[dang]

We stopped using the word civility many years ago already, because it doesn't communicate the values we care about here.

> If you ban polemics, you side with the dominant ideology.

There's a strong version and a weak version of that argument. Using it to justify garden-variety internet swipes like "only Americans and children could believe such an absurd statement" is the weak version, and not very persuasive.

Thoughtful critique is welcome here, and curious conversation between people who respect each other and listen to each other is hardly a 'dominant ideology'. The problem is that a lot of us (all of us, most likely) use noble concepts to justify treating others badly.

[lucian1900]

Doesn’t really matter what you call it, the end result is about the same: polite thoughtful conversation on whether Chinese Americans should be interned or whether Eastern Europe should be invaded by NATO or even just whether exploiting workers is acceptable. It used to be about whether my Serbian neighbours should be bombed, but on previous forums.

Swipes at Americans are useful, it can make them wonder why their country is so hated across the world. It can also be useful as part of a wider polemic to re-focus on the real contradiction: imperialists versus the rest of us.

Your rules as enforced absolutely reinforce imperialism, regardless of your intentions. Again, it’s your website. I’m not going to convince you, just trying to explain to you what you’re doing.

[dang]

Swipes do not make people "wonder why they are so hated". They just make them hate back. That is not useful.

If you want to actually be heard, you need to communicate in a way that works for the other.

[lucian1900]

Being reasonable is often not effective. It’s like asking workers to communicate in a way that works for the capitalists’ police, as they get shot. Most Americans will choose fascism anyway, the only point is to get the rest to see it. Aggression is far more effective at that.

It’s not surprising you’d side with the empire, your material interests align with it. Y combinator is after all part of the export of capital at usury rates. It’s ok, when our turn comes we will make no excuses either.