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What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.

Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.

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Culture war posts go in the culture war thread; all links must either include a submission statement or significant commentary. Bare links without those will be removed.

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PaperclipPerfector 3d ago (text post) 177 thread views

Transnational Thursday for September 11, 2025

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

NunoSempere 20hr ago

Geopolitics

United States

Charlie Kirk killing

More Epstein emails

The Rest of the Americas

Europe

Israeli warplanes launch new airstrike on Yemeni capital

Europe has 'window of opportunity' to strengthen NATO against Russia, Swedish defense minister says

The Atlantic: The Beginning of the End of NATO. Both America and the EU are mostly defending themselves, rather than together.

Putin told White House he plans to seize Donbas by end of 2025, Zelensky says

Poland says up to four of 19 Russian drones shot down after entering airspace

Nato on high alert as Russia and Belarus start military drills on Polish border

Von der Leyen proposes suspension of EU payments and trade partnership with Israel

Middle East

Reporting is unclear about whether Qatari mediation will continue

Probably yes

At least six murdered in Jerusalem terror shooting, 21 wounded

Iran

Iran executed at least 169 people in August.

US, Israel failed to degrade Iran's nuclear, missile, air defense capabilities, says Iran Army chief

Gaza

US imposes sanctions on Palestinian groups seeking war crimes investigation against Israel

Maps: Israel has attacked six countries in the past 72 hours (Qatar, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Gaza and a flotilla in Tunisia)

Five Additional Malnutrition Deaths Confirmed in Gaza

Gaza death toll rises as six more die from starvation

Israel strikes Hamas in Qatar

'Months of Preparation' for attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar

Hamas ready to negotiate 'immediately' after Trump's 'last warning'

Israeli military issues evacuation order for residents in Gaza City; threatens 'mighty hurricane' unless Hamas returns hostages

Israeli military evacuation order triggers panic in Gaza City

Israel warns of 'mighty hurricane' in Gaza if Hamas does not surrender

EU suspends Israel payments over Gaza, proposing sanctions to ministers

Members of the far-right anti-Muslim Infidels Motorcycle Club were hired to staff US-backed aid centers in the Gaza Strip, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Anti-Islamic biker gang members run security at deadly Gaza aid sites

Yemen

Asia

Afghanistan: Lifesaving services cut as Taliban bars women aid workers. Particularly bad since this is in the wake of a large earthquake at the end of August.

Nepal unrest

India/Pakistan

Bangladesh battles rising tide of dengue and chikungunya

Africa

South Sudan denies agreements to host displaced Palestinians

Autoformalization

South Sudan suspends first vice president over treason, murder charges

South Sudan's vice president charged with murder, treason

Paramilitary launches drone strikes on Sudan capital

Human Rights Watch on increasing number of ISIS attacks in Niger

Islamists 'summarily execute' nearly 130 people including 70 worshipping during prayers in Niger bloodbath

ISIS extremists hack 50 people to death with machetes at a funeral

Biorisks

Brain-eating amoeba: Kerala reports fifth amoebic meningoencephalitis death in a month

West Nile virus cases, warnings from health officials – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Home delivery meals linked to multistate Salmonella outbreak

Others

Musks's Tesla now doing transformers

Bellingcat: A Guide To Monitoring Conflict Amidst a Sea of Misinformation

Context

What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.

Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.

New post guidelines

If you're posting something that isn't related to the culture war, we encourage you to post a thread for it. A submission statement is highly appreciated, but isn't necessary for text posts or links to largely-text posts such as blogs or news articles; if we're unsure of the value of your post, we might remove it until you add a submission statement. A submission statement is required for non-text sources (videos, podcasts, images).

Culture war posts go in the culture war thread; all links must either include a submission statement or significant commentary. Bare links without those will be removed.

If in doubt, please post it!

Rules

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