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 -
It gives me no pause because I don't think it's seriously under consideration. If this was turned into a formal proposal tomorrow to be voted on at a Constitutional Convention, I can assure you I would regret the haste at which I spit out the content of my post.
I do trust that you would find that more aligned with particular object policies that you find better, and would be relieved that you were finally discussing the particulars of policy outcomes at such a level instead of the self-referential fetish over democracy as it's own end entirely.
I would likely disagree with your policy outcomes, and after going back and forth, you and I would settle on everyone getting a vote as a decent and fair compromise. But unlike the real you, we wouldn't think that the compromise was in itself the thing.
It has nothing to do with disenfranchising "those" I dislike and the fact that you read it so, is frustratingly uncharitable. This isn't a political test or a race requirement or anything like that. Almost anyone can become married and have kids. Those who chose to have more vested interest in the long term stability of the system.
it is about disenfranchising outcomes I dislike, which, by the way everybody wants. Everybody wants the things they value to be popular and the things they find bad to be suppressed. You do as well.
More options
Context Copy link