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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 10, 2023

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Yes, we should leave it at that, because, yet again, you have failed to explain why this one specific numerical minority must be protected from "mob rule" and others don't

What reason would I have to explain that? I have explicitly stated my position upthread that rural voters are not the only "numerical minority" that must be protected from mob rule. Let's have a look at just one recent example:

And, there are lots of groups in the numerical minority; bookkeepers are a minority of voters; do they get a veto?

Well, yes!

Where I said "I should probably leave it at that" in my previous post, I first deleted a paragraph where I laid out an argument that you are either being disingenuous, or have a serious reading comprehension issue. Then I thought--no, that's too much heat, not enough light, I'm just going to drop it.

With this comment, though, I just don't see any totally non-antagonistic way to describe your persistent and repeated mischaracterization of my view. I get that the thread is unwieldy, and you and I are both getting a lot of comments from a variety of people. So I want to be charitable about this, but like--if you're going to whine that I've "failed to explain" some position, you should probably be pretty confident that it's my actual position, and not a position I have repeatedly stated that I do not hold, right here in this thread! But no--here you are, arguing against some imaginary version of me you've concocted in your head.

Speaking of which--

I am willing to bet that I am far more opposed to mob rule than you are, because I have never seen you stand up for the rights of those you disagree with, which is something I do routinely.

If there were any plausible way to take that bet, I'd certainly do so--not least because I'd be shocked if you could personally identify the class of "people I disagree with" to even 50% accuracy. Conversely, I would not deign to comment on how often you stand up for the rights of people you disagree with, because I don't know you, and it would be idiotic to think that just because someone is (say) colossally disingenuous and reliably partisan in an online forum, that must be their whole personality.

Furthermore, probably most of us are bad at tracking good deeds, unless they are really substantial. My honest inclination is to say "I've never seen you actually demonstrate real care about civil liberties in ways that might undermine your apparent politics," but the truth is, if I had seen you do that, I probably wouldn't remember. There are too many users here for me to reliably remember each one's quirks and hangups, so I try to just approach every discussion with fresh eyes. Still, for whatever it's worth: you've never given me the impression that you are the tiniest bit interested in defending civil liberties in any broadly principled way.

What reason would I have to explain that? I have explicitly stated my position upthread that rural voters are not the only "numerical minority" that must be protected form mob rule. Let's have a look at just one recent example:

But you subsequently backed off that claim. Anyhow, as we both said, it is pointless to continue discussing this point.

Conversely, I would not deign to comment on how often you stand up for the rights of people you disagree with, because I don't know you, and it would be idiotic to think that just because someone is (say) colossally disingenuous and reliably partisan in an online forum, that must be their whole personality.

Yes, true, and I don't know you. But I know me, and as it happens I get paid to stand up for the rights of people I disagree with. My claim was not meant to be an attack on you, specifically, but rather a defense of me, against your claim that somehow I support mob rule. As well as an extension of my observation that very, very few people in general, and certainly very few people here, are principled civil libertarians.

Furthermore, probably most of us are bad at tracking good deeds,

True

Still, for whatever it's worth: you've never given me the impression that you are the tiniest bit interested in defending civil liberties in any broadly principled way.

Then you need to read more carefully. Because I have repeatedly criticized cancel culture on here. And have repeatedly argued that social media companies should be held to the same standard as govt re viewpoint and subject matter censorship.