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Culture War Roundup for the week of January 16, 2023

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I think that the foundation of your post is okay but that some of your examples are weak.

I kind of agree with your veganism example. I want to lose weight, but I really like eating what the rest of my family eats and mixing fancy cocktails at home. I was conflicted about this for a while (How can I say I want to lose weight when I keep doing stuff counter to that goal?) but finally admitted to myself that no, I don't really want to lose weight if it means discipline in eating/drinking. But unlike your example, I decided to stop claiming that I wanted to lose weight rather than persist in self-contradiction. Why do most people persist? I think a lot of it boils down to social signalling. Being an unapologetic fat slob is seen as disgusting and low status, while being a fat slob who is "trying to make a change" is seen as slightly more sympathetic. So for some people it might be worth enduring the cognitive dissonance in order to raise their own social status.

Your Muslim example I disagree with. As others have pointed out, "Islam the religion/belief system" and people who profess Islam" are two different things. I have a strong dislike for Islam, bordering on hatred. In my own supernatural headcanon, "Jibril" if he existed was probably Satan or a demon who created Islam as a twisted mockery of Christianity in order to lure away Christians, as a malignant tumor eating away at the mystical body of Christ (the community of faithful Christians). BUT I have a Muslim coworker that I like and quite relate to since we are both practicing theists and parents (rare in a Silicon Valley tech co). As far as I can tell, his Islamic beliefs really just keep him humble, encourage him to take care of his wife and son, and prevent him from eating pork. Nothing objectionable there, so no contradiction with my distate for Islam.