site banner

Culture War Roundup for the week of December 23, 2024

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.

8
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

As Scott has Noticed, humans are remarkably libertarian only when it comes to romantic love. This is the one area that has survived accusations of racism, sexism or transphobia. You can debate this all you want but people will always be free to “fetishize” other races if they want.

Free legally, perhaps, but not socially. And, of course, it depends on Who? Whom?

Men's preferences, such as that for female youth and chastity, are demonized as creepy fetishes. Women's preferences, such as that for male height and status, are deemed valid (to the extent they're admitted to exist, lest women appear more shallow and less Wonderful than previously thought). This goes for racial preferences, as well, but there are also differences based on which sex-race combination is the preferer and which is the preferred.

Here's the reaction in mainstream discourse when a man of $[Y] background says he prefers $[X] women:

White Women East Asian Women South Asian Women Latina Women Black Women
White Man Racist Nazi Bigot who fetishizes and stereotypes East Asian women as feminine and submissive; possible pedophile Bigot who fetishizes and stereotypes South Asian women as chaste and traditional Bigot who fetishizes and stereotypes latinas as fiery and sensual sex objects Might be okay, might be bigot who fetishizes and views black women as subhuman sex objects
East Asian Man Self-hating, white-worshipping, internalized racist who fetishizes white women Feels entitled and possessive of "his" women Hm, okay Hm, okay Hm, okay
South Asian Man Self-hating, white-worshipping, internalized racist who fetishizes white women Fetishizes and stereotypes East Asian women as feminine and submissive; possible pedophile Feels entitled and possessive of "his" women Hm, okay Hm, okay
Latino Man Conditioned by Eurocentric standards of beauty and victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be okay, might feel entitled and possessive of "his" women Slay, King!
Black Man Conditioned by Eurocentric standards of beauty and victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Might be victim of internalized racism, but slay, King! Slay, King!

Reaction when a woman of $[X] background says she prefers $[Y] men:

White Men East Asian Men South Asian Men Latino Men Black Men
White Woman Racist Nazi Weird, must be victim of K-Pop and anime propaganda Weird, must be victim of yoga and Bollywood propaganda Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all
East Asian Woman Victim of internalized racism and conditioned by white male privilege Victim of Stockholm Syndrome and familial patriarchy Might be okay, might be victim of internalized racism Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all
South Asian Woman Victim of internalized racism and conditioned by white male privilege Weird, must be victim of K-Pop and anime propaganda Victim of Stockholm Syndrome and familial patriarchy Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all
Latina Woman Victim of internalized racism and conditioned by white male privilege Weird, must be victim of internalized racism and K-Pop and anime propaganda Weird, must be victim of internalized racism and yoga and Bollywood propaganda Victim of Stockholm Syndrome and familial patriarchy Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all
Black Woman Victim of internalized racism and conditioned by white male privilege Weird, must be victim of internalized racism and K-Pop and anime propaganda Weird, must be victim of internalized racism and yoga and Bollywood propaganda Might be okay, but might be victim of internalized racism Stunning and brave and should be encouraged for all

Nor have sexual preferences been exempted from accusations of transphobia. Remember the colossal seethe that #SuperStraight triggered? People were doxxing and trying to cancel the young man who started it all, and his mother too. The subreddit saw a meteoric rise, turning into the SuperSexuality expanded cinematic universe (SuperGay, SuperLesbian, etc.), before getting nuked within a day or two.

What was funny was not only the bait and in-on-the-joke posting by rdrama types, but the heartfelt effortposts from LGB persons about their long-held frustrations with transsexuals invading their spaces and demanding to be treated the same as their desired sex. Despite their nominal alliance, it makes sense that LGB persons might have more exposure to and thus more frustrations with transsexuals than straight persons, having greater probability living in similar locations and running in similar social circles.

Yes if you’re a male and voice racial preferences you’re going to be demonized, especially if you’re white. But I think this is because males aren’t really supposed to have sexual preferences, period. Talk about how you prefer slim women and youlll be chastised too, although I doubt any average guy will care. Women just feel threatened by the idea anyone could find them unattractive for any reason ever, and society and popular media will cater to women’s feelings as a default usually.

But you as a man can still date whomever you want/can, and society won’t stop you or hinder you beyond some angry female friend cockblockers anyway, and those are easily brushed aside.

Please please please make this table into a template image. It's wasted hidden in the depths of the culture war thread.