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 -
Barack Obama -
Obama is the one man who could have made the switch happen. If he had tweeted, "Biden must go," Biden would be gone. He has decided not to tweet that. Biden will not be removed.
Clinton too now: "I'll leave the debate rating to the pundits, but here's what I know: facts and history matter"
Feels like being in some south American country where multiple coup plotters have captured different radio stations. Absolute civil war behind the curtain while everyone pretends to be the ones in full control.
More options
Context Copy link
Obama also doesn't always say publicly what he thinks or says privately.
Obama might be worried because if Biden has a chance at all to win, it would be by a slim margin, and if Biden won't step aside, disunity might cost the dems that margin, and Obama would be one of the obvious ones to blame for it.
Obama is highly influential in Biden’s administration to the point that a pretty common D.C. belief is that he’s running large parts of it behind the scenes. If Newsom or some other Democrat with their own infrastructure and large state political operation becomes President it’s more likely that they replace Obama’s guys with their own and his power fades.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Interesting that he would throw in his two cents/blow his load now, this early in the election season. Maybe this is a more serious event than I was suggesting.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link