3 ms·

I like the piece. The tone kinda gives me the same vibes as Neil Strauss' The Game (vibe heavy anthropology trip into the distasteful, or at least unnerving, su

I like the piece. The tone kinda gives me the same vibes as Neil Strauss' The Game (vibe heavy anthropology trip into the distasteful, or at least unnerving, subculture). The part at the very end about the internet people winning is the part that freaks me out (and drives my own middlingly unhealthy doom-scrolling). Just the other day I saw Curtis Yarvin is now some minor Rasputin figure for Peter Thiel, and I couldn't help but think "that lunatic monarchist edgelord from years ago is now influencing where real real political money gets spent?" I don't want to be an internet person, or even pay as much attention as I do, but it feels kind of like even if you don't believe in the internet, it believes in you and it'll eventually show up anyways.

TremendousJudge 4y ago
It reads a lot like Neal Stephenson to me, both the tone and the topic. Anyway, if you like that sort of dives into a weird subculture let me recommend Sam Fussell's Muscle. Here's an interview with the author that got me to read the book: http://www.drmichaeljoyner.com/sam-fussell-an-interview-with-the-author-of-muscle/ http://www.drmichaeljoyner.com/sam-fussell-an-interview-with...
- BWStearns 4y ago
  I didn't consider that because it's nonfiction but I can see that now. Thanks for the recommendation!
mkeeter 4y ago
Ironically, Palladium magazine (which published this article) itself is backed by Peter Thiel, and is... not unsympathetic to that worldview. For example, "Science Needs Sovereigns": https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/10/03/science-needs-sovereigns/ https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/10/03/science-needs-sovere...
- BWStearns 4y ago
  Interesting on several fronts. The article you linked is a uh, lot to unpack haha. I get where they’re coming from but unless they come out and say thiel is our wise philosopher king so we needn’t worry about men not being angels and such, it’s hard to see what relationship between science and power couldn’t be justified. They nod at Lysenko and basically say “yeah but this bureaucracy is really a drag”. In industry there’s benefit in mad little dictators telling the establishment to stuff it, cause damage is limited and gains are outsized. But it really seems like they dismiss the scientific method as burdensome. Unorthodox thinking is still alive and well but yeah they have to put up or shut up just like the mere mortals who don’t have an easy answer to hard questions. Edit to add: after a brief read of Samo’s work I’m now somewhat concerned that he’s a much less insane yarvin with indistinguishable goals and a much higher chance of nudging things in his direction.

TremendousJudge 4y ago

It reads a lot like Neal Stephenson to me, both the tone and the topic. Anyway, if you like that sort of dives into a weird subculture let me recommend Sam Fussell's Muscle. Here's an interview with the author that got me to read the book: http://www.drmichaeljoyner.com/sam-fussell-an-interview-with-the-author-of-muscle/ http://www.drmichaeljoyner.com/sam-fussell-an-interview-with...

BWStearns 4y ago
I didn't consider that because it's nonfiction but I can see that now. Thanks for the recommendation!

mkeeter 4y ago

Ironically, Palladium magazine (which published this article) itself is backed by Peter Thiel, and is... not unsympathetic to that worldview. For example, "Science Needs Sovereigns": https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/10/03/science-needs-sovereigns/ https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/10/03/science-needs-sovere...

BWStearns 4y ago
Interesting on several fronts. The article you linked is a uh, lot to unpack haha. I get where they’re coming from but unless they come out and say thiel is our wise philosopher king so we needn’t worry about men not being angels and such, it’s hard to see what relationship between science and power couldn’t be justified. They nod at Lysenko and basically say “yeah but this bureaucracy is really a drag”. In industry there’s benefit in mad little dictators telling the establishment to stuff it, cause damage is limited and gains are outsized. But it really seems like they dismiss the scientific method as burdensome. Unorthodox thinking is still alive and well but yeah they have to put up or shut up just like the mere mortals who don’t have an easy answer to hard questions. Edit to add: after a brief read of Samo’s work I’m now somewhat concerned that he’s a much less insane yarvin with indistinguishable goals and a much higher chance of nudging things in his direction.