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 don't really see much to engage with here; your assertions are packaged in such a way as to discourage careful consideration and it would probably be helpful for you to clearly articulate a thesis.
For example,
Just don't know what to make of this. That sounds kinda like something I could believe, but it's vague enough that I can't exactly go find out more or argue, can I? Except to say that I'm not sure I have seen that, no. Perhaps someone will demonstrate it at some point, in which case I'll likely adopt the position and also be upset about the matter.
Also you seem to be a single-issue poster which indicates crankery in general. Leaves me less interested in investing in understanding whatever it is you're trying to say.
Jiro did it upthread right here:
See, either you think "vaccines" work — *all vaccines, from the polio vaccine to mRNA Covid shots — or you think vaccines don't work, not a one of them.
More options
Context Copy link
Have you not seen critics of the COVID vaccine (any COVID vaccine) consistently described as anti-vaxers? The only time I recall a serious offline conversation about this, an old friend took my criticism of the social dynamic as criticism of vaccines in general despite my explicit words to the contrary.
99% of the time, critics of the vaccine are anti-vaxxers. Weird rationalists are weird.
nah, it's probably around 5% of the time people criticizing the covid shot are against all vaccines
although, I appreciate you responding downthread demonstrating people do indeed smudge together all vaccines as a tactic to label anyone criticizing a single one as an "anti-vaxxer," i.e., against all vaccines
Probably a lot of the people posting here who criticize it aren't against vaccines (although even then I'm not so sure). This place is, compared to the general population, weird.
Lots of people outside of the motte get tetanus shots even when they say the covid shot and the flu shot are harmful or garbage. Attempting to claim "95%" of these people are anti-vaxxers is a bad argument.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
That's just normies being bad at decoupling.
no, this isn't just random normies
random normies repeat it because they've watched media, doctors, public health officials, government officials, scientists, etc., engaging in dishonest rhetoric to discredit people they disagree with by lying about their position
and then using it because it's effective
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Appreciate you reading my thoughts. I've never seen these assertions packaged together, and put it down for you to share. This is a single issue I've been close to since its inception, and that's what gives me a good stance for memory on things other people may have forgotten. "Crankery" is what strengthens my synthesis.
I at least wanted to leave contentious "fact-checkable" assertions and debates behind, which leaves me to make the sweeping global claims I have outlined. The covid vaccine is part of a structural, malevolent Foucauldian play against some people living in the West.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link