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And the fact that your preference is different than someone else's doesn't automatically make yours the better one. This line is copy/pasted into dozens of com

And the fact that your preference is different than someone else's doesn't automatically make yours the better one. This line is copy/pasted into dozens of comment threads across dozens of topics, and while it's very representative of the zeitgeist it's a dead end for an interesting conversation and frankly it's a toxic, elitist mindset. Defend the position, don't just assert that some positions are better than others and leave it to the readers to guess which one you're claiming is a priori superior.

coldtea 2y ago
>And the fact that your preference is different than someone else's doesn't automatically make yours the better one Of course, it's better for other reasons, not because it's mine. >it's a toxic, elitist mindset. I'm all for elitism, it means celebrating and promoting higher standards.
- lolinder 2y ago
  Then defend your position. "Not all opinions are equal" is a lazy line that does nothing to further any cause and if anything just makes you and your cause feel dismissive and devoid of critical thinking.
  - coldtea 2y ago
    >"Not all opinions are equal" is a lazy line that does nothing to further any cause My primary wish for this comment about not all positions being equal wasn't to "further a cause", but to stop the bad argument that amounted to "people just have different preferences" as if that made all of them ok. If we agree that "not all opinions/preferences are equally good" is a better idea than "all preferences are equally ok" my work is done! As for the specifics, others (and me, elsewhere in this post's threads) have argued several reasons why this tight integration is worse. In fact I gave six of them.
    - lolinder 2y ago
      People's different preferences all being equally valid should be the default position, with evidence required to say otherwise. Simply stating that not all preferences are equal does not contribute to the conversation as much as reminding everyone that different preferences exist does.
      - coldtea 2y ago
        That there are good ideas and bad ideas, good plans and bad plans, good things and bad things, beneficial things and detrimental things, and if you like the former your preference is a good one, and if you like the latter your preference is a bad one is controversial in 2024, and shouldn't be the default position?
      - account42 2y ago
        I too like to argue by claiming that my opinion is the default position that doesn't need to be backed up with reason while everyone who thinks otherwise better come up with an irontight proof that theirs is better. Checkmate.

coldtea 2y ago

>And the fact that your preference is different than someone else's doesn't automatically make yours the better one Of course, it's better for other reasons, not because it's mine. >it's a toxic, elitist mindset. I'm all for elitism, it means celebrating and promoting higher standards.

lolinder 2y ago
Then defend your position. "Not all opinions are equal" is a lazy line that does nothing to further any cause and if anything just makes you and your cause feel dismissive and devoid of critical thinking.
- coldtea 2y ago
  >"Not all opinions are equal" is a lazy line that does nothing to further any cause My primary wish for this comment about not all positions being equal wasn't to "further a cause", but to stop the bad argument that amounted to "people just have different preferences" as if that made all of them ok. If we agree that "not all opinions/preferences are equally good" is a better idea than "all preferences are equally ok" my work is done! As for the specifics, others (and me, elsewhere in this post's threads) have argued several reasons why this tight integration is worse. In fact I gave six of them.
  - lolinder 2y ago
    People's different preferences all being equally valid should be the default position, with evidence required to say otherwise. Simply stating that not all preferences are equal does not contribute to the conversation as much as reminding everyone that different preferences exist does.
    - coldtea 2y ago
      That there are good ideas and bad ideas, good plans and bad plans, good things and bad things, beneficial things and detrimental things, and if you like the former your preference is a good one, and if you like the latter your preference is a bad one is controversial in 2024, and shouldn't be the default position?
    - account42 2y ago
      I too like to argue by claiming that my opinion is the default position that doesn't need to be backed up with reason while everyone who thinks otherwise better come up with an irontight proof that theirs is better. Checkmate.