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 -
Please don't post AI-generated content.
There's a weird phenomenon at play here. People think that their own chats with AI are interesting, but no one wants to be a part of other people's conversations with AI.
It's like your dreams or your improvisational free jazz. They are interesting to you, but no one else.
As opposed to non-improvisational free jazz? (Similar: all chaps are assless - they're intended to be worn over trousers, where normal fabric would be suitable for the pelvic area but not the legs.)
Thank you, but I painstakingly plan all of my free jazz in a fugue state, and it is then revealed to me as I play in the form of coincidental symbolism in the venue's wallpaper.
More options
Context Copy link
I forgot my PIN number when I went to the ATM machine on the way to the La Brea Tar Pits.
Did you also go to the Peterson Automotive Museum down the block? When I went, they had one of the Ferrari La Ferraris.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
That's not true. Over at DA and many other places, people are posting essentially edited LLM chat logs as short stories and it's being met with an enthusiastic welcome by readers.
What is DA?
Probably DeviantArt, which has sizable amounts of erotic literature
DA has some rules so erotica that's outright just text porn doesn't last, but more romance-like writing or weird fetishes are allowed by the rules.
More options
Context Copy link
I mean, they do tend to be very concerned with inflation.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
I disagree - it’s why I posted it.
I find them at least as fascinating as posts by people … and in certain ways more so.
Buuuuut I see by our mod that it isn’t wanted here and that’s totally fine by me of course!
If you are going to get the AI to rephrase something, could you ask the AI to keep it short?
The fundamental problem with AI is that it produces text very cheaply, and far faster than I can read. Thjs is the general problem of the internet, but if you write it yourself, then I know you care enough about a topic to write about it, which signals that you think it is worth your time, so I will take a look.
If you farm it off to AI, then it isn't worth your time to write, so why would it be worth mine to read?
But thank you for leading with honesty. I do respect that you respected us.
I just didn’t know the (gentle!) hostility this place has for ‘ AI Slop ‘ … I browse daily since years before we left Reddit and I just never noticed tbh.
I actually asked Chat to go long. Usually do.
Do you find you get better results that way? I always add "Please think step by step." and "Please be succinct."
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link