Many in the rationalist community are also part of the memetic cluster of the “Dark Enlightenment”. Moldbuggians, PUAs and HBDers are noticeable and seem to be participating in good faith on this forum, making various contributions while being mostly tolerant and polite to those of differing views. I argue this kind of ideological diversity and cooperation is vital to the goals of this community.
Again your post causes me to pause in concern. We don’t see many arguments on LW calling for a wide political coalition to disband and attack The Cathedral, which I think I could make quite convincingly if I wanted to here. The way well meaning people would understand and implement your call would lead to my own exclusion and that of others such as Vladimir_M.
Should those like me be hanging out in Roissy’s comment section rather than here?
Konkvistador, you were deep in the Enemy’s counsel! Tell us what you know! Do you really believe that they are all like Derbyshire, merely doomsaying and wallowing in bitterness? Their numbers grow by the hour; they will first be encouraged by this, then emboldened, then they will gather every single forbidden idea, every scrap of dark knowledge, and put Universalism to the test.
They profess scorn of all dreams and utopias, yet they have their own desire—Pronomianism, a stable world, safe for domination and slavery, where the strong are free from restraint and convention and the weak are free from choice and autonomy. They know where they want to go, they know their enemy, they do not fear for their feelings, conscience or sanity. Mainstream Universalism has only sheer numbers and inertia against these force multipliers.
I believe that we ought to strike as soon as possible. Few on the Left are alerted and concerned yet—but people like Land probably don’t expect a counterattack until much later, and surely don’t expect it to come from outside the Cathederal. Isolate them epistemically while they’re still few, attack their values as evil and dehumanizing, drive them into a phyg-like structure that would be bad at growth. So, what else can be done?
You underestimate universalism. It has adapted before. Recall that the Cathedral is a warm body machine, a belief pump. The victory of Democracy in the age of conscription and the printing press was no fluke. So as long as human minds by the billions can be thrown into the gears of war its complete defeat is unimaginable. What you must defend is not the ideology but the strategy. So clearly in order for this strategy to be viable you have to burn the mutant, kill the xeno and purge the heretics.
I see the “dark enlightenment” as a very minor force with little potential for growth, but one that intellectually seems a necessary correction to some of the mistakes of the first “enlightenment” that have metastasised over the past two centuries.
It won’t kill Universalism or even dethrone it, it might however create the happy state of affairs where the Cathedral’s theocratic nature is recognized as such and considered legitimate but people don’t take it too seriously. Like say the Anglican Church a century or two back.
Roissy is not dispensing any advice that goes beyond what is common in sexual cultures created by well meaning universalists in the inner city and lower class. Philosophers such as Nick Land may be scary in their style and thoughts, but their inquiry is following the tradition of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Bloggers like Moldbug are fascinated by the civilized aspects and achievements of Western civilization in the past more than its hierarchy. Their more scientifically minded members as say John Derbyshire (who you consider to have a grim heart) are rather reasonable. And stepping away from their atheist mainstream to their intellectual Christian faction? Do you even have a problem with those?
I grow more and more convinced that the dark enlightenment is a reformation of universalism rather than its abolition. Recall one of their favourite memes is fighting Lies and the search for Truth, a more Christian notion could not be found.
Recall one of their favourite memes is fighting Lies and the search for Truth, a more Christian notion could not be found.
I’m not an expert on this by any means, but I always thought of that as a Christian syncretion of a Greek preoccupation. A lot of the more philosophical side of the historical Christian worldview got its start that way, and Aquinas in particular had a lot of Aristotle in him.
Yes I think this is correct, up voted. What I wanted to emphasize is that the received these particular memes almost certainly via Christianity, even if the religion wasn’t their origin. It is evidence in favor of them carrying other universalist assumptions and values from the same source.
Their more scientifically minded members as say John Derbyshire (who you consider to have a grim heart) are rather reasonable.
....
