I don’t think he is properly described as a “troll”, though I’m puzzled by the high opinion that some folks here appear to have of Moldbug. This is someone who is manifestly not seeking truth honestly, doesn’t write very clearly, often engages in mind-killer disputes, seldom makes claims that can be directly tested or even falsified in principle, and hasn’t made any substantive contributions to any branch of science, philosophy, or mathematics.
I think the reason why Moldbug is so often quoted around here is the following: There is a great diversity of political opinion on LW, and occasionally there are discussions touching on political issues. When these arise, a LWer whose general political outlook is leftist, liberal, centrist or libertarian will find it easy to find support and elaboration for their positions in links and references to many other writers sharing the same outlook and explaining it at the high intellectual level that LWers expect. There being many such writers, there is none who is disproportionately cited and referenced in LW. However, a LWer with a conservative/reactionary outlook has much fewer expositions of these ideas to link to (that other LWers would find plausible/intellectually congenial; Fox News pundits or Catholic theologians would not do.) Moldbug is one of the very few writers expounding this ideology in a way broadly compatible with the LW outlook, and hence it is not surprising that he is referenced more often that other political writers.
I don’t think he is properly described as a “troll”
Perhaps memetic hazard is more accurate. The effect he has on LW commenters is somewhere between nerd sniping and the self congratulatory rage ‘blue’ commentators get into when a green says something obviously bad.
I don’t think he is properly described as a “troll”, though I’m puzzled by the high opinion that some folks here appear to have of Moldbug. This is someone who is manifestly not seeking truth honestly, doesn’t write very clearly, often engages in mind-killer disputes, seldom makes claims that can be directly tested or even falsified in principle, and hasn’t made any substantive contributions to any branch of science, philosophy, or mathematics.
The title is quite definitely just trolling. Edit: On Moldbug’s part, not Athrelon’s for quoting it.
I would have changed the title to something else if I had decided to share this only sharing the original title in the article itself.
I mean on Moldbug’s part, I’m not blaming the poster for Moldbug’s title :-)
Yes, I agree with that.
I think the reason why Moldbug is so often quoted around here is the following: There is a great diversity of political opinion on LW, and occasionally there are discussions touching on political issues. When these arise, a LWer whose general political outlook is leftist, liberal, centrist or libertarian will find it easy to find support and elaboration for their positions in links and references to many other writers sharing the same outlook and explaining it at the high intellectual level that LWers expect. There being many such writers, there is none who is disproportionately cited and referenced in LW. However, a LWer with a conservative/reactionary outlook has much fewer expositions of these ideas to link to (that other LWers would find plausible/intellectually congenial; Fox News pundits or Catholic theologians would not do.) Moldbug is one of the very few writers expounding this ideology in a way broadly compatible with the LW outlook, and hence it is not surprising that he is referenced more often that other political writers.
Perhaps memetic hazard is more accurate. The effect he has on LW commenters is somewhere between nerd sniping and the self congratulatory rage ‘blue’ commentators get into when a green says something obviously bad.