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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   31032 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of May 15, 2023

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Let's give these guys the benefit of the doubt.

Not anymore, no. The benefit of the doubt has been weaponized and only ever runs in one direction. Reading about this case led me to discovering the new paradigm for purse snatching. The thief approaches the victim and says, "give me back my bag!" On the surface, this looks like it could plausibly be a legitimate case of someone picking up the wrong bag. That's what it's for, to induce in normal people just enough momentary confusion for the thief to take off with the bag. Four "teens" hanging around the bike rental deserve absolutely zero benefit of the doubt.

I'm saying that in the most charitable interpretation of the situation, these teenagers still handled the situation poorly. And it only gets worse from there.

That's an interesting point. I guess I'm arguing that the most charitable interpretation of the situation is so improbable that it's not even worth entertaining. But as a rhetorical device, I can see the value in your approach.

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