Reddit has always had issues, beyond it's small scope of bigoted subreddits. I think the point the author misses is that he's dumbing the argument down into "immature children just want a place to be immature children."
I've been annoyed by some of reddit's more obnoxious qualities since I first started using it many years ago, but there's two big issues. The first is is that bullies and assholes will be bullies and assholes. Now they'll just try to find a different way to do exactly that. And it's not like the people on those questionable subreddits were the only bullies and assholes on reddit, those people were pretty much everywhere and still are everywhere. America isn't doomed because of reddit's shittiness. If that was the case 4chan would have spelled out our demise long ago. That sounds more like needless alarmism to me.
The second issue is that he's missing that a lot of people who are upset aren't exactly upset about /r/fatpeoplehate getting banned in itself, but rather the larger issue around it. I think most people that are upset aren't exactly out there supporting /r/fatpeoplehate. It was never exactly a hive of great minds. I chose to deal with it by just not going there. The larger issue though is that the culture has shifted in reddit to a more social justice friendly culture, which has been having the very negative effect of silencing dissenting viewpoints and snubbing noses down at those they deem to be counter their philosophy.
So it's also bad for people like myself who live in the center. I am a strong advocate for social issues, whether they involve race, LGBT issues, women's rights, etc. But if I choose to say that I think that a man can still be a victim of a false rape accusation, or that police gun deaths might sometimes be more complex than just based on racism, I have to deal with people who automatically assume I'm a bigot or that I'm too privileged to know anything about those issues. Or if I choose to think that we ...
Reddit has always had issues, beyond it's small scope of bigoted subreddits. I think the point the author misses is that he's dumbing the argument down into "immature children just want a place to be immature children."
I've been annoyed by some of reddit's more obnoxious qualities since I first started using it many years ago, but there's two big issues. The first is is that bullies and assholes will be bullies and assholes. Now they'll just try to find a different way to do exactly that. And it's not like the people on those questionable subreddits were the only bullies and assholes on reddit, those people were pretty much everywhere and still are everywhere. America isn't doomed because of reddit's shittiness. If that was the case 4chan would have spelled out our demise long ago. That sounds more like needless alarmism to me.
The second issue is that he's missing that a lot of people who are upset aren't exactly upset about /r/fatpeoplehate getting banned in itself, but rather the larger issue around it. I think most people that are upset aren't exactly out there supporting /r/fatpeoplehate. It was never exactly a hive of great minds. I chose to deal with it by just not going there. The larger issue though is that the culture has shifted in reddit to a more social justice friendly culture, which has been having the very negative effect of silencing dissenting viewpoints and snubbing noses down at those they deem to be counter their philosophy.
So it's also bad for people like myself who live in the center. I am a strong advocate for social issues, whether they involve race, LGBT issues, women's rights, etc. But if I choose to say that I think that a man can still be a victim of a false rape accusation, or that police gun deaths might sometimes be more complex than just based on racism, I have to deal with people who automatically assume I'm a bigot or that I'm too privileged to know anything about those issues. Or if I choose to think that we should be able to laugh at things that might be deemed offensive, I'm automatically a bully. Now of course I'm exaggerating a little bit, but that's just sorta the direction the culture has been shifting. And as those attitudes have shifted, people have chosen to leave.
In the end, I think the bigger issue is the "Us vs. Them" mentality we've cultivated. Everyone who doesn't share our opinion is now our enemy, so we cease to have civil discussion. And that's going on on both sides of this discussion.
Plus, lets' fact it, reddit was never really the best place for civil discussion anyways.
I don't want to reply with "this", but you've basically said everything I wanted to say, albeit in a more eloquent manner. I've never really posted comments on reddit, because I could never know if it would go well or if I would be attacked.
Honestly, the ridiculous ammount of hate speech and trolling and just plain shit posting all over on Reddit is amazing. I actually found a series of posts I just felt disgusted by, and it was on my local subreddit. It's everywhere. And even when you do manage to get away from it you get posts from the most obsessed people who just hang on to one thing you say and never drop it, or people who only read the first few words of your question and answer anyway with an answer that just doesn't help or has no relevance.
Reddit has always had issues, beyond it's small scope of bigoted subreddits. I think the point the author misses is that he's dumbing the argument down into "immature children just want a place to be immature children."
I've been annoyed by some of reddit's more obnoxious qualities since I first started using it many years ago, but there's two big issues. The first is is that bullies and assholes will be bullies and assholes. Now they'll just try to find a different way to do exactly that. And it's not like the people on those questionable subreddits were the only bullies and assholes on reddit, those people were pretty much everywhere and still are everywhere. America isn't doomed because of reddit's shittiness. If that was the case 4chan would have spelled out our demise long ago. That sounds more like needless alarmism to me.
The second issue is that he's missing that a lot of people who are upset aren't exactly upset about /r/fatpeoplehate getting banned in itself, but rather the larger issue around it. I think most people that are upset aren't exactly out there supporting /r/fatpeoplehate. It was never exactly a hive of great minds. I chose to deal with it by just not going there. The larger issue though is that the culture has shifted in reddit to a more social justice friendly culture, which has been having the very negative effect of silencing dissenting viewpoints and snubbing noses down at those they deem to be counter their philosophy.
So it's also bad for people like myself who live in the center. I am a strong advocate for social issues, whether they involve race, LGBT issues, women's rights, etc. But if I choose to say that I think that a man can still be a victim of a false rape accusation, or that police gun deaths might sometimes be more complex than just based on racism, I have to deal with people who automatically assume I'm a bigot or that I'm too privileged to know anything about those issues. Or if I choose to think that we ...
Read FullI don't want to reply with "this", but you've basically said everything I wanted to say, albeit in a more eloquent manner. I've never really posted comments on reddit, because I could never know if it would go well or if I would be attacked.
Not living up to your username, because that was one of the most sane perspectives of this whole thing I've seen yet.
Honestly, the ridiculous ammount of hate speech and trolling and just plain shit posting all over on Reddit is amazing. I actually found a series of posts I just felt disgusted by, and it was on my local subreddit. It's everywhere. And even when you do manage to get away from it you get posts from the most obsessed people who just hang on to one thing you say and never drop it, or people who only read the first few words of your question and answer anyway with an answer that just doesn't help or has no relevance.