By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
JWeinCom on 30 September 2020
Edit Thread
Slimebeast said:
JWeinCom said:

I am not downplaying anything. Calling for the cancellation is free speech and it's protected. I often do not approve of it, like with Trump's constant calls for cancellation, but supporting free speech means supporting things you do not like.

There was most certainly a concerted effort to silence those kneeling in the NFL. The difference is it was largely unsuccessful. 

As for Bret Weinstein, I would have to look into it more, as my knowledge on the subject is from reading on wikipedia 2 minutes ago. My gut reaction is that I probably agree with him that the school's policy on absence day or whatever was a bad idea, and I support his right to criticize it. I disagree with the students' position, but support their right to protest, to the extent that their actions conformed with laws, rules of the university and so forth. Based on what he said, I don't think there was any reason for him to be fired. But, the students have a right to feel differently and express that, just as Trump has a right to call for an NFL player to be fired. The college absolutely had a duty to protect him and he has a right to sue for their failure. I am very much not confident in this opinion as again, my knowledge is limited to wikipedia, so I don't know the particulars. 

"Also there is a different motivation, a different psychology. Trump and most right wingers aren't driven by an urge to silence and marginalize the opposition. I instinctively feel there is a great difference, but I haven't analyzed the actual difference in depth so I can't explain the full extent to why there's a difference."

And... this is really the heart of it. You view the activity differently when the right wing does it, and you don't really have a valid reason, you just "feel" that it's the case. And I'm going to suggest that it's because you hold far right views, you see views like yours being condemned, you probably gravitate towards sources that report that to you, and confirmation bias causes you (like most people) to count the hits and ignore the misses. Notice when it's something that's effecting you or people like you, and ignore it when it effects others. When the right does it you rationalize it... like somehow calling for someone to be fired for their opinion is not an effort to silence the opposition. 

You're making bold fucking claims here, claiming a group is the biggest threat to western democracy (which feels kind of cancelly tbh) and "I instinctively feel" is a shitty explanation. If you haven't analyzed it in depth, maybe you should.

That's all I've got to say about that.

It's cool that you checked out Bret Weinstein a little bit. He represents the part of the left, and he calls himself a progressive and a radical, that is just as worried about wokeness and cancel culture as conservatives and classical liberals are.

"I instinctively feel" is a shitty explanation. Yeah, I know it doesn't sound very persuasive. But I'm an honest person and you could full well have given me credit for displaying uncertainty about a particular angle. I'm full aware of confirmation bias, echo chambers and all that. Full disclosure. Being aware of biases, or at least showing the attitude that you try to be, I think helps for an honest conversation.

No, it's not the heart of it. I analyze these topics all the time. It's just a matter of time until I can provide a more complete explanation to why cancel culture in our society right now is fundamentally different between the left and the right. But to me it feels like you aren't honest about this, you seem more interested in "your side" winning. Not that that is the end of the world, most of us naturally want our side to win.

Said that was all I have to say on the matter, and it is, but I do have to defend myself.

You can feel however you want, but your feelings are not evidence. If you're accusing me of dishonesty "I feel" isn't good enough. I absolutely want my viewpoints to win out, and would love to use my voice to make that happen. That is not dishonesty. Dishonesty means I've said something I know to be false and I absolutely have not. Show me where I have, or retract that.