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 -
Argentina is a hilarious country. Basically a bunch of retired college educated 30 year olds who live at home in poverty. It’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen. A mansion cost a millions dollars to own and $700/mth to rent. (Too many people buy real estate to hedge inflation but everyone lives with their family so there’s no renter demand so rent is dirt cheap to rent the upper classes investment mansions).
Steak cost 10% of the cost in the USA but clothes cost 150%. It’s literally so weird. The whole thing is weird. Way too many oddball terrifies and taxes on certain things that throw parts of the economy off.
Beautiful place though. And nice people too. Argentinians are some of the nicest people out there.
Plan to move there sooner or later.
I mean some of that is surely PPP terms combining oddly with subsidies.
More options
Context Copy link
I think it’s one of those countries where material quality of life is much worse than in the rich world for the average person, but still high enough (plus mild climate, relaxed culture, relative safety) that most people are kind of fine with the arrangement.
The best comparison really is Southern Italy, which Southern Italians will always tell you is a shithole (and it kind of is) but at the same time don’t want to leave because compared to working hard 9-6 in Milan for (much) more money, staying in Calabria and living a chill life is preferable to them.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link