If, on the other hand, group underachievement is a consequence of the laws of biology working on human populations, there is no blame to assign. The fact of group inequalities, even in societies that have striven mightily to remove them, is as natural and inevitable as individual inequality, which nobody minds very much. The only proper object of blame is Mother Nature; and she is capable of inflicting far worse things on us than mere statistical disparities between ancient inbred populations… …Under a reigning philosophy of candor and realism, each of us can strive to be the best he can be, to play as best he can the hand he’s been dealt, in liberty and equality under the law.
This might fit my definition of “reason”… but what is noble or compassionate about it? How is Derbyshire preaching acceptance of inequality and submission to Nature different from the Catholic Church preaching acceptance of death and submission to God? If you think it reasonable to loathe death, why would you not loathe the genetic lottery?
So, in defiance of this psychological difference, and in defiance of politics, let me point out that a group injustice has no existence apart from injustice to individuals It’s individuals who have brains to experience suffering. It’s individuals who deserve, and often don’t get, a fair chance at life. If God has not given intelligence in equal measure to all his children, God stands convicted of a crime against humanity, period. Skin colour has nothing to do with it, nothing at all.
I support Eliezer completely. Therefore I have to oppose Derbyshire unflinchingly.
The only proper object of blame is Mother Nature; and she is capable of inflicting far worse things on us than mere statistical disparities between ancient inbred populations..
This does not seem like submission to nature to me. I do not think he would object at all to say genetic engineering or eugenic programs aimed at reducing such suffering or boosting cognitive performance.
This might fit my definition of “reason”… but what is noble or compassionate about it? How is Derbyshire preaching acceptance of inequality and submission to Nature different from the Catholic Church preaching acceptance of death and submission to God? If you think it reasonable to loathe death, why would you not loathe the genetic lottery?
Derbyshire is asking us to please stop trying things that do not work and scapegoating those who aren’t responsible for misery inflicted by nature! I find it remarkable that you do not seem to grasp the moral relevance of avoiding scapegoating people at all! It is a terrible thing to look down on people and make them feel guilty and bad for something that is not their fault.
If you want to find nobility and compassion I say look here.
Under a reigning philosophy of candor and realism, each of us can strive to be the best he can be, to play as best he can the hand he’s been dealt, in liberty and equality under the law.
I hope this will be the point of view our elites will arrive at when the Standard Model has crumbled into dust. The other alternative, the one envisaged by Herrnstein and Murray, would be worse, far worse. I intend to do all I can to promote the idea that there is a sane path, a path of reason, fairness, and liberty, of “candor and realism,” between phony egalitarianism and vicious neo-racism. Follow me down that path, please.
You read the article but did not understand it. Derbyshire stands where he stands intellectually because he can not do otherwise, no more than he can convince himself that there is a God. That is something I understand and sympathize with.
I will go further and say that he fears many of the same societal outcomes that you do.
each of us can strive to be the best he can be, to play as best he can the hand he’s been dealt
But look, he demands that we accept it as a tolerable state of affairs! Eliezer says the opposite—yes, no particular person is to blame, but things are still horrible; we’re still living in a nightmare. To borrow from left-wing jargon again, I want a right to negativity here, a forceful statement that the default/normal/natural condition is awful, even with no-one to blame, and that there is an ethical imperative to ameliorate it.
Derbyshire’s article should have begun with “oughts”, his “is” statements might be true but they’re insufficient for humans. The fact that you being born e.g. black and in the slums and now you’re likely fucked and maladapted is no-one else’s fault does not mean that you are not entitled to scream, to express anguish. And dude, there’s a lot of anguish!
But look, he demands that we accept it as a tolerable state of affairs!
Taboo “tolerable”.
Eliezer says the opposite—yes, no particular person is to blame, but things are still horrible; we’re still living in a nightmare. To borrow from left-wing jargon again, I want a right to negativity here, a forceful statement that the default/normal/natural condition is awful, even with no-one to blame, and that there is an ethical imperative to ameliorate it.
