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 think the argument there is that for every 1 guy who would want to do a Sarin gas attack, there are 100,000 people whose GAs would be devoting their efforts to not letting their user get killed in a Sarin gas attack.
If coordination between the non-murdery agents is effective, then they should be able to detect and prevent the attack, or at least predict the risk and warn their user. "50% chance of nerve agent release on the subway today, better pack your gas mask!"
Perhaps, but (in my opinion) the key question is whether offense or defense is easier. If it turns out that offense is significantly easier (for example, it's far easier to manufacture a lethal and virulent virus than it is to avoid getting infected), then we are arguably in big trouble as a species. It seems to me we would have to choose between (1) authoritarian levels of control and surveillance over the population; or (2) extinction.
More options
Context Copy link
A future of "everyone is suiting up in hazmat or staying home in a manner reminiscent of COVID paranoia but justified" does not sound appealing either. Also it's not just hazmat but a thousand other precautions against any number of threats. It just won't be viable to live in a community larger than the Dunbar number, although I see how some people would see that as a plus.
"Land of the free" was coined in the era where the average TTK per capita was quite a bit longer than what the author is proposing.
More options
Context Copy link
What does that look like?
Send that agent back to training. You can avoid sarin gas poisoning with proper PPE, but you need more than a gas mask - you'll need to wear a level A hazmat suit with a SCUBA setup (the gas can get you through the skin). Perhaps you believe that this is a future that people are going to be OK with? A conversation with the median voter may correct this impression.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link