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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   30462 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of August 14, 2023

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I’ll just take this opportunity to say: not every space has to be welcoming to everyone! And that’s ok! Really!

I think it would be great if more women were encouraged to post here. But not at the expense of changing our existing culture and standards.

I know a woman who might fit right in here, not sure if she's into debating.

Fairly smart, rather fierce (due to size and dedication not a joke martial artist), guessing about 1.5-2sd+ above norm. Stunned me by bringing up eugenics on a date. Also liked to establish dominance with her German shepherds by play biting them.

I fell out of contact with her after dating didn't work out. She did however tell me she'd like having a beer and talking sometimes though.

Was ten years back. Not sure if I should try contacting her. (Tbh I doubt she remembers me, I'm nowhere near as memorable as she was).

My calculation is reminding her off her then offer could, at worst embarrass me privately, but it's really not in my comfort zone.

Yeah, and on the other hand, when in I saw them mention a woman-only forum with motte-ish vibes, my first thought was "What are you doing? Don't mention in publically!". I breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out there's a paywall, and another when it turned it's not anonymous, otherwise they'd be sure to get an influx of guys that would kill the vibe of their community.

What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.


Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


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