site banner

Culture War Roundup for the week of March 2, 2026

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.

1
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

I can relate to this quite a bit, and I think the whole dating app experience has made me quite indifferent to most women in general. I'd rather have my independence than date or marry someone I don't like.

It was a terrible thing to notice that the mere act of swiping across 100 profiles makes me feel more indifference towards them all.

It isn't helped by the fact that most profiles converge on 1 of like 3 archetypes.

And then getting a handful of matches, engaging in the best playful banter you can manage, then having the interest peter out and then unmatch without a date and its clear that there's no point to investing feelings.

No individual connection has value at that point.

It isn't helped by the fact that most profiles converge on 1 of like 3 archetypes.

Do share.

In my local area you have:

  1. The nominally conservative country girl who loves church and outdoorsy stuff and the beach. But there's usually some tell on her profile that she's not REALLLY ready to settle down. Beach photos in a bikini often somewhere on the profile, and THAT'S usually how you find out if she's gone heavy on the tattoos or not. Photos of her wearing cowboy gear, hanging out with the girlies, and sometimes holding a fish.

  2. The career-first lady, always has the professional outfits, usually has travel photos, usually subtly implies that she makes more than you. Usually in their mid-late twenties, these are good prospects but the question is always 'why hasn't someone snatched you up.' Gym selfies are the raciest thing they'll post. Rarely tatted up.

  3. Nurses. Oh so many nurses. Usually the most direct about what they expect/look for, and almost always have some racy pics in clubwear, or bikini, or just something casually suggestive. The vague message seems to be "I'm hot and approachable but NOT. EASY."

80% of the time happily displaying tats.

Less common but comes up as well are the bartenders/service workers who are either the ones who are actually modest in their expectations or the least aware of relatively low status.


There's a deluge of single moms but I filter those.