4 ms·

I very much dislike media like this that tries to reduce polarization by "presenting both sides" because, at least on its face, falsely presents "both sides" as

by ausbah 6y ago

I very much dislike media like this that tries to reduce polarization by "presenting both sides" because, at least on its face, falsely presents "both sides" as "equally valid" when that just isn't true there are positions like trans rights, voting restrictions, climate change, etc. that don't have "equally valid perspectives" from both sides - and treating like such is foolish I know attitude doesn't help the problem but it's my two cents

mtc010170 6y ago
Hmmm. While I likely agree with you on many of the issues you’re highlighting.. what your response highlights more is exactly what the hosts are identifying as the real problem. Which is kind of ironic.
- mousepilot 6y ago
  On the other hand, "both sides" can be used to rationalize bad actors. I'd imagine that 1940's Germany would be an excellent countpoint to the "both sides" fallacy. Sometimes there really are bad guys and its useful to keep an eye out for them.
  - barbacoa 6y ago
    The political "other side" in Germany in 1930s was the German Communist Party. Not "free health care" communists more like gulags and firing squads communists. Not much better.
    - mousepilot 6y ago
      I'd like to read up on the gulags and firing squads of the German left around that timeframe, can you point me to some examples, coming up a bit short on Google.
      - barbacoa 6y ago
        That is because they never gained power and the nazis murdered/imprisoned most of them after they won the election of 1933. Unfortunately it turned out the medicine wasn't any better than the disease. If you want to read about what the Communists had in plan for German you can read about the horrors they did in Russia. The Gulag Archipelago has been highly recommend.
        mousepilot 6y ago
        so let me get this straight, the few german communists that didn't get murdered, moved to russia and did the gulag thing? I was always under the impression that russians did their own overthrow of their predecessors, I didn't realise that they were actually germans. was stalin german?

by ausbah 6y ago

mtc010170 6y ago

Hmmm. While I likely agree with you on many of the issues you’re highlighting.. what your response highlights more is exactly what the hosts are identifying as the real problem. Which is kind of ironic.

mousepilot 6y ago
On the other hand, "both sides" can be used to rationalize bad actors. I'd imagine that 1940's Germany would be an excellent countpoint to the "both sides" fallacy. Sometimes there really are bad guys and its useful to keep an eye out for them.
- barbacoa 6y ago
  The political "other side" in Germany in 1930s was the German Communist Party. Not "free health care" communists more like gulags and firing squads communists. Not much better.
  - mousepilot 6y ago
    I'd like to read up on the gulags and firing squads of the German left around that timeframe, can you point me to some examples, coming up a bit short on Google.
    - barbacoa 6y ago
      That is because they never gained power and the nazis murdered/imprisoned most of them after they won the election of 1933. Unfortunately it turned out the medicine wasn't any better than the disease. If you want to read about what the Communists had in plan for German you can read about the horrors they did in Russia. The Gulag Archipelago has been highly recommend.
      - mousepilot 6y ago
        so let me get this straight, the few german communists that didn't get murdered, moved to russia and did the gulag thing? I was always under the impression that russians did their own overthrow of their predecessors, I didn't realise that they were actually germans. was stalin german?