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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   32787 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of June 12, 2023

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I'd argue it's more of a law enforcement problem.

All the law enforcement in the world doesn't fix low trust societies. You need the stock of the people to be of a "better" kind where you don't really fear you'll get mugged/stabbed/raped for going on a walk with your two children in the middle of the day.

I mean. Is Eugene, Oregon c. 2015 a "low trust society"? If you get the wheels stolen off your bike, as I did, odds are it's not Tyrone from the 'hood doing the stealing. It's probably some white dude who may or may not have a meth habit. Not that much violent crime out there, but a hell of a lot of bike theft.

That's still a lost trust society just a different gradient of "low trust". In a "normal" high trust society you don't even need to lock your bike because there aren't any methheads around to do petty crime.

But I think it' also true that high-trust societies are also prone to enact policies that result in lousy conditions such as this, such as deinstitutionalizing mentally ill people, lenient sentencing etc. Plus, I'm sure that White flight and urban decay affects high-trust societies as well.

What does "stock" of the people mean here?

edit： I don't mean to sound baiting, I am genuinely curious. Like, breeding? Genetic superiority? Socioeconomic status? More genteel class manners?

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