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In practice, the real alternative to cancel culture is usually know-your-place culture for the masses. Civil-debate-culture is not an actual option. It’s what elites get to enjoy when the masses know their place and stay there quietly without getting uppity.
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There’s a weird linguistic thing here. English is a highly egalitarian language that represses know-your-place dynamics even though 2 big Anglo societies are not very egalitarian. Hindi has like a dozen ways to say “know your place” with varying degrees of violence.
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This is fascinating. I am reminded that prior to the latter half of the 20th century, there was frequent mention in American literature and newspapers of 'knowing your station' or that so and so 'is acting above their station' /1
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Good point - I'm wondering if the western egalitarianist blip during the 40 years post WWII sort of made a lot of western cultures cool down with the class-talk. Clearly the last 10 years in the US has been a class itch without the words or frameworks to scratch it.
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