I agree with his overall dissection of the weakness of writing and the nonexistent character, however I find it absurd to say liberals are afraid of change and fight change.

That's a whole new level of mental gymnastics

[–] cam_i_am 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's a broad stroke for sure. But there is definitely a demographic of milquetoast liberals who believe in progressive causes as long as it doesn't bring them too much discomfort. The sort of person who wants the far right to go away "so we can all get back to brunch", but is terrified of the sort of mass structural change that would be required to create a truly egalitarian society.

I believe that's the sort of person being addressed here. It doesn't help that the word liberal is heavily overloaded.

[–] t_jpeg 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I believe the post is referring to those who are both economically and socially liberal. The rainbow capitalists. They believe in equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community, black and brown people etc. but refuse to acknowledge, learn or put the work into how a system like neoliberal capitalism results in these groups being oppressed in the first place.

In order for equality to be achieved the system has to radically change. A lot of liberals don't want this because it makes them feel uncomfortable (and a lot of the time this conflicts with a system they benefit from).

[–] cam_i_am 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Right, it's the sort of person who thinks that female billionaires or black billionaires are icons of progress. As opposed to the continued existence of billionaires being a blight on society regardless of their gender or colour.

Or the sort of person who donates to a charity sleepout for homelessness, but opposes social housing development or improved renters' rights at the expense of landlords. Probably because they are a landlord themselves and are incapable of confronting the hypocrisy of being sad about the housing crisis while simultaneously profiting from it.

"Rainbow capitalist" is a great term btw.

[+] [email protected] -7 points 1 year ago (3 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] Leviathan 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No one is a bum because they're lazy. You're the second Mexican I've heard this ridiculous bullshit from this week, which isn't many but it's still concerning.

[–] 9point6 6 points 1 year ago

People should be encouraged to work or starve.

In our lifetime it's very likely we're going to pass the point where there won't be enough work to go around.

Once a computer or machine can do a job to a human standard, no one is going to hire humans that you need to keep paying to do that job when a company can CapEx the machine one time.

What then?

Millions or billions starve?

A safety net someone can live off is essential because a lot of the world is going to be relying on it in a few decades. And it needs to be in-place and solid long before we get to that point.

Being freed from having to work should be a good thing we aim for, not some impending extinction event.

[–] cam_i_am 1 points 1 year ago

I would encourage you to look into the stats on welfare abuse and see how rare it is. The number of people who abuse the system and use it as an excuse to be lazy is tiny in relative terms. Clamping down on that small minority is only possible if you are willing to accept huge collateral damage in the form of pain inflicted on disadvantaged people who just need some help to find their feet.

If you allow people to slide into abject poverty, it just causes more poverty and social problems. Do you want to increase the number of people who are desperate, have nothing to lose, and feel like society doesn't give a shit about them? What do you think that does to a person? Do you think that motivates them to better themselves? For some people maybe, but for many it means doing whatever they have to in order to survive, including crime, drugs, etc.

I would much rather live in a compassionate society that helps people when they need help. If that means that a small number of people get away with not pulling their weight then so be it. It's a small price to pay.

It's pretty damn clear that countries with a strong social safety net are happier and more prosperous over all than those with a callous sort of dog eat dog attitude.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

american liberals are pretty much conservatives with LGBT rights by european standards. And well, our european "liberals" are mostly economically neoliberal, autocratic reactionaries and racist in many aspects but with LGBT rights and legalized pot. They'd sell out on the LGBT rights for a new car though.

[–] spacesweedkid27 2 points 1 year ago

Funny how the term "liberalism" has a completely different approach on what is freedom compared to left and democratic ideologies.

[–] bouh 2 points 1 year ago

It depends on where you live I guess. Some places are already liberal paradise so they don't have to plot to destroy any remaining worker right.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Ever read Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality?

[–] half_built_pyramids 11 points 1 year ago

It's cool, but skip out when the angel investor talk starts.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I read the first 15 or so chapters, then stopped because Harry was just a completely insufferable Mary Sue. I see a lot of people praising for the ideas behind it but the actual writing itself is pretty bad.

[–] complacent_jerboa 2 points 1 year ago

I mean, he does get shown to be an idiot many times throughout the story.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I'm not sure Mary Sue is the right trope. Although half the point is highlighting all the pointless stupidity of the original, so it's hard not to come across as condescending.

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

I have read the whole thing. And it is /r/iamverysmart level of cringe.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

It's dunking on basically the entire wizarding world being paste-eating levels of stupid in the original, as well as lampooning cringey fan-fiction. I think you might have missed an element of self-awareness.