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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 2, 2024

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Personally speaking, I oppose genocide, so I hope that doesn’t happen.

It is a blunt, inefficient instrument. I agree.

That... is not the problem with genocide.

What is the problem with genocide?

Killing people is intrinsically wrong. Killing many people is even more wrong.

Is this just your opinion or what? I don't think most people who have ever lived would agree with you. Modal human morality is that someone who sails down the coast to where people talk different, kills the men, rapes the women, and enslaves the children, and brings treasure back to benefit his own tribe, is a hero.

What most people who have ever lived would think is irrelevant. In our time, with our society and morals, someone who does what you describe is considered a monster.

Also, I meant what I said about "this is intrinsically wrong". Even if society sanctioned it, that wouldn't make it OK.

Why?

Do modern people generally consider Julius Caesar (whose campaigns in Gaul were probably within an order of magnitude of all Vikings across all time wrt killing and slavery) a monster?

Yes. I'm surprised this is a question. Almost any time I have seen discussion of Julius Caesar online, it is full of condemnation for what he did to the Gauls.

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