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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 19, 2022

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I used to think it was entirely feasible, and I still suppose it could be along a number of different political issues, but everything in 2020 disabused me of the notion that it would be fine to be with someone with radically differing views. Starting with Covid, I don't really see how I could have reconciled the seething hatred that I felt (and feel) for the public health bureaucrats and lockdownists with a partner that wanted to stay home and stay safe. I don't think I could have tolerated being with someone that condoned BLMs riots as they tore down monuments to our city and smashed and looted our commercial district. I don't see how an anti-gun partner could tolerate my affinity for firearms - I'm going to have multiple guns, they're going to be in the house, and it's not really negotiable.

We can disagree about the proper role of central banking in the modern state, but we can't disagree about the things that are forced into the center of our lives. I suppose this is what's meant about the distinction between "politics" and "human rights", as I really do view freedom of movement, security of property, and the right to be armed as basic rights in a free society. For others, the things that are held in this fashion might be gay rights, abortion, or simply the reciprocal of what I said above (the "rights" to be free of sickness or not have guns around, at least in some framings).

Given the parameters of current year politics, I don't suppose I'd have much interest in dating someone with substantially different politics if I were single.

we can't disagree about the things that are forced into the center of our lives

In other words: politics!

I suppose this is what's meant about the distinction between "politics" and "human rights"

That's just a sleight of hand attempt on their part to move properly political questions into a sacred domain where their views will be beyond criticism. In exchange, they'll allow you to haggle over bureaucratic and administrative issues that no one actually cares about.

In other words: politics!

No, a subset of politics. The other parts of politics I might care about (certainly I have an opinion on tax amounts and foreign policy, for instance), but they're not personal in that sense.

In other words: politics!

Not really. I honestly don't care very much what the local property tax rate is all that much. I have opinions, but it's not going to ruin my life if I get stuck paying an extra couple grand for some pointless makework project.

That's just a sleight of hand attempt on their part to move properly political questions into a sacred domain where their views will be beyond criticism. In exchange, they'll allow you to haggle over bureaucratic and administrative issues that no one actually cares about.

Didn't I just say that I have a bunch of things that I don't consider negotiable?

Your reply seems pretty unrelated to what I wrote. I don't get it.