site banner

Culture War Roundup for the week of April 6, 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.

3
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

I had to make an account to respond to you because I’ve seen your comments the past week.

Based

You do realize that this war is incredibly unpopular right?

I don’t care. My theory is operating at a much higher level than the midterms. We’re talking about global power and America controlling the world’s key infrastructure and nuclear weapons and Donald Trump’s heroic memory in the body politic. I don’t care if Charlemagne loses the midterms or Martin Luther gets impeached.

I don’t think Trump cares either. At least, among his many priorities, solving Iran and the Middle East comes before we pivot to the midterms. Ideally this is wrapped up by then. If not it’s still worth doing.

Plus Trump campaigned on no new wars and America First so he basically now has betrayed his biggest supporters.

When did Trump betray me? I’m in favor of all of this. The Iran War is part of America First because it is building a generational victory where America is undisputed hegemon of the world.

I understand that many of Trump’s supporters are dismayed or skeptical. Most of my friends are. I’ve called them all panicans, to their faces.

Also, what would it take for you to admit this war was a mistake? If we don’t get regime change, they keep their proxies, and they keep their nuclear program, what was the point of this war?

The proxies we destroyed? The nuke program we destroyed?

They now have more leverage than before because they can tank the world economy any time they want.

Well no, it turns out they can’t. But we can.

what would it take for you to admit this war was a mistake?

Why won't you answer this simple question?

It has now been 29 days since you said that the war will basically be wrapped up in three weeks.

Is it even possible for you to admit that the war was a mistake, or do you believe that everything "achieved" so far has already made it worth it regardless of how it ends? If so, you should just say so, so that we can all update accordingly.

In the post you linked I said five weeks, and it’s been six, so can I say “same difference potato potato” or do I need to explain what someone really means when they say “just a second”?

Is it even possible for you to admit that the war was a mistake

Because you seemingly phrased this question such that I’m actually irrational and refusing to recognize the truth (“that the war was a mistake”) as though my zealotry is blinding my eyes. Next I can say “nothing can ever convince me” and you can all roll your eyes and write me off? Is it possible for you to admit that the war is going well?

Next I can say “nothing can ever convince me”

Is this the case, then?

Is it possible for you to admit that the war is going well?

Sure. For example:

  • Iran hands over the uranium and pinkie promises not to make a nuke
  • the Ayatollah steps down and the Iranians make a new thank you USA
  • Iran renounces support for the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah in word and in deed

Those are the kind of things that would make me say the war was a success. Now it's your turn!

Considering that the war is going well something pretty dramatic would have to change for it to become a failure. But for the sake of argument let's see...

  • Iran starts consistently winning skirmishes and engagements, sinking ships, killing hundreds of American soldiers, etc.
  • Saudi, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, et al. start crying uncle and start begging for America to exit / surrender to Iran
  • Iran acquires nuclear weapons
  • Iran tolls the Strait of Hormuz
  • The Abraham Accords are abandoned and Israel reverts to being a pariah state

I find it a little amusing that most of these would constitute things being worse than the status quo ante. It seems that if tomorrow Donald announces that the war is over and everyone goes home and we end up where we were before all this mess except Iran spent some missiles and replaced the Ayatollah you'd consider this a smashing success.

I find it a little amusing that most of these would constitute things being worse than the status quo ante.

You asked for things which would be a failure. Why is it amusing that failure is worse than the status quo ante?

Because prosecuting a war at some cost of blood and treasure only to end up with the status quo ante is a failure.

The status quo ante itself is unreachable, because so much of Iran's military and leadership has been killed. We spent blood and treasure, and they spent blood and treasure and nothing else changed isn't really the status quo ante.

More comments