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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 15, 2023

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Real freedom is being able to express your real feelings. Like crying for help when you're being accosted. Would any sane society set up a system where six-month pregnant nurses have to make snap decisions in the face of simultaneous physical and social threats, and then punish them for crying? This is just more evidence that America is not a free country (anymore?) and is also no longer a serious country. (This is a deeply satisfying revelation for me personally, because it demonstrates that all the people in my life who though I was a "threat to women" due to my slight awkwardness... well this is evidence that those people are literally insane.)

all the people in my life who though I was a "threat to women" due to my slight awkwardness... well this is evidence that those people are literally insane

That is an interesting one. There's the Poisoned Skittles idea...which is that predators that are new to being predators are going to be jittery. And then there's the idea that women are more vulnerable than men and so an awkward man (who might be totally harmless) is something to be afraid of. How would you feel if you were around, say, a guy like the Mountain, or prime Shaquille O'Neil, or some other huge, fast monster of a man that could trivially overpower you. And: he's gay. And awkward. Maybe guys like that need to work hard, signal that they're not going to be threats or pursue sex or relationships...in exchange for ordinary social inclusion.

On the other hand: we don't have enough information to make a determination on who was trying to get over on whom; however, the youths did not handle the situation well. He should not have been that close to her; if the bike really was his and he needed to get it returned he should have taken control of the bike, perhaps by pushing the rear wheel or seat. Then, he should have allowed her to use the bike, whether he got there first or not. He's a strong young man; she's a pregnant woman; it is not a good look for him to get in an argument over something like that.