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by xrisk 314 days ago
It’s for (often implicit) communities to decide; communities whose members share a certain set of norms.

Further, legality does not imply correctness.

For example, it’s probably legal to call somebody a transphobic slur in many parts of the world but to suggest that trans people shouldn’t attempt to avoid or “cancel” such people is ridiculous.

And if you sincerely think that the only acceptable action to take is make a petition to change the law, I would suggest you go out and touch some grass. The law doesn’t work that way.
2 comments
AlexandrB 314 days ago
> It’s for (often implicit) communities to decide; communities whose members share a certain set of norms.

This sounds great in theory - where "community" means the small town that you live in. In practice, "community" often means "terminally online social media users", and many of the members of this "community" have little interest in looking for context, facts, or the truth and are instead invested in pushing their worldview or just getting a rage boner.

Edit: A great example of this in action was the "bike Karen" incident: https://archive.is/j0Yr8

How much of the online "community" was all-in on the narrative that she was trying to take the teens' bike until more information came to light?

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xrisk 314 days ago
> I’m not saying that one should believe everything at face value
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lelanthran 314 days ago
> For example, it’s probably legal to call somebody a transphobic slur in many parts of the world but to suggest that trans people shouldn’t attempt to avoid or “cancel” such people is ridiculous.

That's not what we're talking about here, are we? We're talking about a public dogpiling.

And, TBH, your example is a poor one; while it's not illegal to slur/slander someone, there are legal remedies that dont' involve a global request to followers of a specific ideology to pile on.

Avoid people you don't like? Certainly. Join a campaign to ostracise someone you never met and never knew existed until your ideologues extended an invitation to mob them does not leave you on the right side of history.

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