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First, you need to re-read what I wrote. I didn't call it a slur. I called it a hateful meme. It's precisely that, because it is driven by hate -- you will und

First, you need to re-read what I wrote. I didn't call it a slur. I called it a hateful meme. It's precisely that, because it is driven by hate -- you will understand this if you talk to people who deeply hate communism, such as in my experience Czech people who suffered under it -- and it's a meme, something repeated for social reasons, not to cultivate understanding. If you can understand what's driving the kids to spam "communist bandits", you will see its ugliness. If you can't, then it's like a curse word in a foreign language: of course you don't mind. It remains, however, a foul little turd to all the people who do understand the context and the language, and who have adequate taste and intellect to prefer higher minded discourse. To directly address your mischaracterization, this is not crybaby-ism; it's taste and the desire for substance. Nobody is crying about kids posting the hateful meme "communist bandits." I have no affinity for communism myself. I would take equal disgust in kids spamming "capitalist pigs". It's just dumb and ugly. Give me a thesis with supporting evidence and citations. Meanwhile, delete (indeed, censor!) all the childish and simpleminded spam, so I don't have to be immersed in stupidity and hate when endeavoring to broaden my understanding. You seem to not mind wading through filth, but most highly verbal adults share my preferences. We leave forums when the filth piles up, and the "discourse" that remains after we're gone reflects this reality. And now we get to you. Some of us try to be bigger than calling each other crybabies, and calling their positions bullshit. What you wrote violates Hacker News rules. I'm not going to report you, because despite your unflattering model of me, I can pluck out a fly that lands in my whiskey glass without crying about it. This thread should be dead enough that you should be safe, but I'll regret my decision if you go on to attack other people. I instead hope whatever is broken inside you gets healed, so that you can more effectively tackle what I agree is a problem: a government that forces citizens to literally watch their backs after they voice their mind is influencing countries and companies abroad. Right now, with your hostility, you're just poisoning the well.

arduanika 6y ago
Thanks for the well-wishes. I'm a bit confused here: "YouTube filtering slurs and hateful memes" "I didn't call it a slur." "And thus, when the rallying cry is sounded for the non-event of a crude slur being censored..." Are you calling it a slur or not? Also, good catch -- above I mistyped "crybaby" when I meant "crybully". I can't stand watching an totalitarian party like the CCP hide its crimes behind this language of anti-bigotry, all this "slurs and hateful memes" business to silence criticism. The oppressor gets to play a victim role, and it all feels topsy-turvy. Of course, if this ploy backfires and forces the CCP's critics to hone their arguments to the level of discourse you and I both love on HN (and which you seem to think is within reach for YouTube), that's great, everyone wins. And you're right, "b.s." was a too harsh and probably violates the guidelines. Retracted. "what I agree is a problem: a government that forces citizens to literally watch their backs after they voice their mind is influencing countries and companies abroad" It's hard for me not to be hateful and angry about it, as you've recognized. It's hard to know what people can do when no employee at any multinational company, in any jurisdiction, is free to speak out publicly without fear of retaliation. I sympathize with people going around posting this phrase, even if it's low effort and stinks a little of regional prejudice and of less democratic times in Taiwan's history. I'm curious, what do you think are the best tactics counteract the CCP clout? What could those YouTube posters be doing instead?
- exo-pla-net 6y ago
  It's not a slur. Some slurs are also filtered, and I'm suggesting we ignore this petty and generally positive censorship. A more effective approach for anti-CCP activists would be to spam a short, compelling sentence regarding one of CCP's questionable activities, followed by, "Read more here: <multilingual article with citations>". If that lucid and informative spam got taken down, I'd also be up in arms. I myself invested time in online activism regarding Hong Kong. "Communist bandits", however, is worse than useless. Censor/filter away the low effort and unproductive stupidity, not the substantiative information.

arduanika 6y ago

Thanks for the well-wishes. I'm a bit confused here: "YouTube filtering slurs and hateful memes" "I didn't call it a slur." "And thus, when the rallying cry is sounded for the non-event of a crude slur being censored..." Are you calling it a slur or not? Also, good catch -- above I mistyped "crybaby" when I meant "crybully". I can't stand watching an totalitarian party like the CCP hide its crimes behind this language of anti-bigotry, all this "slurs and hateful memes" business to silence criticism. The oppressor gets to play a victim role, and it all feels topsy-turvy. Of course, if this ploy backfires and forces the CCP's critics to hone their arguments to the level of discourse you and I both love on HN (and which you seem to think is within reach for YouTube), that's great, everyone wins. And you're right, "b.s." was a too harsh and probably violates the guidelines. Retracted. "what I agree is a problem: a government that forces citizens to literally watch their backs after they voice their mind is influencing countries and companies abroad" It's hard for me not to be hateful and angry about it, as you've recognized. It's hard to know what people can do when no employee at any multinational company, in any jurisdiction, is free to speak out publicly without fear of retaliation. I sympathize with people going around posting this phrase, even if it's low effort and stinks a little of regional prejudice and of less democratic times in Taiwan's history. I'm curious, what do you think are the best tactics counteract the CCP clout? What could those YouTube posters be doing instead?

exo-pla-net 6y ago
It's not a slur. Some slurs are also filtered, and I'm suggesting we ignore this petty and generally positive censorship. A more effective approach for anti-CCP activists would be to spam a short, compelling sentence regarding one of CCP's questionable activities, followed by, "Read more here: <multilingual article with citations>". If that lucid and informative spam got taken down, I'd also be up in arms. I myself invested time in online activism regarding Hong Kong. "Communist bandits", however, is worse than useless. Censor/filter away the low effort and unproductive stupidity, not the substantiative information.