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383 points toomuchtodo | 1 comments | 31 Oct 25 17:42 UTC | HN request time: 0.225s | source
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Karrot_Kream ◴[31 Oct 25 20:58 UTC] No.45776618[source]▶
On a somewhat related note, there seems to be a huge interest in vice policing on social media. Gambling, sex, drugs, these are some of humanity's oldest vices. Why has it become so popular on social media to highlight these, along with a narrative of social or cultural decline?
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asdff ◴[31 Oct 25 23:11 UTC] No.45777731[source]▶
Standard bible thumping. You will notice that there is also an emphasis on traditional family values as well both in the media and in the positions of politicians.
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Karrot_Kream ◴[31 Oct 25 23:34 UTC] No.45777877[source]▶
I guess it's been interesting watching this become popular in secular, lefty circles rather than the historically religious right circles I see this from.
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asdff ◴[01 Nov 25 00:03 UTC] No.45778055[source]▶
The mainstream left (really a centrist party) might be nominally secular but not really removed from conservative religious values. E.g. consider treatment of gay people in the media vs actual gay culture. In the media it is always a happy monogamous couple where one of the gays is clearly masculine and the other is clearly more effeminate. In reality gay culture is far more complicated than that, with many engaging in polyamorous relationships and/or routine clubbing for example that you won't ever see celebrated in this way in the mainstream media, which sees that sort of behavior as immoral just as a religious person might.

I'd hate to get all true scotsman but a true leftist would never preach for prohibition as a solution for vice.

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1. dns_snek ◴[01 Nov 25 07:27 UTC] No.45779845[source]▶
> I'd hate to get all true scotsman but a true leftist would never preach for prohibition as a solution for vice.

That's what happens when you squash a multi-dimensional space of political beliefs down into a single dimension of left-right. You can't have a meaningful discussion about anything from this starting point.

Viewed from a 2-dimensional spectrum this problem lies on the social authoritarian-libertarian axis, not the economic left-right axis.

I'd consider myself a "true leftist" and while I don't think prohibition usually works, I also don't believe in absolutes of liberalism where everything goes - where corner shops can sell heroin and if you fall into addiction that's just your own moral failing.

I support individuals' freedom to use drugs in a controlled, responsible manner, but there need to be limits somewhere to protect naive individuals from getting themselves into something they'll regret and to protect society from collapsing.