Lately I see a lot of calls do have specific instances defederated for a particular subset of reasons:

  • Don’t like their content
  • Dont like their political leaning
  • Dont like their free speech approach
  • General feeling of being offended
  • I want a safe space!
  • This instance if hurting vulnerable people

I personally find each and every one of these arguments invalid. Everybody has the right to live in an echo chamber, but mandating it for everyone else is something that goes a bit too far.

Has humanity really developed into a situation where words and thoughts are more hurtful than sticks and stones?

Edit: Original context https://slrpnk.net/post/554148

Controversial topic, feel free to discuss!

  • @[email protected]English
    -1•1 year ago

    But there aren’t any Nazis on Exploding Heads. We banned one just the other day.

    That sounds like a contradiction in terms. Unless you banned the only Nazi in existence it stands to reason there are likely to be others.

    I think anyone who believes in any value we can call “progressive” must first believe in the right of the individual to express themselves freely, and they should be secure enough in who they are to allow themselves to be challenged and to be ready to interact in good faith with others.

    But we know for a fact that fascists do not argue in good faith

    • @[email protected]English
      1•1 year ago

      That sounds like a contradiction in terms. Unless you banned the only Nazi in existence it stands to reason there are likely to be others.

      It’s a tiny instance - yes, there has been an influx of new people, but it’s still absolutely nothing like it is here. If there are any, they are lurkers.

      But we know for a fact that fascists do not argue in good faith

      There are those who self-identify as progressives, anti-racists, feminists, anarchists, etc., who also do not argue in good faith and even use these progressive monikers to go as a sheep in wolves clothing…

      Point being: you have to argue in good faith, and not worry so much about assessing what other people think or are trying to do.

      But if your actual position really is as simplistic as

      -> this guy is a Republican -> he’s a smooth talking Republican -> he’s a secret racist -> he’s a cryptofascist -> everything he says is a lie meant to advance his fascist agenda…

      It’s actually you who is not engaging in good faith with anybody.