What ethical system are you using to make that assertion?
Eliezer is a utilitarian. Yes, it would improve overall utility to ameliorate this particular problem, there are also hundreds of other problems whose solution would also improve utility, and frankly by any measure of urgency or returns to effort, this one really isn’t even in the top 100.
If you think it reasonable to loathe death, why would you not loathe the genetic lottery?
If God has not given intelligence in equal measure to all his children, God stands convicted of a crime against humanity, period. Skin colour has nothing to do with it, nothing at all.
Do you also believe that it’s a crime against humanity for God not to have given all humans (or even any humans) AGI-level intelligence?
I believe that we ought to strike now. Isolate them epistemically while they’re still few, attack their values as evil and dehumanizing, drive them into a phyg-like structure that would be bad at growth. So, what else can be done?
Oh wow. It’s on! It’s officially on like Donkey Kong.
Created on: 01-Dec-12
Expires on: 01-Dec-14
Last Updated on: 03-Dec-12
Wonder when they’ll put up something quotable, from Land or otherwise—maybe some “watchdog” far-left blog would be interested. (BTW some New-Left-y blog that looks at the aesthetics of materialist philosophy has been covering Land; unfortunately, the university jargon there is near-impenetrable.)
Many in the rationalist community are also part of the memetic cluster of the “Dark Enlightenment”. Moldbuggians, PUAs and HBDers are noticeable and seem to be participating in good faith on this forum, making various contributions while being mostly tolerant and polite to those of differing views. I argue this kind of ideological diversity and cooperation is vital to the goals of this community.
Again your post causes me to pause in concern. We don’t see many arguments on LW calling for a wide political coalition to disband and attack The Cathedral, which I think I could make quite convincingly if I wanted to here. The way well meaning people would understand and implement your call would lead to my own exclusion and that of others such as Vladimir_M.
Should those like me be hanging out in Roissy’s comment section rather than here?
Konkvistador, you were deep in the Enemy’s counsel! Tell us what you know! Do you really believe that they are all like Derbyshire, merely doomsaying and wallowing in bitterness? Their numbers grow by the hour; they will first be encouraged by this, then emboldened, then they will gather every single forbidden idea, every scrap of dark knowledge, and put Universalism to the test.
They profess scorn of all dreams and utopias, yet they have their own desire—Pronomianism, a stable world, safe for domination and slavery, where the strong are free from restraint and convention and the weak are free from choice and autonomy. They know where they want to go, they know their enemy, they do not fear for their feelings, conscience or sanity. Mainstream Universalism has only sheer numbers and inertia against these force multipliers.
I believe that we ought to strike as soon as possible. Few on the Left are alerted and concerned yet—but people like Land probably don’t expect a counterattack until much later, and surely don’t expect it to come from outside the Cathederal. Isolate them epistemically while they’re still few, attack their values as evil and dehumanizing, drive them into a phyg-like structure that would be bad at growth. So, what else can be done?
You underestimate universalism. It has adapted before. Recall that the Cathedral is a warm body machine, a belief pump. The victory of Democracy in the age of conscription and the printing press was no fluke. So as long as human minds by the billions can be thrown into the gears of war its complete defeat is unimaginable. What you must defend is not the ideology but the strategy. So clearly in order for this strategy to be viable you have to burn the mutant, kill the xeno and purge the heretics.
For the Emperor!
I see the “dark enlightenment” as a very minor force with little potential for growth, but one that intellectually seems a necessary correction to some of the mistakes of the first “enlightenment” that have metastasised over the past two centuries.
It won’t kill Universalism or even dethrone it, it might however create the happy state of affairs where the Cathedral’s theocratic nature is recognized as such and considered legitimate but people don’t take it too seriously. Like say the Anglican Church a century or two back.
