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 -
Noticed my argument was about Trump in particular. It wasn’t just that he won the presidency. Instead, he wrested control of a party from its establishment. Harris was an empty vessel the establishment put forward. They just aren’t the same.
Huge dodge.
Kamala did this too. She also ran for president. She also had control of the party.
Your view on this matter is inconsistent. Trump vibes friendly so he's a genius, Kamala vibes enemy so she's an empty vessel and slept her way to the top. Sad.
I would say they have about the same g-scores.
Kamala wrested control of the party from the establishment? You aren’t operating in the realm of facts and appear to be in bad faith
Yes ... to the same extent Trump did? Neither literally wrested anything, both won the nominations to run for President through a formal system.
Bad faith is when you change your entire model of success and intelligence based on a person's party membership, not when you point out someone else is doing this.
Read what I wrote — I didn’t say “Trump won an election and therefore is smart.” I said what he accomplished and made it clear in later posts what I meant.
As for your “both won a nomination through a formal process” is just trying to nerd snipe.
First, Kamala famously did not. Second, in 2015 the Republican establishment was against Trump—stridently. He ate their lunch. Yes that invoked winning an election but there is more to it.
You are purposefully pretending not to understand my point.
Trump went the dumb route of demagoguery and name calling while Kamala schmoozed elites until she got what she wanted. I think the latter is more intelligent.
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