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PaperclipPerfector  4d ago (text post)   2375 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for June 12, 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.

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The Pew Research Centre has a new political typology quiz.

I'm classified as "Pragmatic and Polite Right".

Faith First Conservative

Some of the questions though.

How much do you think the legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in American society today?

If I believe there are selection effects that persist perhaps based on one's ancestors selection into slavery, i might rate this high though I suspect that isn't necessarily the legacy the authors have in mind.

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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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