Scott provides updates and reader responses to his previous 'Quests and Requests' article, addressing the status and potential of each proposed project. Longer summary

This is a follow-up post to Scott's 'Quests and Requests' article, addressing the current status and responses to each of the eight projects proposed. Scott provides updates, shares relevant comments and offers from readers, and gives his thoughts on the progress and potential of each quest. He also clarifies his intentions and expectations for these projects, encouraging self-organization among interested parties. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores the 'Tartaria' conspiracy theory to discuss broader shifts in aesthetic preferences, examining potential explanations and their implications for society. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the 'Tartaria' conspiracy theory, which posits that modern architecture is inferior to older styles due to a hidden societal regression. He uses this to discuss broader shifts in aesthetic preferences across various art forms. The post examines several potential explanations for this shift, including changes in wealth signaling, elite tastes, religious influences, labor costs, and the split between high art and mass culture. Scott concludes by reflecting on the importance of understanding these changes, as they relate to broader questions of class, signaling, and how intellectual and cultural elites relate to society at large. Shorter summary