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'm not sure the two are as in tension as you say here.
You need psychological levers to get people to do things. If a poly EA makes himself more datable by supporting the mission of the organization, then isn't that a good thing for the mission?
It's a bit unsurprising to me that humans are not 100% rational utility-maximizers. Of course we didn't evolve that way, so at best you're throwing the goals of utility maximization on top of a bunch of pre-programmed survival and reproduction protocols.
Maybe it's a little sad if EA doesn't function on the backs of enlightened utilitarian saints, but if it's fulfilling its mission, getting money and resources where they need to go on the backs of nerdy, horny guys trying to show how virtuous they are, I don't actually see that as a dramatic take down of the movement. Many people in this thread seem to have a weird assumption that if people are trying to get laid, the actual work isn't getting done, but if the social structure is based around showing proof or good work, conscientiousness and lives saved/changed then I don't see how the two goals are in tension at all. Guys do good, get laid, and everyone is happy, right?
The only problem is the optics at that point.
More options
Context Copy link