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 -
Again, are you American? Could you hold trump accountable even for a second for being a pathetic putin fan ? The whole thing was planned. You don't bring an ally that has been in a 3 year war to protect your interests as well and treat him like that. Can you guys not see that?
If I were president in 1992 I'd have unilaterally unwound NATO and pursued an alliance with Russia.
I have staunchly opposed the Ukraine war because I've firmly believed the only two results from this are world war 3 or Russia pulls Ukraine back into it's sphere. Ukraine has never been not worth WWIII.
Tbh, I'd prefer Putin to rule all of Europe because I don't think he's as likely as the current governments to let Rotterdams happen.
Do you mean Rotherham?
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Ukraine is not an ally of the US. We have entered no treaty as such and have no obligations. We have shipped them armaments to the tune of 100-250 billion dollars out of mutual interest. If the US is attacked by Canada today, tomorrow, or ten years from now, Ukraine is not sending troops, arms, or aid. Ukraine is not entitled to our money.
Russia is a hostile nation, a rogue state, and our geopolitical adversary, but it is not our enemy. We are not at war with Russia and owning Putin is not our goal.
Our actual European allies, NATO or otherwise, are not entitled to our money on behalf of the defense of Ukraine. If Europe wants to indefinitely fund a stalemate, go for it, but fund it too well and risk a nuclear war. Just because we have crossed 5 red lines with no consequence doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Yes they are. An ally is not only an ally if they send you troops when you are attacked. Will Israel send troops if you are attacked? Yet your president ( and me too ) think Israel is an ally of the US. In fact by your very basic analysis of what ally means the US has no real allies. You support them because it's objectively in your interest to support them because you are part of NATO and NATO countries border russia who has imperialist designs on them. Pretty clear right?
Israel may not be one of them, but for many allied nations, including NATO, they would have a legal treaty obligation to send troops to devend the US if attacked. Whether they actually would is a different question but they have agreed to it.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
I'm not American, but I understand realpolitik.
Trump could be the most pro-slavophile Manchurian agent, literally handpicked by the FSB to bring down America from within, and it still wouldn't matter - he's the American president. He holds the fate of not only Ukraine, but of many nations in his whim. When you're a leader of a nation, when you hold the welfare of millions of your countrymen with your every action you do whatever is necessary to ensure their prosperity and happiness. And that includes winning over the leaders of foreign nations, even if you don't like them. Especially if they're more powerful than you.
Zelensky makes the mistake of thinking he is the equal of the US president. He's not. He's the leader of some backwards Eastern European state that most Americans couldn't point to on a map, even after two years bombarded on the news. And not only that, he's coming hat in hand to ask for blood and treasure - He's asking for an American security guarantee. Trump can get away with humiliating the Europeans because he has the hard power to do it. Zelensky - and Ukraine by proxy - cannot afford to morally grandstand for the Europeans when his nation's very existance is at stake. The strong do what they will and the weak suffer what they must.
Clearly you don't understand realpolitik as well as you think. Embarassing an ally by speaking to him like that is not something you can get away with and I struggle to see why you think so, especially when you are clearly licking the boot of the enemy to do it . This isn't high school . America's standing in the world is already starting to erode and I hope it erodes faster and more decisively going forward.
You keep referring to Russia as the enemy when the voters who put Trump in power view DC and EU elite with significantly more disdain than they do Putin. No Russian ever called me cishet white male.
More options
Context Copy link
"He can't keep getting away with it..!"
Yes. Yes he can. He's the President of the United States.
There is a word for this. Arrogance. I can't even comprehend the level of arrogance you are showing. Pretty disgusting.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Planned by whom?
By trump and vance. They pressured zelensky with nonsense until he either had to completely bow down or speak up. Of course he reacted to the vitriol spewed against him like any serious person. So either trump and vance are clueless narcissists (possible) or they had this planned.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link