site banner
PaperclipPerfector  3d ago (text post)   2038 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for January 30, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

2
Top Bottom Old Controversial Comments
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

I do want to comment on the astrology thing though. I think I'd struggle to take a partner who used astrology as a means to talk about personality seriously. My view is that it's ludicrous, but moreso that it forces human personality into very silly boxes

People love boxes. I come from a culture with a much more pervasive background astrology radiation, so it might be hard for me to calibrate my assessment of what's going on in the US. What's the level you're talking about?

  • my date asks me for my birth sign or calculates it based on my birthday - a nothingburger, I'm a Sagittarius
  • I buy my GF a pendant with a stone that is compatible with her birth sign - wow, so thoughtful
  • my date calls her boss a typical Aries - as long as it helps her to put people into the right boxes, why not?
  • my date explains that she only trusts the horoscopes printed in The Daily Huntsman - a red flag, but is she hot?
  • my date explains she would never date a Pisces because of their duplicity - smile, nod, ghost
  • my date expresses befuddlement that I've never seen my natal chart and offers to construct me one for free, because she's a certified astrologist - smile, nod, ghost

What's wrong with a natal chart, other than that I don't know my exact hour of birth?

smiles, nods, ghosts you

A "certified X" offering to make you a Y for free reeks of someone trying to recruit you into an MLM.

Eh, regarding the practice of astrology in particular it doesn't give off that vibe for me. More like someone who's used to putting people in boxes for a living taking the opportunity to do so.

I could see it this way, if she wasn't certified (or at least wouldn't bring it up without prompting).

What is she gonna do, offer me to pay for another natal chart of me?

No, for your monthly horoscope.

And come to think of it, even if there's no money involved, it sounds like the kind of person that would use astrology to tell you what decisions you should make, and/or win arguments.

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


Recommended Posts And Communities

Recommended Realtime Chats