this one goes hard frfr

A straw man is when you distort someone’s argument by making it overly simplistic or extreme so it’s easier to attack. For example, saying “Christianity is just worshipping a bearded man in the sky” is a straw man. Hardly any Christian would agree with that depiction.

The opposite is a steel man where you represent your opponent’s argument as strongly and fairly as possible.

Daniel Dennett believed steelmanning was essential to good philosophical debate. In 2013, he laid out four key rules:

1. Restate your opponent’s view so clearly and fairly that they say, “I wish I’d put it that way.”

2. List where you agree.

3. Acknowledge what you’ve learned from them.

4. Only then should you critique their position.

Respect is foundational. Socrates, in Plato’s dialogues, often begins by clarifying and strengthening his opponent’s argument. Because real debate isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding, refining ideas, and growing together.

Let’s debate to build, not to destroy.

(H/T Jonny Thomson via TikTok)

Rockstar lifestyle, might not make it

Wake up faded still end up drinking

Make-up on my t-shirt, I hate it

R.I.P. t-shirts, I hate it

Fall asleep, wake up still I'm faded

Eventually, Signal could just bolt in what I am building. I am not aiming that high right now. Just getting the guts to work.

Putting this out there to see if it sticks (or not).

This is intended to be a (god forbid!) value proposition slide to someone already familiar with Signal and who doesn't really care about the underlying tech.

Thank you for presenting your sexual preferences as applying to more than just you. I appreciate you respecting me enough to project your preferences onto me. I respect that confidence in your sexuality.

You make the claim that gay sex can be rich, and that gay sex gives people pleasure and enjoyment, however just because someone enjoys something doesn't mean it's actually good. There are many cases where someone realizes they had a reason to hate something that they previously enjoyed, and they find that they can no longer enjoy it.

If something is rich and fulfilling then a person should be able to identify what makes it good without having to rely on pleasure and enjoyment alone. They should be able to identify why they might experience pleasure and enjoyment, and they should be able to identify what that pleasure and enjoyment may be about. For example, I can tell you what the deeper value might be in some straight sex. I can also tell you what the deeper value is in porn, in a specific instance or in general.

What can sex with another man give a man that he didn't already have? And that required sex?

Reply with the first word you see

Yes, I ask lots of questions because I find that arguing with someone without precisely verifying their position results in shallower arguments.

Why aren't you preaching your side as a fact? Is there something wrong with your justification? The whole reason I'm talking with you is because I believe that any analysis that applies to your life is equally applicable to my life. Do you hope for me to just dismiss your perspective instead?

You are wrong. We know what many things we haven't experienced are like just from thinking about them and hearing about them from others. If you are so confident I'm missing some crucial piece of perspective just because I won't let some random man fuck me, then please, can you enlighten me? Can you articulate what am I supposed to be missing?

Haha. Yes, I did. So I cannot speak of others experiences.

Nope, never that I can remember. Yes, I have a family

Nothing more than personal opinions? Don't I additionally have all the justifications I've given? I gave justification for my belief that twinks are better as men, I gave justification for my belief that I'm not gay, I gave justification for my belief that arguing about what is and isn't gay isn't overdone, I gave justification for how personal feelings can differ between people even when there is an objectively correct and incorrect feeling, and I even gave ways you could justify your beliefs too!

Is "personal opinion" just a label you use to identify any idea you disagree with? Is it just my "personal opinion" that a regular guy can't beat a bear in a fist-fight? Is it just my "personal opinion" that stealing is wrong? Can you give me a universal standard for identifying what you would and would not consider to be a personal opinion? Is there something about your understanding of personal opinions that makes them wrong to use in arguments?

By the way, thank you for your question. To answer, I can very easily see sex as an end game of the fact that men are hot. Straight sex is that end game. Do you have any other questions?

Been faithless my whole life. Never seemed to be an issue.

I literally never think about or care why I am here or what we are doing.

Been faithless my whole life. Never seemed to be an issue.

I literally never think about or care why I am here or what we are doing.

Yes. The Bible 100% fits my description. Pointless drivel that spouts ideas and nonsense to try and control a populace without using violence.

I have known those types for sure. But where does the line get drawn. Aren’t bible studies philosophy? Stories and parables that provide a frame for how to exist rightly in the world are everywhere

Yes, it is typicall meaningless drivel being spouted mostly by men who do nothing but talk. Presenting ideas and not acting on them. Never building, never doing. Rent seekers. Complainers.

As pointless to me as poetry.

As I said, I find it useless. You don't. It's called having a difference of opinion, and it is a great thing to have.

Cheap, ugly, and a little beat up but smoking great. #cigar #cigarstr