Even if it’s only a “mildly insulting caricature”, it’s still a way to claim that certain people are unintelligent or unserious without actually presenting an argument.
Compare:
“A small handful of incredibly wealthy techbros”
“A small handful of incredibly wealthy people with similar backgrounds in technology, which could lead to biases X and Y”
The first of these feels like it’s trying to do the same thing as the second, without actually backing up its claim.
When I read the second, I feel like someone is trying to make me think. When I read the first, I feel like someone is trying to make me stop thinking.
Even if it’s only a “mildly insulting caricature”, it’s still a way to claim that certain people are unintelligent or unserious without actually presenting an argument.
Compare:
“A small handful of incredibly wealthy techbros”
“A small handful of incredibly wealthy people with similar backgrounds in technology, which could lead to biases X and Y”
The first of these feels like it’s trying to do the same thing as the second, without actually backing up its claim.
When I read the second, I feel like someone is trying to make me think. When I read the first, I feel like someone is trying to make me stop thinking.