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PaperclipPerfector  21hr ago (text post)   618 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 12, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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So, what are you reading?

I'm rereading Yizhar's Khirbet Khizeh. When I read it for the first time, I felt that it wasn't the kind of book which I would trust to be honest if it were written about my country. Still, as far as national literature goes, it's a minor gem in terms of writing quality.

Finished The Tale of Two Cities. It was certainly an interesting read. The action picked up significantly in the second part.

Started Howling Dark from the Sun Eater cycle. Hadrian is in his peacenik phase, though I have some suspicions it's not going to last...

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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!

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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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