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Notably, by this standard Reddit isn't a site. Each subreddit, or cluster of subs with common moderators, is functionally a distinct site. Obviously this isn't

Notably, by this standard Reddit isn't a site. Each subreddit, or cluster of subs with common moderators, is functionally a distinct site. Obviously this isn't absolute. The site has a common structure for debate, the default subreddits have common traits (and common troll/bad-faith factions), and the media perception is of a unified site. But the functioning of /changemyview, /askhistorians, and other highly structured subs is vastly different from "the reddit experience", and lots of other subs with less structure still have mod-enforced debate boundaries. As an example - the sub for "late capitalism" memes bans defenses of capitalism or debates on the merits of socialism to create shared values for discussion, while linking to /debatecommunism to provide space for a different debate. Honestly, this is my biggest frustration with talk about reddit as "an alt-right site" or predictions that it will die out from ideological conflict. It's not Facebook, where things pass arbitrary distances along a graph. It's not Tumblr, where the basic communication structure is "here, talk to people who hate you". It's a siloed system where a huge fraction of users never experience any of what's popularly described as 'Reddit'.

pathseeker 8y ago
>As an example - the sub for "late capitalism" memes bans defenses of capitalism or debates on the merits of socialism Tangential: I honestly don't understand why someone would willfully participate in such obvious propaganda (even if you 100% believed eliminating capitalism is the solution). It's willfully burying your head in the sand to pretend that your ideology that would replace the modern western world isn't open to criticism.
- Bartweiss 8y ago
  The best argument I can give about "open to criticism" is that it's meant as space to vent. These same people might be over in /debatecommunism, but they want a place to laugh about what they see as obvious flaws and evils without an endless string of debates. That's an impulse I can understand, but the exposure-to-propaganda part I can't get my head around as easily. Even political cartoons/memes that align with my positions mostly just feel slimy these days - like they're not about humor or solidarity, but pushing people to take the angriest, most simplistic takes possible on an issue. Most of /latestagecapitalism or /libertarianmeme or anything else is completely misleading no matter what politics you subscribe to.

pathseeker 8y ago

>As an example - the sub for "late capitalism" memes bans defenses of capitalism or debates on the merits of socialism Tangential: I honestly don't understand why someone would willfully participate in such obvious propaganda (even if you 100% believed eliminating capitalism is the solution). It's willfully burying your head in the sand to pretend that your ideology that would replace the modern western world isn't open to criticism.

Bartweiss 8y ago
The best argument I can give about "open to criticism" is that it's meant as space to vent. These same people might be over in /debatecommunism, but they want a place to laugh about what they see as obvious flaws and evils without an endless string of debates. That's an impulse I can understand, but the exposure-to-propaganda part I can't get my head around as easily. Even political cartoons/memes that align with my positions mostly just feel slimy these days - like they're not about humor or solidarity, but pushing people to take the angriest, most simplistic takes possible on an issue. Most of /latestagecapitalism or /libertarianmeme or anything else is completely misleading no matter what politics you subscribe to.