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.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
I don't want to be in the club with you, not particularly, no. You haven't proven you're a valuable ally who can bring about any justice, beauty, genius or action you want a coalition for, you haven't proven you're fun company, and rest assured you haven't proven you're a threat I should prefer to be with rather than against.
If I ever consider taking over the world you won't be the kind of person I turn to.
Why do you seem emotionally attached to our idiocracy?
It seems so to you because you believe that you're obviously correct and perhaps that you're a natural ally to me, so it must only be "false consciousness" clouding my mind.
Maybe, or you're hiding a tattoo sleeve and an abuela on government cheese. Unfortunately the base rate of stuff like that is very high, so in most cases when someone is emotionally lashing out at the elitist line for no clear reason, it's because they correctly computed that they or a loved one does not make the cut.
I don't think I'd make the cut, in no small reason because I'm far from making the cut in the current elite structure.
The emotional reaction you're noticing is in response to the fact that you seem to think you'd make the cut. The_Nybbler has put it better than I could, you don't have the qualities that form the core of any aristocratic class.
Where did he write that? I don't care about debating my qualities. My view is simple and exists independent of my own qualities: beautiful and intelligent people should not be dragged down by the ugly and dumb in even the slightest way. The human race exists to perpetuate the genius and beautiful people and not the ugly and dumb.
You asked why I responded to you in an emotional way and I answered.
Regarding your view on the world, I won't be sacrificing myself to perpetuate those smarter and more beautiful than me, and that goes double for those whose genius and beauty is only evident to themselves.
Terrible hubris. This is the fundamental problem, the american « equal » suffers mortally sinful hubris. That's the basis of their rotten « equality »
I think the word you're looking for is "selfishness".
Hubris would better describe someone who seeks the fruits of power with profound ignorance of how power is claimed and held.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link