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 -
This comparison is appealing on the face of it but, I think totally different under the covers. The male disaster action hero fantasy is characterized by the main character specifically having a chance to massively increase their relative social standing and personal control over their life. If you're in white-collar management you're in charge of maybe 12 people and at the same time extremely aware of all the levels of management above you that decide your fate and interfere with your attempts to exert authority. Or even if you're a billionaire-- you're still in a social environment where you're in close competition with a number of near-peers and constrained by the actions of various governments and laws. Meanwhile, If you're a prepper in a zombie apocalypse you have a reasonable shot at being the undisputed leader of a gang of 20-30 people with total control over whether you all live or die.
The female equivalent are fantasies about being reborn as a villainess and in general being put in situations where they face ludicrously outsized social threats-- but from peers who oppose them personally and openly, rather than faceless social media egregores. It's the same sort of fantasy about having the tools and relationships to take a high degree of agency in solving their romantic and economic problems.
Meanwhile, the people obsessing about extreme political outcomes and oppression* are engaging in a more typical form of catharsis-- they already feel anxious and terrified and stressed out and uneasy. Imagining that they're under imminent threat from shadowy fascists puts that all into context and gives their negatives emotions justification and meaning. It's the same mechanism that leads schizophrenics to conclude they're being gangstalked.
* mandatory note: these people exist on both sides of the aisle
The female equivalent is the increase of one's social status massively, by way of her sexual value being threatened/desired for control by multiple parties. If you're a pink collar woman in HR, you have maybe an inattentive leaf-eating boyfriend or husband who doesn't really get that worked up over you or value control over you. In Handmaid's Tale type fantasy/dystopia the entirety of society is built around controlling and possessing you and your sexuality.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link