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 -
I don't care about any policy achievements attributable to Harris. I think Team Biden has done an extremely good job and that Team Harris will be a continuation of Team Biden. I do, however, think that Harris is a good champion to finally defeat Trump and permanently demoralize MAGA, which has been an insanely negative drag on our country since it sprouted up. I want and need nothing else from her.
I have a Pier in Gaza to sell you if you're willingly advertising this as your true belief.
Price is $320 million btw.
The irony here is that MAGA hasn't had control of any major institutions at the Federal level, but we can objectively see people Voting with their feet to leave places like California (Kamala territory) and Minnesota (Walz territory) to go places where red tribe rules.
This is what we call a 'revealed preference' and its perhaps the most hilarious possible indictment of blue tribe governors as theydrive away their tax base
So I dunno, if you really want to show MAGA what for, just move to/remain in one of those blue tribe strongholds and let everyone else go where they please, please.
I'm a Pennsylvania voter so you're all stuck with me :)
I agree blue states have done a terrible job on building housing, and housing costs are really the main driver of outmigration, plus boomers retiring to the sunbelt. I'd be a single issue voter for any party that could credibly increase the housing supply in high demand areas.
Isn't that party just the GOP? Like it's more a state and local issue than federal, but when you look at places with unified Republican control and a lot of people wanting to live there you're looking at places like Texas which does in fact build a lot of housing.
More options
Context Copy link
Actually it's probably tax policy beyond anything.
Because if it were housing policy, the outmigration should be driving house pricing back down towards 'affordable' levels too.
You get guys like Bezos and/or Billy Joel ducking out of places with income tax to places without it, it seems pretty obvious.
And you can argue he's not representative, but Musk moving his companies to Texas also indicates the issues blue states are creating for themselves.
But again, you do you. Just silly to scapegoat MAGA when you can't point to places where MAGA actually has political control of government and are 'a drag on the nation,' compared to places where blue tribe controls government and is literally driving people away.
The reason for business relocations to Texas is probably actually regulations, not taxes. Texas is not a low tax state, despite advertising as such, and while plenty of ordinary middle class people might make that mistake businesses probably don’t.
And Texas is the biggest beneficiary thereof, so it’s not as if this is an exception that tests the rule. It’s the trendsetter.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
The easiest way to end team MAGA is to let Trump win, suck it up for four years, and then he'll be done and go back to golfing for the rest of his life. If he had won last time MAGA would be already over. If he loses he'll probably spend at least four years complaining with support from his base.
If you want the anti-woke impulse or populists to drift off that's a separate problem, but the MAGAists will go away when he does. Let him win and the timer starts and then he'll be bored and gone.
Yes, the way to defeat a movement is to give them power for another 4 years.
It's a movement 100% centered around an ancient guy with little real interest in politics and no real possibility of a successor that doesn't switch back to usual Republican politics. Trump would be functionally gone at this point except for screeching on social media and attempting to make himself relevant with endorsements if he won last time.
The anti-woke and normal republicans exist independent of Trump and will exist after he is gone. MAGAists are Trump fans.
Hell, if he somehow managed to get himself elected for a third term....guy would just die of old age.
Normal Republicans are great. I wish the Romneys and Rubios were in charge of the party.
I don't know how broad your definition of anti-woke is but I think the set of republicans whose brand is anti-woke (like the "intellectual dark web" people) are basically Trumpers in disguise or at least exist only to pander to Trumpers.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
I’m no fan of MAGA but I don’t think that’s a good thing. I’m not just anti-MAGA, I want someone who is at least nominally capable of doing the job I’m voting for her to do. She might surprise me, but I’m not convinced she would be able to get bills through congress or handle a national security issue or emergency situation. If WWIII happens, do you trust her to be in the war room?
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link