Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links covering politics, science, history, and culture, with brief commentary on each item. Longer summary

A curated collection of interesting links spanning various topics, compiled by Scott Alexander. The post covers a wide range of subjects including political events, scientific studies, historical anecdotes, and cultural phenomena. Among the notable items are stories about medieval fighting myths, a massive Chinese ghost mall, Japanese parliament members' nationalism, and various statistical studies. The post maintains a light, often humorous tone while presenting these diverse pieces of information, occasionally adding brief commentary or connections between different items. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander refutes claims of American decline based on skyscraper construction, presenting data showing continued growth and recent boom in supertall buildings. Longer summary

This post debunks the claim that a decline in American skyscraper construction indicates a decline in American civilization. Scott presents data showing that America's capacity to build skyscrapers has not decreased, and in fact, there has been a recent boom in supertall skyscraper construction. He provides graphs showing the height of the tallest skyscrapers over time, the number of supertall skyscrapers, and the cost per foot of skyscraper construction. The post also points out that the period from 1940 to 1970, often considered a time of great technological progress, actually saw a decline in skyscraper construction, suggesting that skyscrapers are not a good indicator of technological or societal progress. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander advocates for a political philosophy combining free markets with social welfare, proposing market-based alternatives to current welfare programs and regulations. Longer summary

Scott Alexander proposes a political philosophy that combines free market values with social welfare, which he tentatively calls 'bleeding heart libertarianism' or 'left-libertarianism'. He argues that many current welfare programs disguised as jobs or regulations are inefficient and could be replaced by direct welfare payments. The post presents examples like the BART strike, fast food workers' wage demands, and affirmative action, suggesting market-based alternatives that could be more effective. Alexander concludes that this approach allows for more flexibility and innovation while still addressing social and economic problems through government subsidies and taxes. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques the Reactionary concept of 'left singularity', arguing that reigns of terror typically follow repressive right-wing regimes rather than gradual leftward shifts in democracies. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques the Reactionary concept of 'left singularity', which posits that leftist movements become increasingly extreme until they collapse. He argues this theory is flawed, using an analogy to forest fires to show how it misinterprets causation. Scott contends that reigns of terror typically follow repressive right-wing regimes, not gradual leftward shifts in democracies. He proposes an alternative model where repressive monarchies build up pressure leading to revolution, which may be hijacked by extremists. Scott argues that moderate leftist democracies are stable and less prone to violent upheaval than far-right regimes, challenging core Reactionary claims. Shorter summary

This post systematically rebuts common Reactionary political beliefs on topics like societal decline, traditional governance, progress, and social issues through data analysis and historical examples. Longer summary

This post is an extensive rebuttal to common beliefs held by the Reactionary political movement. It systematically addresses and counters Reactionary claims about societal decline, traditional monarchies, the origins and nature of progress, corporate governance models, and modern views on race and gender. The author analyzes data and historical examples to argue against Reactionary positions, while acknowledging some valid critiques and interesting ideas within the movement. The post ends by listing various rebuttals and responses to the FAQ itself from Reactionary bloggers. Shorter summary