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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   1267 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for October 2, 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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There seems to be some incongruence between the constant "The Motte needs you!" pages where everyone gets to help moderate, and the "only mods get to actually decide anything" stance.

IIRC, Zorba's plan was to eventually allow some community-based auto-modding to take place, but only once he feels it's properly calibrated (and I have no idea when or how that will be achieved). Right now, the community modding does give us some sense of how the community feels about a reported post, and while mods make the final decision, I personally am somewhat influenced by community consensus in borderline cases. That does not mean if enough people say "This is bad" it will overrule my opinion that a post did not break any rules, or vice versa. But it's useful feedback, even if lately a lot of that feedback is "I want my tribe to have no restrictions and I want the other tribe silenced."

The volunteer page gives us a way to triage issues, it provides a single number that reflects how "good" or "bad" a comment is. A post that gets spurious reports but then is graded as fine by the volunteers is usually allowed to stand.

As always, the encouraged way to raise something for moderation is to report it. If it's truly urgent, ping a mod or use the mod mail.

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This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.


Why are you called The Motte?

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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