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 -
I noticed this as well. My guess - after Elon broke twitter stranglehold couple of processes started developing - some people give their wrongthink directly there and the place moved towards just a little bit more moderate place. So it is easier to get your CW porn fix there.
And personally for me - there just isn't something new - another butch ex men crushing a women competition - seen it. Railroading a teen into mutilating themselves - seen it. Tearjerking article about woman denied abortion - seen it. Hot takes about ukraine being on the verge of victory for one of the sides - seen it. Excessive police force - seen it. San Francisco and other liberal bastions covered in shit, crime and shoplifting - seen it. Disney ruining beloved property - seen it. Brining diversity in media where it is not needed or uncalled for with bad results - seen it. EU being EU - seen it. Demi Lovato being even fatter and changing her pronouns again - seen it. Another outrage of LGBT in schools - seen it.
And conservatives seem to be gaining ground back lately in the low hanging fruits of the war - so it just gives a bit more breathing room
I feel all that Hard and I'm still inclined to say I'm still surprised by the depths of their depravity sometimes. The autistic teenaged girl in England being manhandled and thrown in a cage for telling the lesbian-nana-looking cop she looked like her lesbian nana surprised me
More options
Context Copy link
Twitter is a lot more crass than this place, it's like putting your mouth right on the tap.
I know the answer is always to curate one's feed, but it's hard to stop the low content creeping in on twitter
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link