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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 4, 2026

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Even with a low in group preference you would think that men would organize jointly on matters that impact all men,

Why would you think that? I would seriously like to know your reasoning.

like with the evolutionary disadvantage men have when it comes to ensuring paternity.

Actually, being able to impregnate women and have other men pay to raise the resulting child is a huge advantage, at least for some men.

I'm sure the state can do plenty of things to try to suppress fertility. We've arguably mastered that trick by accident.

Doesn't seem to be working in Israel, and the US is next in line.

I think that because historically male led societies have been brutal to disfavored or enemy men but have general taboos against adultery, presumably cause men don't care if some man dies in a jail cell but care if they might get cucked.

As for child support cucking other men...yes, that would be great. But you can also be called for child support too AFAIK.

As for the Haredi, they're a much larger percentage of Israel's electorate than any conceivable US comparison.

I think that because historically male led societies have been brutal to disfavored or enemy men but have general taboos against adultery, presumably cause men don't care if some man dies in a jail cell but care if they might get cucked.

I'm not sure I understand your point here. From this, how does it follow that you would expect men as a group to organize in order to promote the interests of all men?

As for the Haredi, they're a much larger percentage of Israel's electorate than any conceivable US comparison.

Right, as I said the US is next in line. What do you think is happening with ultra-religious groups in the US? The answer is that -- for the most part -- their populations are exploding.

Not organize promote the interests of all men as a whole. But to protect against something all men have a reason to protect against.

Not organize promote the interests of all men as a whole. But to protect against something all men have a reason to protect against.

Ok, let me see if I understand your argument:

(1) At some point in the past, many male-led societies established social norms and laws against adultery;

(2) This shows that men can and do organize jointly on issues that impact all men;

(3) Therefore, in general one would expect men to organize jointly on matters that impact all men.

Is that your argument?

3 is too general. It's "Therefore we should expect men to continue to do so". My issue is that an inherent lack of in group preference alone can't explain it since past men figured out how to coordinate here.

3 is too general. It's "Therefore we should expect men to continue to do so". My issue is that an inherent lack of in group preference alone can't explain it since past men figured out how to coordinate here.

I'm not a historian, but I'm pretty sure that the example you give is not really an example of coordination by men in general but rather coordination of elite men to protect their interests from the interests of non-elite men. I'm going by the Hebrew Bible, which is obviously not literally true, but I think it does give one a taste of how society was organized at the time norms against adultery were established. In those days, elite men married multiple women. Which means there were likely non-elite men who were the Biblical equivalent of incels. How convenient that these bachelors were subject to an order from the Almighty to refrain from making a move on the woman of a high status man. Even the phrase "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife," addressed to men, suggests that this norm was about regulating the relations among men; the interests of women don't seem to be much of a factor one way or another.

So I don't think your example provides much evidence to support your argument.

I'm not a historian, but I'm pretty sure that the example you give is not really an example of coordination by men in general but rather coordination of elite men to protect their interests from the interests of non-elite men

The result is a generalizable rule against adultery for all though.

I think you're assuming a much freer situation for elite women (and less class stratification) than they had in many societies for this to be the central threat. If anything men would be more afraid of people of their own class.

Even the phrase "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife," addressed to men, suggests that this norm was about regulating the relations among men; the interests of women don't seem to be much of a factor one way or another.

I can hardly disagree given my point. Managing male anxieties over paternity is about managing male relations. But this still shows a concern for other men and didn't apply only to the rich. Throwaway gave a potential Pinkerian reason the elites not that concerned about managing relations in this way.

In those days, elite men married multiple women. Which means there were likely non-elite men who were the Biblical equivalent of incels. How convenient that these bachelors were subject to an order from the Almighty to refrain from making a move on the woman of a high status man.

The Bible isn't actually that bad about this. It's still a generalizable principle. My final, irreversible apostatizing from Islam came when I saw Q33:53:

O believers! Do not enter the homes of the Prophet without permission ˹and if invited˺ for a meal, do not ˹come too early and˺ linger until the meal is ready. But if you are invited, then enter ˹on time˺. Once you have eaten, then go on your way, and do not stay for casual talk. Such behaviour is truly annoying to the Prophet, yet he is too shy to ask you to leave. But Allah is never shy of the truth. And when you ˹believers˺ ask his wives for something, ask them from behind a barrier. This is purer for your hearts and theirs. And it is not right for you to annoy the Messenger of Allah, nor ever marry his wives after him. This would certainly be a major offence in the sight of Allah.

Yeah, you just can't convince me that this isn't Arab Joseph Smith after this and the Zayd story.

In this case Mohammed has the defense that he also released verses defending the rights of all men where they intersected with his. And the nature of the religion - which allows Muslim male exogamy but not female exogamy and sexual access to slaves and a preference for not enslaving Muslims - were all supposed to work in favor of giving a Muslim man options. I suppose that is another example of a group of men with shared interests setting up rules to benefit them.

The result is a generalizable rule against adultery for all though.

Ok, but so what?