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 -
Most cultures have semi-mythical ceremonial figurheads chosen through randomness to fulfill some role and say exactly what they're supposed to with little to no personality of their own.
In Nepal they have those pre-pubescent girls whose feet never touch the ground, in Sweden they have Greta, In America they have pageant girls and child celebrities, and in the UK they have the royals.
America has no such thing, at least not anymore.
The Royals are the embodiment of British identity. At home people can project on to them the essential British values they hold dear, and with other heads of state they can be the people's avatar.
The American President used to fulfill this role, but with fracturing American identity, the President is no longer is the embodiment of American identity. He can't be, what essential American values are left that he can stand for?
More options
Context Copy link
I take your point but I'm not sure the pageant girls and child celebrities as standins for royalty really fits. Pageant girls are very much not a national past time and child celebrities aren't really talked about much among adults. I'm not positive who I'd propose as alternatives, maybe sports stars, it might have been pastors/priests in the past.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link