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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   29430 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of July 31, 2023

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You're generally right. I don't think he phrased it that way, though, which makes a difference.

It really doesn't. It's like a police interrogation. They get you to say it in a way where you think you're explaining yourself in a good light, but all that actually matters is what you admitted to.

Anything you say can and will be used against you. "My posts and blog comments in my early twenties encouraged racism" - you're done. That is a cudgel you will be beaten over the head with forever, and you can never take it back.

But his posts and blog comments very much did encourage racism. This is not a close call, whether Hanania says it himself or not.

Sure, but the word "racist" has been thrown about so much that it's lost all power as an accusation. And no one bothers looking into the details. It's all socially constructed reality - even when someone is actually pretty obviously racist.

In that socially constructed reality, the confession and apology is lethal. Without it you can say "You're misrepresenting old articles I wrote twenty years ago, blah blah blah" and to everyone listening it's an annoying bickering argument. And everyone has a different definition of what racism even is. But when you admit fault yourself, you're screwed, because there's no way to defend or deflect from that.

Yeah, but if they're coming for you anyway, you might as well spare yourself the self-flagellation.

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