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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   24604 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of December 25, 2023

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I didn't say that you said anyone is bad.

Yes, you did: "Do not weakman in order to show how bad a group is."

If ascribing motives to people who post here is considered against the rules, fine. But I suggest clarifying that in the rules, because the rule you quote explicitly endorses ascribing motives to the common behavior of groups: "let's talk about the underlying reason why congressmen do this sort of thing regularly".

I didn't say that you said anyone is bad.

Yes, you did: "Do not weakman in order to show how bad a group is."

Which word in that sentence you quoted is the word "say" or "said?" Can you bold it for me?

"in order to show." What did you mean, if not that I was saying that the group is bad?

What did you mean, if not that I was saying that the group is bad?

That you had violated the rule against weakmanning.

Right. By means of ostensibly saying that the group was bad, right? Jesus, what is the point of claiming you didn't say what you said? It doesn’t undermine your broader point, which is that you don’t want people opining about the motives of members. That rule holds whether one thinks that the motive says something about the moral status of the person, the moral status of the motive, neither, or both.

Right. By means of ostensibly saying that the group was bad, right? Jesus, what is the point of claiming you didn't say what you said?

You didn't--as you were for some reason anxious to point out--say that anyone was bad. Remember? This is you:

I didn’t say anyone is "bad."

That's true! And it is true in very much the same spirit in which I didn't say that you said it.

It doesn’t undermine your broader point, which is that you don’t want people opining about the motives of members.

No. What I don't want you doing is weakmanning any groups, but especially not this one.

And it is true in very much the same spirit in which I didn't say that you said it.

Never mind. I guess you just want to play childish games.

I guess you just want to play childish games.

No: I want you to stop pouring your disdain on this community, and I'm quite serious about that. It's one thing to raise legitimate criticism in a charitable and effortful way. It is something else entirely to go about darkly hinting that mere racism rather than legitimate reason is at the heart of any group's political concerns, but especially the group you're directly talking to, of which you are a part.

And if somehow it was not your aim to air your disdain--though if you said so I could plausibly accuse you of playing "childish games"--then you need to speak plainly. You're a very sharp and educated person, so even if you do this sort of thing by accident it just isn't credible to make that excuse. This is the curse of competence.

So just knock it off. Your comment was out of line, contributed no light, only heat, was not worded plainly, was low effort, take your pick and take the L. I'm not going to get into a philosophical debate with you over what it means to be "bad" or whether there is a difference between saying someone is bad and just hinting at unflattering characterizations with two winks and a nod. I'm telling you, don't post like that, or I will mod you a second time.

No: I want you to stop pouring your disdain on this community

We're not talking about that. I already conceded that point:

If ascribing motives to people who post here is considered against the rules, fine

What we are talking about is your assertion that your statement, ""Do not weakman in order to show how bad a group is," was not a claim that I said that a group is bad.

It is something else entirely to go about darkly hinting that mere racism rather than legitimate reason is at the heart of any group's political concerns, but especially the group you're directly talking to, of which you are a part.

I, of course, did no such thing. I stated, not "darkly hinted", that some portion of the small number of people here who complain about Romney being mistreated, despite not liking Romney, might be motivated by racial animus. Hardly a claim that "mere racism rather than legitimate reason is at the heart of [this community's] political concerns." This place isn't 4chan, or whatever the latest analog thereto is.

then you need to speak plainly

I did. You need to read plainly.

I will mod you a second time

Don't bother. The level of discourse here has gone way downhill. If I could figure out how to cancel my membership, I would, so I would appreciate it if you did it for me, Thanks!

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