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 largely agree, though I think it’s also the old people as well, as so much of current social and political activity seems to be going towards coddling the elderly and at best ignoring if not punishing the young that it’s almost absurd. Tax rates for retired people is capped in my state, especially real estate taxes which fund stuff that workers and parents need like good roads, schools, police departments, etc. Most of the entitlement programs outside of WIC by dollar are for old people— SSI and Medicare cost more than the military at this point, and with no requirement that the older people do anything productive for the economy or society in general.
As far as infrastructure, there’s much more political will for things that older people want around than for stuff younger people want. Play grounds are too much money, but golf courses get breaks. Low end restaurants you could reasonably take a family with kids aren’t built as often as higher end places that are pretty kid-unfriendly. If you’re under 40, you don’t matter
In fairness I was going to add that- the old have a lot to do with why the academic-managerial complex is dominant in the first place, with outdated cultural outlooks that were harmful back then too.
But I'm too angry to talk about it at this point and I have no idea how best to exploit it (and am to a point the wrong identity; the progressives already have that exploitation on lockdown, as they embody the fantasy the old always wanted).
And if you send your kid there we'll abduct them and destroy your family. The future is too unsafe.
I am aware that there are still a few places where the spirit of the West lives, and maybe if I can get to one...
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link