site banner

Culture War Roundup for the week of September 8, 2025

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.

9
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

I’m sorry but none of this strikes me as serious or meaningful except the fact that he specifically mentioned disliking Charlie Kirk to his family, which is in harmony with my thesis anyway.

Let me clarify what I mean by he doesn’t seem political: he doesn’t seem to have ever gone to any sort of political rally or activist event for any party, he hasn’t made any sort of public statements on social media accounts about this or that politician, etc. His voter registration is explicitly “No Party.” And perhaps most importantly, he didn’t leave a manifesto to tell us why he did what he did. Even Luigi half-assed a few paragraphs for us. Uncle Ted wrote us a proper epistle. I’m genuinely not trying to cover up for some pet left-wing beliefs of mine or something. I don’t live in Burgerstan, I honestly don’t care that much about your dumpster fire either way. I’m saying I think the shooter was basically non-political because I actually believe he was basically non-political. You’re free to disagree.

I simply do not see any evidence that he cared about politics at all beyond this one act. Which is why my analysis is what it is in my original post.

EDIT: for what it’s worth, the Dramatards have found evidence he was on LoveForLandlords (a popular rdrama psyop back in the day), which is an explicitly satirical subreddit of left-wing causes (mocking the working class and mocking LGBT)

  • -18

I'm sorry but none of this strikes me as serious or meaningful

That's fine, though the fact that the ide he would have packed up and left, if Kirk hadn't mentioned trans people, does strike you as serious, shows your analytical skills aren't particulrly reliable in matters related to this case.

Hah, alright big-brain, let’s play:

Has there ever been a shooter who got cold feet at the last minute, decided not to pull the trigger, and went home quietly?

Come on, show me your epistemic prowess. Impress me.

  • -29

I have no idea.

Even if such would-be shooters exist, the idea this Robinson is one seems to be justified by absolutely nothing, except the fanfic you wrote.

I have no idea

I advise you not to play on prediction markets, and to consult someone you trust before making large financial decisions like signing a mortgage.

  • -31

You’re being egregiously rude for reasons that are unclear to me. Perhaps you are hurt because your entirely speculative theory was not well received. You still have avoided all the myriad criticisms repeated by numerous comments and have just retreated deeper and deeper into sneering sarcasm

There is an answer to the question, and the answer is “yes, almost certainly.” The poster didn’t want to say that because it makes them look bad, so they said they don’t know.

The answer that would have impressed me would be “Yes, but the better question is what percentage of the time does someone get cold feet?” and then some Gwern napkin math. I’d be proud and tell you good job.

  • -15

Rationalist napkin math is a terrible form of analysis, but if you think you have the right to expect it from me, why didn't you provide any in support of your argument?

Rationalist napkin math is a terrible form of analysis

Ok, I’m going to have to stop you there. We are not meant for each other. I think it’s better if we go our separate ways and talk to other people. Best of luck.

  • -18
More comments