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 -
Let me give an example that I think really highlights NPCism.
If you've played any Bethesda role playing game, you've seen it. These games have hoards of NPCs, with a generic pool of NPC phrases. You'll hear dozens of random NPCs echoing the same 6 phrases in a given location over and over and over again. But we aren't to true NPCism just yet.
There will be a quest giver in this town. He is the specific NPC that tells you to act on one of the 6 or so "rumors" you've heard all the other NPCs repeat ad nauseum. Like maybe you've heard over and over again "I hope the princess is ok" muttered as you pass by various NPCs. You walk up to this guy, and he confides in you that the princess is dead, however for the stability of the kingdom, a lookalike has been found. You must escort her, secretly, into the castle. This must be done because an impending marriage/alliance requires a living princess. You close the dialog, about to partake on this important quest, and then the NPC mutters "I hope the princess is ok".
MOTHER FUCKER! WE JUST HAD A 5 MINUTE CONVERSATION THAT THE PRINCESS IS FUCKING DEAD!
This is true NPCism. And the number of times I have no shit had that happen to me in real ass life has black pilled me so fucking hard I'm beyond recovery.
…are there any elder scrolls games that actually have a princess?
CHECKMATE, MONARCHISTS.
Sir, this is an Empire.
More options
Context Copy link
I think Daggerfall certainly had. That game was a true gem, also the only game in the series as far as I know that had prostitution (without mods).
Daggerfall didn't have prostitution in the final release. At one point it was meant to but this was removed to lower the age rating. The assets themselves were kept, hence why whenever you walked into a temple half the characters therein were dressed in a priestly fashion and the other half weren't wearing any clothes.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
I think princess Elysana of Barenziah fame.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link