrows of outrageous (checks notes) Yahoo News articles...it's more Craig Christ than his brother Jesus. I'm sure everyone has seen most of this online dating data before, along with the income data, prison odds, marriage patterns, as long as you aren't poor or stupid or both {in which case there's a good chance I don't really care anyway} being white is awesome in America.

I get irrationally annoyed at white male grievance studies types who have fully internalized the minority narrative of oppression and try to apply it themselves. There is a substantive difference between my wife slapping me and me slapping my wife. The relative strength and power of the two actors changes the meaning. To pretend it doesn't is a sign that one simply doesn't understand the burdens of patriarchy, that one is substantively unprepared to be a paterfamilias. One who is so sissified that he must constantly bark his head off at every perceived slight isn't an alpha, he's a chihuahua who needs to prove how threatening he is.

To be young and smart and white and male in America is perhaps not to be born on second base and think you hit a double, but it is certainly coming into your at-bat with a 2-0 count and a runner in scoring position. If you can't convert, it's on you.

  • -11

You are comparing the ”score” (to use your terminology) of successful white Americans against groups that were largely illiterate and undeveloped in 1800. You should be comparing white American “wins” against Germany, Switzerland, Korea, and Japan. You’re doing the equivalent of pitting a struggling middle school sports team against the little league, and then announcing that the middle school sports team is great (and privileged!) because they do better. In fact, this team might have legitimate grievances on coaching methods, funding, and so forth

White Americans have much more disposable income than Germans, Koreans, and Japanese people in their native countries (see here, note that this includes all American races and that white Americans fare better than the American median). The Swiss are closer, but I can't find it in me to care about a small country that can't be replicated in any meaningful way. Good for the Swiss though, it's probably an awesome place to live.

That median white American can still have perfectly legitimate complaints, but they absolutely should be aware that they have it better than almost everyone, ever, anywhere.

This is not correct when you account for greater complexity. In the case of Germany,

  • Free or less expensive colleges

  • Better public education, so no need for costly private school

  • Up to three years of maternity leave, which has a benefit far in excess of simply lost wages (as it benefits the child and family as a whole; reduces risk of personality disorder in the child)

  • More biking and walking than cars

  • More green spaces, less noise pollution, increasing health

  • More vacation time and regulation on hours

  • Greater mental healthcare (and health) both preventative and curative

Etc

Free or less expensive colleges

American state universities are free or cheap for in-state residence and many state flagships are superior to their German counterparts.

Better public education, so no need for costly private school

Maybe. I'm skeptical and haven't seen evidence. White Americans and Germans are almost exactly even when we look at PISA scores.

Up to three years of maternity leave, which has a benefit far in excess of simply lost wages (as it benefits the child and family as a whole; reduces risk of personality disorder in the child)

Germans seem to kill themselves about as often as Americans, so I'm more than a little skeptical of the mental health benefits there. American incomes suffice to allow substantial maternity leave (including a full stay-at-home parent) if this is a priority. The tradeoff here doesn't seem to have actually led to Germans wanting to have children, for whatever that's worth.

More biking and walking than cars

More green spaces, less noise pollution, increasing health

I like these things and have elected to live in one of the most bike-friendly, park-heavy cities in the United States. I wish more places in the United States were like that and I'm genuinely disappointed that people don't seem to have the same revealed preferences. This is probably my least favorite part of being an American.

More vacation time and regulation on hours

Yeah, this is why they're comparatively poor.

Greater mental healthcare (and health) both preventative and curative

The United States spends a staggering amount of money on mental healthcare. I don't think it actually works all that well in the United States or Germany, at least judging by the intractability of Americans and Germans both killing themselves fairly often. My opinion of mental healthcare professions is sufficiently low that I regard marginal dollars spent here as a net negative, although I certainly wish the United States would return to spending on institutionalizing the severely mentally ill rather than medicating the moderately neurotic.

16.6% of Americans are on antidepressants whereas only about 1.5% of Germans are. 12.5% of Americans are on benzodiazepines, only 2% of Germans are

German suicide rate is 12 per 100k. White American suicide rate is 18 per 100k. This white American number is significantly underestimated because of the fentanyl crisis, leading to some suicides labeled overdose, and killing those who have a high chance of killings themselves.

Terrifying numbers for benzodiazepines. Even 2% seems too much but 12.5% is total crisis.

And the fact that Germans are more likely to use benzodiazepines than antidepresants (even though low in absolute numbers) is also not a good sign of their healthcare system.

I don't care about antidepresant use rates. They are not addictive and side-effects are generally mild and if people are fine with those side-effects then why should we care.

Not checked, 2022 study claims tricyclics are the most common antidepressant class in germany. Tricyclics have worse side-effect profiles than SSRIs, and have mostly been phased out in the US, so idk what's up with that.

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