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 -
Done. It was actually difficult getting something as visually indistinct as this. I've never used 'ugly' in the top bar either.
Positive: abstract figurative watercolor, pastel, indistinct face, ((((abstract)))), ugly, unclear, faceless, oil painting, muted color, high detail
Negative: blank spaces, empty spaces
GPT4 gives me:
"Titled "Mindful Sojourn", the artwork presents itself as an elusive, abstract rendering of an anthropomorphic form, its contours barely discernible and seemingly on the verge of disintegration into the surrounding void. This piece boldly challenges the boundaries of conventional representation by eschewing precise detail, instead engaging with the nebulous, captivating domain of the subconscious.
Inside the spectral human head, one can faintly discern the presence of what might be figures, nebulous and spectral, traversing the cerebral landscape. This acts as a compelling metaphor for the multitude of thoughts, memories, and ideas that inhabit the labyrinthine corridors of the human mind. Their ceaseless motion implies a continuous journey, a never-ending quest for meaning, identity, and self-realization within the cerebral sphere.
The figures themselves are not clear, much like the thoughts and emotions we often struggle to articulate. They are the imprints of past experiences, the echoes of dreams, the shadows of desires — unconfined by the borders of reality, moving freely within the confines of the cerebral cosmos.
"Mindful Sojourn" is therefore more than just an abstract representation, it is an invitation. An invitation to venture beyond the surface, to explore the depths of our own psyche, to wander through the labyrinth of our minds, and to confront the elusive, often blurry, nature of our own selfhood. It dares us to embrace the ambiguity and the uncertainty, to find beauty and meaning in the abstract, and to recognize the profound complexity of the human experience."
Pretty good, considering that it's never seen the piece in question!
/images/16842014682377844.webp
More options
Context Copy link