Another point that I would add is that one of the downsides of ignoring politics is that it increases the extent to which opinions from this community are ignored in politics. Given the expansion of what is considered political, I wonder how long attempting to be apolitical is viable, especially since being apolitical is increasingly being slammed as political in and of itself.
However, to be honest, I don’t think we should be trying to settle debates on this side, but rather attempting to figure out how we can best have these discusssions.
Given the expansion of what is considered political, I wonder how long attempting to be apolitical is viable, especially since being apolitical is increasingly being slammed as political in and of itself.
The core topics of this website are already potentially politically controversial, depending on whom you ask:
whether human intelligence exists;
whether rational thinking is the right thing to do;
whether avoiding mindkilling is the right thing to do;
whether science is a valuable thing;
atheism.
(Ironically, the quantum physics sequence is probably the least controversial thing from this perspective.)
And that’s before we get to administrative questions like “which opinions should be banned in the debates” or “what should be done to address the gender imbalance in the community”.
Yeah, we use our definition of politics like “just avoid tribalism, try considering things impartially, and things will be okay”, but that itself invites a response: “that’s just your (political) opinion, man”.
However, to be honest, I don’t think we should be trying to settle debates on this side
Wholeheartedly agree. For one I don’t think debates among major political camps now can be “settled”—maybe people here tends to be more open and we can settle some debate to some extent, I don’t think there’s more values other than practicing rationality skills.
especially since being apolitical is increasingly being slammed as political in and of itself.
I happen to be one of those people who believe this is true—but that doesn’t mean we can’t be apolitical anywhere: we do have the entirety of the internet at our disposal, just go to Twitter for these stuff or something. (I’m also willing to have my mind changed on this one)
I happen to be one of those people who believe this is true
The frame of neutrality being political definitely has some truth in it, but it becomes limiting when it’s the only frame through which someone engages with the world.
Thanks for this post.
Another point that I would add is that one of the downsides of ignoring politics is that it increases the extent to which opinions from this community are ignored in politics. Given the expansion of what is considered political, I wonder how long attempting to be apolitical is viable, especially since being apolitical is increasingly being slammed as political in and of itself.
However, to be honest, I don’t think we should be trying to settle debates on this side, but rather attempting to figure out how we can best have these discusssions.
The core topics of this website are already potentially politically controversial, depending on whom you ask:
whether human intelligence exists;
whether rational thinking is the right thing to do;
whether avoiding mindkilling is the right thing to do;
whether science is a valuable thing;
atheism.
(Ironically, the quantum physics sequence is probably the least controversial thing from this perspective.)
And that’s before we get to administrative questions like “which opinions should be banned in the debates” or “what should be done to address the gender imbalance in the community”.
Yeah, we use our definition of politics like “just avoid tribalism, try considering things impartially, and things will be okay”, but that itself invites a response: “that’s just your (political) opinion, man”.
Wholeheartedly agree. For one I don’t think debates among major political camps now can be “settled”—maybe people here tends to be more open and we can settle some debate to some extent, I don’t think there’s more values other than practicing rationality skills.
I happen to be one of those people who believe this is true—but that doesn’t mean we can’t be apolitical anywhere: we do have the entirety of the internet at our disposal, just go to Twitter for these stuff or something. (I’m also willing to have my mind changed on this one)
The frame of neutrality being political definitely has some truth in it, but it becomes limiting when it’s the only frame through which someone engages with the world.