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 -
There's an old joke in India that the country would be much better off if all control of governance was handed over to the very small group of Zoroastrians that constitute the Parsis.
They're known to be competent and not have any particular beef with others, and they could be as corrupt as they like without making a dent, given how few of them there are.
Unfortunately, there's even fewer now, to the point where there's hilarious advertising by both governments and their interest groups alike for the few eligible bachelors and bachelorettes left to attend a few sponsored dating events and just fucking hook up already.
So I suppose there's merit in looking at entrenched and bickering ethnic or religious groups, going fuck that and hoping someone else does better.
To be fair, the Hindus don't have a beef with anyone else, or even others, or even alone.
Maybe I'm sleep deprived on duty because I took you seriously for a moment and was going to go on a diatribe about that lol.
But surprisingly enough, there are Hindus who consume beef. More commonly in Southern India.
Once, I was stupid enough to order a hamburger in Kochi. Worst fucking abomination I've ever eaten. Like the chef had learned how to prepare it from eavesdropping on tourists talking about burgers.
More options
Context Copy link
I've seen Tamil Sri Lankan restaurants with beef on the menu, is this typical or just random emigrant change?
If they're Buddhist, they're usually not that beholden to prohibitions on beef, but otherwise, they fall in with the other Hindus from down south in India who do partake in it. Those are Tamil Hindus, and even some of the Brahmins eat it.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Isn't it mostly buffalo meat though?
In terms of what's usually consumed? Yes. But they do eat plain old beef, from cows.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
I didn't know that. Goes to show that there are no true universal generalisations about Hindus, including this one.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link