Roissy is not dispensing any advice that goes beyond what is common in sexual cultures created by well meaning universalists in the inner city and lower class. Philosophers such as Nick Land may be scary in their style and thoughts, but their inquiry is following the tradition of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Bloggers like Moldbug are fascinated by the civilized aspects and achievements of Western civilization in the past more than its hierarchy. Their more scientifically minded members as say John Derbyshire (who you consider to have a grim heart) are rather reasonable. And stepping away from their atheist mainstream to their intellectual Christian faction? Do you even have a problem with those?
I grow more and more convinced that the dark enlightenment is a reformation of universalism rather than its abolition. Recall one of their favourite memes is fighting Lies and the search for Truth, a more Christian notion could not be found.
I’m not an expert on this by any means, but I always thought of that as a Christian syncretion of a Greek preoccupation. A lot of the more philosophical side of the historical Christian worldview got its start that way, and Aquinas in particular had a lot of Aristotle in him.
Yes I think this is correct, up voted. What I wanted to emphasize is that the received these particular memes almost certainly via Christianity, even if the religion wasn’t their origin. It is evidence in favor of them carrying other universalist assumptions and values from the same source.
....
This might fit my definition of “reason”… but what is noble or compassionate about it? How is Derbyshire preaching acceptance of inequality and submission to Nature different from the Catholic Church preaching acceptance of death and submission to God? If you think it reasonable to loathe death, why would you not loathe the genetic lottery?
I support Eliezer completely. Therefore I have to oppose Derbyshire unflinchingly.
This does not seem like submission to nature to me. I do not think he would object at all to say genetic engineering or eugenic programs aimed at reducing such suffering or boosting cognitive performance.
Derbyshire is asking us to please stop trying things that do not work and scapegoating those who aren’t responsible for misery inflicted by nature! I find it remarkable that you do not seem to grasp the moral relevance of avoiding scapegoating people at all! It is a terrible thing to look down on people and make them feel guilty and bad for something that is not their fault.
If you want to find nobility and compassion I say look here.
You read the article but did not understand it. Derbyshire stands where he stands intellectually because he can not do otherwise, no more than he can convince himself that there is a God. That is something I understand and sympathize with.
I will go further and say that he fears many of the same societal outcomes that you do.
But look, he demands that we accept it as a tolerable state of affairs! Eliezer says the opposite—yes, no particular person is to blame, but things are still horrible; we’re still living in a nightmare. To borrow from left-wing jargon again, I want a right to negativity here, a forceful statement that the default/normal/natural condition is awful, even with no-one to blame, and that there is an ethical imperative to ameliorate it.
Derbyshire’s article should have begun with “oughts”, his “is” statements might be true but they’re insufficient for humans. The fact that you being born e.g. black and in the slums and now you’re likely fucked and maladapted is no-one else’s fault does not mean that you are not entitled to scream, to express anguish. And dude, there’s a lot of anguish!
Taboo “tolerable”.
What ethical system are you using to make that assertion?
Eliezer is a utilitarian. Yes, it would improve overall utility to ameliorate this particular problem, there are also hundreds of other problems whose solution would also improve utility, and frankly by any measure of urgency or returns to effort, this one really isn’t even in the top 100.
Do you also believe that it’s a crime against humanity for God not to have given all humans (or even any humans) AGI-level intelligence?
Clearly, he means we should kill anyone who deviates from the average because they devalue the rest.
As an intellectual exercise, what would the Catholic Special Containment Procedure for ultra hazardous memetic materials look like applied to reaction.
Actually why wouldn’t ultra-traditional Catholicism work in such a role?
Or maybe the hour is later than you think Multiheaded.
Oh wow. It’s on! It’s officially on like Donkey Kong.
Wonder when they’ll put up something quotable, from Land or otherwise—maybe some “watchdog” far-left blog would be interested. (BTW some New-Left-y blog that looks at the aesthetics of materialist philosophy has been covering Land; unfortunately, the university jargon there is near-impenetrable.)
Well, that’s an expected precaution.
Ha-haah! Moldburg got Defoe confused with Swift. Fail!
no