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What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.

Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.

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jungian_archetypes

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joined 2022 September 05 22:55:43 UTC

User ID: 743

jungian_archetypes

0 followers follows 0 users joined 2022 September 05 22:55:43 UTC

No bio...

User ID: 743

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 26, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

This is a brilliant analysis. But why does this make you right wing now? Is it literally just the trope about being left when young and right when old?

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

My uncle fell hook line and sinker for it. He is a nuclear scientist for GE. He is all about new reactor designs. But god damn he has become a full Q, space laser retard.

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

It is true of all societies. Fewer people = more resources per person. Once the oldies die off anyhow.

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

I agree for the most part. But at our current level of tech, things are seriously fucked up. Have you tried fishing? Nothing like it used to be.

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

Bangladesh< Strike /Nigeria. Regardless Bangladesh would be a lot better of with about 1/10th the people.

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

How is that working out in Bangladesh?

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

when populations decline incomes increase! More resources per person are available.

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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

jungian_archetypes 2yr ago

Dude there are 8 billion people on a planet that can maybe support 2 billion long term. What are you even on about?

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