I’m not sure if this is known to you, but I realize it may not be obvious to other people (and it’s not a secret, but not widely advertised either): “Conor” was someone’s alt account, not actually a newcomer. (His main account has also been wiped.) I don’t think it would be fair to call him a ‘dissident’ either. ‘Placed under an uncomfortable spotlight’ does seem closer, although I can’t quite fathom the reaction unless there were comments I didn’t see (perhaps ones that GW didn’t have time to mirror, between their creation and their final removal.)
FWIW, I didn’t necessarily intend the term “dissident” in an especially negative sense, or even with any real negative connotation. I literally mean “someone who disagrees or dissents, one who separates themself from the established religion; a dissenter.” It was also meant to highlight the fact that there are clearly a lot of people like that, as a necessary consequence of LW’s overall nature as a remarkably developed ‘memeplex’ (just like most real-world religions and perhaps political ideologies).
I’m not sure if this is known to you, but I realize it may not be obvious to other people (and it’s not a secret, but not widely advertised either): “Conor” was someone’s alt account, not actually a newcomer. (His main account has also been wiped.) I don’t think it would be fair to call him a ‘dissident’ either. ‘Placed under an uncomfortable spotlight’ does seem closer, although I can’t quite fathom the reaction unless there were comments I didn’t see (perhaps ones that GW didn’t have time to mirror, between their creation and their final removal.)
FWIW, I didn’t necessarily intend the term “dissident” in an especially negative sense, or even with any real negative connotation. I literally mean “someone who disagrees or dissents, one who separates themself from the established religion; a dissenter.” It was also meant to highlight the fact that there are clearly a lot of people like that, as a necessary consequence of LW’s overall nature as a remarkably developed ‘memeplex’ (just like most real-world religions and perhaps political ideologies).