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Is deflating/shutting-down always such a bad thing? Conversely: are all positions worthy of protracted, nuanced debate? I think not. And in particular, I find

Is deflating/shutting-down always such a bad thing? Conversely: are all positions worthy of protracted, nuanced debate? I think not. And in particular, I find the the position that "hypocrisy, or rather weakly supported insinuations of hypocrisy, in regard to a certain evil is a vastly more vital and pressing topic than the actual evil happening on the ground itself" (to sum up these discussions in a nutshell) to be especially non-worthy of protracted discussion and "nuanced" debate. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, such as debates and counter-debates about whataboutism on HN.

keybored 2y ago
> I think not. And in particular, I find the the position that "hypocrisy, or rather weakly supported insinuations of hypocrisy, in regard to a certain evil is a vastly more vital and pressing topic than the actual evil happening on the ground itself" (to sum up these discussions in a nutshell) to be especially non-worthy of protracted discussion and "nuanced" debate. I can’t keep up with your trains of interpretation. Whatever the actual evil happening on the ground is, it can’t be about the submission since that’s just about lounging in a lecture hall and talking about philosophy. So I’m at a loss as regards the thing we’re being distracted from. > God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, such as debates and counter-debates about whataboutism on HN. God, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, such as people responding to me on a topic that I myself started. Doesn’t sound as reasonable in that formulation.
- aguaviva 2y ago
  So I’m at a loss as regards the thing we’re being distracted from. Right, not the original submission but the reference to the Russo-Ukraine war, mid-thread - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41748747 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41748747 - and in reference to which, pointless/vacuous accusations of hypocrisy tend to emerge with depressing regularity. Judging by the volume and tenacity of their output, a lot of people do seem to feel that the topic of Western hypocrisy is vastly more important and interesting than that of the genocide/invasion itself, basically. If it were just about people lounging in a lecture hall, I wouldn't have chimed in at all.

keybored 2y ago

> I think not. And in particular, I find the the position that "hypocrisy, or rather weakly supported insinuations of hypocrisy, in regard to a certain evil is a vastly more vital and pressing topic than the actual evil happening on the ground itself" (to sum up these discussions in a nutshell) to be especially non-worthy of protracted discussion and "nuanced" debate. I can’t keep up with your trains of interpretation. Whatever the actual evil happening on the ground is, it can’t be about the submission since that’s just about lounging in a lecture hall and talking about philosophy. So I’m at a loss as regards the thing we’re being distracted from. > God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, such as debates and counter-debates about whataboutism on HN. God, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, such as people responding to me on a topic that I myself started. Doesn’t sound as reasonable in that formulation.

aguaviva 2y ago
So I’m at a loss as regards the thing we’re being distracted from. Right, not the original submission but the reference to the Russo-Ukraine war, mid-thread - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41748747 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41748747 - and in reference to which, pointless/vacuous accusations of hypocrisy tend to emerge with depressing regularity. Judging by the volume and tenacity of their output, a lot of people do seem to feel that the topic of Western hypocrisy is vastly more important and interesting than that of the genocide/invasion itself, basically. If it were just about people lounging in a lecture hall, I wouldn't have chimed in at all.