this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024
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[–] Gradually_Adjusting 3 points 3 months ago (2 children)

That guy took things in a direction I never intended. The social contact doesn't protect those who don't uphold it IMO, so people like Farquad and his IRL counterparts should not be safe from low minded trollery. E.G. A lot of people think I'm weird and I've faced some ostracism for it, but it doesn't bother me to see weirdness used as a playground insult against Trump. It's understood that it's only being said because it upsets him.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I think "weird" is an interesting case precisely because it’s a subjective term. Whether or not someone is weird is in the eye of the beholder. It can also be taken positively or negatively, depending on one’s outlook. And it can be for different reasons; calling someone weird based on their political beliefs is different from calling them weird for how they look, for example. And even calling someone weird for holding one particular value is different from calling them weird for a different value.

Insulting one person for being weird doesn’t actively target anyone else because people may identify themselves as weird or not, and separately may identify it as an insult or not. It works very well against Trump and his allies because they specifically position themselves as believing in the values of the normal American. So being called weird is a doubly-whammy of undermining their self-image and being based on something that actually does make them a bad person, and so the only drive-by victims are other people with harmful beliefs.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting 3 points 3 months ago

That's all reasonable enough. I don't mind that we disagree, just wanted to make it clear I'm not like, a crazy person about it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I strongly disagree. Just because someone else doesn't uphold their end of the deal doesn't give you license to not uphold yours. That's where integrity comes in, and it's absolutely worth fighting for. Not to mention, slinging insults just pushes the other side to dig in and reject anything further you have to say. If someone thinks Trump has okay-ish policies but isn't sold yet, and you attack him over something completely irrelevant to his campaign, you're going to push that person into supporting him more strongly. But if you attack his policies and explain how they'll be bad for them/America, they may change their mind.

Insulting someone like Trump may feel good in the moment, but it's counter-productive.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Well, it typically does. That's how contracts are usually structured, to nullify on breach. Warranty void if seal is broken.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

Warranty void if seal is broken.

Which is explicitly illegal, and if you see it, you should report it so the company gets fined.

And contracts are generally not voided just because one party violated one part of the contract. Instead, there are consequences in place for such a violation, and the other party is justified in demanding restitution for that violation. In a "social contract," that means you're absolutely free to call that person out for the contract violation and seek redress (e.g. sue for defamation or whatever), but it does not justify you in jumping into the mud with them.

Hold the high ground and don't let them drag you into the muck with them.