In some ways, it's annoying that people are still talking about AGPgate. But it's happening for a reason. The debate is revealing something important about the culture wars, and that something is not that some people want to defend gender nonconformity and others prefer that men eschew dresses.
Just to say, I read your substack (and listen to your longform interviews) for the nuance. I really appreciate that you offer me your thought out perspectives. All the short form is noise. Keep up the excellent work. Thank you.
My overwhelming impression that gender ideology is just one battlefield of the current culture war rather than a standalone issue. Another very salient battlefield that has just flared up is anti-zionism where self-described progressives are promoting the side of the conflict with flagrantly worse human rights record because they are the "designated victim". There are plenty of other fronts to the war such as "decolonising" countries like Australia & USA.
If you are familiar with Wesley Yang he has coined the term "successor ideology" as a label for this movement. Whatever the correct label is that is what I have turned up to fight. "Cultural Marxism" is another label - but one that is very loaded (although in my opinion it is in fact a perfectly accurate in pure descriptive terms). Perhaps the baggage that comes with it is why WY adopted new terminology.
Perhaps it's time for a social media sabbatical. This is why I'm not on TwiX or any other social media platform. Substack has replaced my magazine and newspaper subscriptions. That works for me. I have no time or energy for bickering with fools.
Love this. I cannot find joy or peace in engaging in fights online because they end with people who think they've successfully roasted another person. That one-upsmanship betrays understanding people wholistically.
I can’t offer any hope for TwitterX except to confess my technique to never fight fair when I’m right (ha!)
Instead I prejudge if someone is open to my position or not, and look for any sign of stupidity or unjust aggression and I’ll just block them even if they have no idea who I am. It only makes sense because on a platform of 100 million, I’ll still have ever more fools to engage with if I choose.
My ideal is to never be important enough to have anyone care if I block, but I’m surprised sometimes someone will care and send a message through a friend and I’ll unblock but still not engage. (We know feed algorithm will show more of anyone you engage with.)
I love the idea of steelmanning ideas I disagree with, and I’ll go as far as I see two sides. But I may only do that privately. I mostly only argue my strongest points and maybe only once.
Musk wants X to be a “townsquare” where crazy people can evangelize and be ignored. And we’re all crazy people, but if you don’t want to be blocked, we all must consider being a little less crazy. I mean there must be a sweet spot of engagement between being challenged and hating humanity.
TwitterX is a cesspool but life came from cesspool very long ago so here we are!
Just to say, I read your substack (and listen to your longform interviews) for the nuance. I really appreciate that you offer me your thought out perspectives. All the short form is noise. Keep up the excellent work. Thank you.
Aww, thanks. That's great to hear after the Twitter stress.
My overwhelming impression that gender ideology is just one battlefield of the current culture war rather than a standalone issue. Another very salient battlefield that has just flared up is anti-zionism where self-described progressives are promoting the side of the conflict with flagrantly worse human rights record because they are the "designated victim". There are plenty of other fronts to the war such as "decolonising" countries like Australia & USA.
If you are familiar with Wesley Yang he has coined the term "successor ideology" as a label for this movement. Whatever the correct label is that is what I have turned up to fight. "Cultural Marxism" is another label - but one that is very loaded (although in my opinion it is in fact a perfectly accurate in pure descriptive terms). Perhaps the baggage that comes with it is why WY adopted new terminology.
Perhaps it's time for a social media sabbatical. This is why I'm not on TwiX or any other social media platform. Substack has replaced my magazine and newspaper subscriptions. That works for me. I have no time or energy for bickering with fools.
You are wise.
Was informed last might that I am a gay man who hates women, because Phil. They project so much they belong in a cinema.
Ooh I'm stealing that one
Love this. I cannot find joy or peace in engaging in fights online because they end with people who think they've successfully roasted another person. That one-upsmanship betrays understanding people wholistically.
I can’t offer any hope for TwitterX except to confess my technique to never fight fair when I’m right (ha!)
Instead I prejudge if someone is open to my position or not, and look for any sign of stupidity or unjust aggression and I’ll just block them even if they have no idea who I am. It only makes sense because on a platform of 100 million, I’ll still have ever more fools to engage with if I choose.
My ideal is to never be important enough to have anyone care if I block, but I’m surprised sometimes someone will care and send a message through a friend and I’ll unblock but still not engage. (We know feed algorithm will show more of anyone you engage with.)
I love the idea of steelmanning ideas I disagree with, and I’ll go as far as I see two sides. But I may only do that privately. I mostly only argue my strongest points and maybe only once.
Musk wants X to be a “townsquare” where crazy people can evangelize and be ignored. And we’re all crazy people, but if you don’t want to be blocked, we all must consider being a little less crazy. I mean there must be a sweet spot of engagement between being challenged and hating humanity.
TwitterX is a cesspool but life came from cesspool very long ago so here we are!
Would love to comment but feel it will go on deaf ears.
Interesting. Whose ears?