this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2023
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Controversial - the place to discuss controversial topics

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Controversial - the community to discuss controversial topics.

Challenge others opinions and be challenged on your own.

This is not a safe space nor an echo-chamber, you come here to discuss in a civilized way, no flaming, no insults!

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, "trust me bro" is not a valid argument.

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Calls for defederation - Is the idea of the open marketplace of ideas outdated? (self.controversial)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Hastur to c/controversial
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Lately I see a lot of calls do have specific instances defederated for a particular subset of reasons:

  • Don't like their content
  • Dont like their political leaning
  • Dont like their free speech approach
  • General feeling of being offended
  • I want a safe space!
  • This instance if hurting vulnerable people

I personally find each and every one of these arguments invalid. Everybody has the right to live in an echo chamber, but mandating it for everyone else is something that goes a bit too far.

Has humanity really developed into a situation where words and thoughts are more hurtful than sticks and stones?

Edit: Original context https://slrpnk.net/post/554148

Controversial topic, feel free to discuss!

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[–] Hastur 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You seem like good people.

There goes my reputation. /s

Saving Persuasion by Bryan Garsten is an academic attempt to answer the question we're discussing here and his position is that we need to protect these places, but like everyone else, isn't exactly clear on how.

Thanks, I'll have a read later. Bookmarked.

I've been analyzing the problem informally since about 1996 when I first logged into an IRC channel and got banned for trolling.

I participated in so many Mailbox-Flamewars in the early 90ies, then in the OS-wars (Atari vs Mac vs PC) during Usenet times but i never perceived it as toxic as it is today. Maybe the high entry barrier served as filters?

I believe I've gotten better about it since, but I am no Watchman, and I haven't met many who could perform the role well enough to not allow natural bias' to enter into the common language of the community.

I don't know if I've gotten better, I want to believe that's the case but I keep trying.

[–] kamenoko 3 points 1 year ago

I participated in so many Mailbox-Flamewars in the early 90ies, then in the OS-wars (Atari vs Mac vs PC) during Usenet times but i never perceived it as toxic as it is > today. Maybe the high entry barrier served as filters?

I personally think the technical barrier ensured that whoever was participating already had a lot of shared characteristics. The userbase was also fractionally smaller so the inbox wars only lasted as long as people paid attention to it. A third factor was that everything was so much more ephemeral back then. You could be raging about who was the better band, Radiohead or Oasis with the passion and conviction of any true Radiohead fan would have and then the next day the Webforum dissappears.

I don’t know if I’ve gotten better, I want to believe that’s the case but I keep trying.

I worry about the ones who have stopped trying because they are relentless, loud, and oftentimes way off the mark.