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 -
In the viewpoint of Blue Tribe elites, Marxists have essentially zero power in the US, relegated to universities writing books that no one reads: racists, on the other hand, are omnipresent, hiding under every bed and in every closet. And I think the first part, at least, is accurate: even self-described "socialists" pay homage to liberal democratic ideals, and given the choice between letting the proles hang the elites or going to the Met Gala, they'd choose the Met Gala every time. Contemporary Marxism is not an ideology but a cultural affectation, and if there was the slightest risk of a revolutionary uprising that put everyone with glasses up against the wall, they'd be hunting its proponents down with far more vigor than they do with the Damores of today.
Marxism's powerlessness (and capital's power) and lack of rootedness among the general public means it can be used as a kind of fashion accessory. Racism, however, does have more actual salience, so it can be used as a rallying cry to bind together client demographics in a power struggle against the (currently disempowered) opposing segment of the elite. And so Marxism is acceptable (far, unlikely enemy), while attacks against the near enemy have to be justified as fighting the utmost evil in the world.
Globalist liberalism is in complete control of popular expressions leftist ideology. The last gasps of resistance were the early 2000s anti-globalisation demonstrations/riots and Occupy Wall Street. Since then, all the popular left wing causes happen, coincidentally I'm sure!, to further the goals of (and as such get support from) globalist liberalism.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link