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PaperclipPerfector  5d ago (text post)   2475 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for August 9, 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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I came upon this X thread right before reading your comment: https://x.com/Devon_Eriksen_/status/2086713323022659973

The thesis is that there are two reasons why a man will hate you:

  • He will hate you because you harmed him.

  • And he will hate you because he has harmed you.

A man who has harmed you needs you to deserve it, so that he can still feel good about himself. And he will find excuses to think that, because humans are good at telling stories.
Welfare takers don't hate you even though your taxes keep them alive. They hate you because your taxes keep them alive.
The criminal underclass doesn't rob you because they hate you. They hate you because they rob you.

A political refugee fleeing a communist state will love their new country. They are not hurting their new countrymen, they are contributors and they love their new freedom. Their new freedom does not detract from everyone else's freedom, they are adding to their host country's freedom by demonstrating the beauty of that freedom to those who maybe have become complacent in it.

An economic refugee fleeing a shit hole will have to accept lots of financial and other help. If that financial help is coming from a wealthy benefactor who is willingly giving the support, then maybe it can be tolerated because there is a personal relationship. If that financial help is coming from a tax base that is increasingly strained, that financial aid is coming from hurting the native populace, even if that pain is intentionally spread out to be tolerated. And so the economic immigrant has to find a reason why the native population deserves this pain, reasons why this harm is just. And if there are no obvious reasons, reasons will need to be invented.

I think this might get more responses in the Culture War thread. I worry I've crossed the line already in this post though we've kept it vague so far.

Thanks. I thought all of these responses brought interesting idea to the table.

And yes, I’m hesitant to bring to the main thread as well.

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