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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 13th, 2023

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  • Perhaps. To paraphrase, I hear your position as “I don’t like what they’re saying. Exile them.” Is that accurate?

    That is my solution, but I think the communication issue may lie in the intent. I want forum sites such as Lemmy or Kbin to encourage dialogue from a diverse user base, and I think that allowing fascist and bigoted rhetoric inhibits that goal. Those kinds of people have proven that they almost never discuss in good faith, and I think they will push away individuals who are looking for a space to have good faith discussions. You may have heard of the paradox of tolerance. If you haven’t, I’d encourage you to read about it. I’d like to hear what you think.

    Also, I know that you were paraphrasing, but I want to be completely clear that this is not because “I don’t like what they’re saying.” Obviously, I think it is healthy to encounter differing opinions. But I believe the rhetoric I’m talking about is more than mere “differing opinions” … it is hurtful, dangerous, and attempts to both justify and normalize discrimination. All while providing no value whatsoever.

    Extremism of all stripes is dangerous. If you don’t like what someone is saying, be a grown up and ignore them.

    You and I might be able to parse through the dogshit on the internet, but there are people who can’t. I think there is an obligation to keep alt-right propaganda out of the same space that an impressionable teenager would use to talk about Minecraft. Especially now, there have been far too many kids radicalized in that way. It’s far too easy to weaponize someone’s hatred and insecurities.

    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” – Evelyn Beatrice Hall

    If you broaden the scope, I wholeheartedly agree. But websites are not countries, moderators are not governments, and content policies are not laws. To be banned from a website does not deprive one of their rights. I really don’t think you need to compromise your morals to have a space, or participate in a space, that has no toleratence bigotry and discrimination. Plus, there are already established limits to free speech that attempt to keep peace and order, like the “you can’t yell fire in a crowded theater” clause. I don’t see my desires here as much different than that.


  • Since you clearly don’t, and seemingly don’t want to, understand the fediverse or free speech, why not just go back to Reddit where you can be happier?

    Okay let’s deescalate a bit… One can enjoy something and still criticize it. I did not think expressing a worry about the spread of fascist ideology and hate-speech would invite backlash. Can you seriously not relate to that? There has got to be some kind of miscommunication going on here.

    Censorship has never and will never prevent ideas from existing, being discussed, and spreading. It doesn’t even slow them down. It just drives them into spaces where you can’t see.

    Yes, I want to drive Nazis and bigots into spaces where they are hard to find. They degenerate whatever space they’re allowed in. I’m not naive enough to think this will extinguish them, and I wasn’t trying to even imply that, but the alternative is to do what - just give them a platform to spew hatred? Do you have a solution? Or are you just going to spit out baseless accusations and tell people to leave if they’re not complacent with hate-speech in a space they enjoy?

    I’m down to have a discussion but show some kindness.