Xan wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 3:01 pm
Sheesh, guys.
I'm going to try to channel MediumTex here and remind everyone that this is a place that shouldn't raise anyone's blood pressure. We can discuss anything and everything, from any and every point of view. We're not going to solve the world's problems here. The world isn't going to implement whatever we come up with here, so the stakes are very low.
Let people disagree. It's okay.
Please assume that the other person is acting in good faith. Even if he isn't, please assume he is. I think 99+% of the time that's the case, except perhaps when an argument devolves into an all-or-nothing right-or-wrong melee, which is itself a great reason to avoid such arguments.
Even if [you're convinced that] the other person is acting in bad faith, keep on as though he's in good faith, or exit the conversation. As PS has said, you're really unlikely to convince the person you're arguing with, but you DO have a good chance at convincing the lurker who's reading your posts. Post with that person in mind more than the person you're arguing with.
This forum was at its height back in the day when we had more left-leaning types. We discovered a lot of things about monetary theory, for example, just by exploring things from different perspectives. It certainly is not the case that only people with certain political viewpoints are welcome here. It may be that the topic attracts more of a particular persuasion than another, which is fine if that's how it shakes out, but everyone is welcome here. Everyone should be made to feel welcome here.
I think Tom may be feeling defensive as there have been what appeared to be calls for him to be silenced. I disagree with those calls. But I also disagree with the idea that non-libertarians should be unwelcome.
Look, pmward is right that politics is not the focus of this board. So why can't we relax a bit about it? Doodle can be the resident Marxist. It doesn't mean he needs to be attacked every time he posts. Disagreed with, sure, but why not make it a friendly disagreement rather than getting all worked up? We don't have to be enemies. Moda used to call himself the resident statist, and it was fine.
What I really don't want to have happen are threads like this where moderators get called in to sort out the damage. We don't have the time or inclination. I really do not ever want to go all Bogleheads and ban political discussions, but if the alternative is micro-moderation then it would have to be considered.
I don't know that I've ever locked a thread, but this one is close. Let's keep the blood pressure low on all sides, please?