[Loughla]

I would rather have toxic nonsense than a culture where you don't rock the boat.

Maybe it's just because I'm American, but I think most people have some amount of rebellion in them. It's necessary to look at other viewpoints if for no other reason than to know what alternatives exist.

[krapp]

Most people are capable of exchanging alternative points of view without seeking out or engaging in toxic behavior.

Being an asshole doesn't make you a cultural rebel or iconoclast, it just makes you an asshole.

[tourmalinetaco]

Sure, but their point was that it’s better to be able to question authority and be an asshole than to not question authority at all.

[Loughla]

Thank you for saying what I couldn't figure out how to say. That's exactly it.

[krapp]

But it's a false dichotomy. It's entirely possible to question authority while not engaging with and spreading "toxic nonsense." It really doesn't have to be all or nothing.

[tourmalinetaco]

Yes, and we never said it’s “all or nothing”, you misunderstood that we said that when we said we would prefer an asshole who questioned authority compared to someone who did not question authority.

[pezezin]

As someone who has been living in Japan for the last 6 years, I kind of agree with you. It might look like a very respectful culture at first, but you will soon realize that it is quite oppressive and has led to cultural stagnation. It is a country that doesn't deal with its problems, it just tries to hide them.

However, the toxicity and polarization that some Western countries have been evolving to is not good either. There should be a middle ground.