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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   2611 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 17, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I often come across events in a shallow way (like Musk's Grok AI) that I don't have the time/knowledge to write up, but I'm kind of hoping someone else will comment on.

What do people think about a 'Culture War Request Thread' where people without the time (or wordsmithing skills) can suggest current hot topics that others may be interested in investigating/developing?

Has this been considered or tried before? Would it drain energy from the main thread? Is the main thread fine in the sense of 'if no one has made a top level post, its probably not that interesting' sense?

'if no one has made a top level post, its probably not that interesting' sense?

That is at least one good reason.

Another one I like is that it seems best when the people capable of producing the interesting discussions are the ones that get to choose where it goes and topics get covered.

Finally, you are asking for something and offering nothing. There is technically nothing stopping you from having this arrangement with another poster on themotte. 'I think of topics, you go out and do the research, and write something interesting'. Of course once you put it on the level of a one on one exchange it becomes obvious that the writer/researcher would ask "whats in this for me again?"

Finally, you are asking for something and offering nothing.

Yes, but there is a 'lead', a subject. There is a lower grade radar from members that can find interesting subjects that have not yet drawn the attention of higher grade posters. Is there a market for this, or not?

You seem to be simultaneously treating culture war topics as abundant (saying there are too many things for you to research), and scarce (it is a useful service to find a new culture war topic).

I'd say that you abundance take is correct. There are often too many culture war topics for everyone to follow.

In some ways finding new culture war topics is an anti-service and a form of culture warring. You'll see this via two common responses that popped up in the bare links repository:

"Oh great, now people are arguing over topic Y as well?" - the anti service

"This is ridiculous is nothing sacred to Group X, why do they have to ruin this thing too?" - the culture warring

You seem to be simultaneously treating culture war topics as abundant (saying there are too many things for you to research), and scarce (it is a useful service to find a new culture war topic).

Yes, basically. There are culture war topics we nudge against, but don't have enough time or interest to investigate. The chaff, the scum. There could be a diamond in the rough that others can see.

I agree that my suggestion is very close to a (rebranded) BLR. There was a reason why it was shut down. I was more proposing leads for others to investigate rather than drive by culture warring. Maybe if only top level posts were allowed? You couldn't low effort culture war that way because you couldn't comment on a bare link?

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