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 -
I don't know all about these political details. I think they are irrelevant. What is relevant is that we follow scientific process. Initially with new ideas, things, it is common that practice does not follow scientific evidence but gradually there is a demand for evidence-based practice and that what happened with transgender therapies in the UK. Science is never settled in the stone, however. I expect more studies and more reviews etc., all moving towards more evidence-based practice. And obviously, evidence can change with time with better studies and reviews.
As for ivermectin, we get a lot of prescriptions in the UK, both for tablets and cream, for parasite treatment. I have never seen it prescribed for covid. Why would someone do that? Not risky but unnecessary. It is irrelevant if someone gets it for covid. Those are rare cases, just expensive placebo.
What to speak of ivermectin, even Paxlovid was a dud. Maybe helped some half-dead elderly people. The UK had a scheme to dispense it in the pharmacy without needing a prescription. But that lasted only a couple of months because the further evidence was not good. The US, however, under Biden's administration spent 10 billion on this medicine. Total waste of money.
And what I'm saying is that outsiders questioning experts in their field of expertise is a critical part of making that happen.
Definitely. Communication in both ways is very important.
But even outsiders should learn some basic principles of evidence. Otherwise they would just demand placebos and snake oil.
I just had a thought about demographics. We all know that in the west (but realistically the whole world is going in the same direction) not enough children are being born. No one knows how to reverse that. And yet, in political discourse we hear people who are so sure that if only they could implement their policies, it would all be solved.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link