Scott Alexander explains a reactionary philosophy model distinguishing between culturally evolved (right-wing) and memetically evolved (left-wing) policies, exploring its implications and potential applications. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses a key insight into reactionary philosophy, proposing a model where right-wing policies are those selected by cultural evolution, while left-wing policies are selected by memetic evolution or the marketplace of ideas. He explores the implications of this model, including how it categorizes various political movements and the challenges democracies face in balancing these forces. The post then examines the reactionary idea of a system of small dictatorships as a way to facilitate cultural evolution, discussing its potential benefits and drawbacks. Scott concludes by reflecting on the increasing speed of memetic evolution in modern times and the need to understand and possibly strengthen the role of cultural evolution as a counterbalance. Shorter summary

The post explores the Battle Hymn of the Republic, its lesser-known verses, history, and evolutionary development as a song. Longer summary

This post explores the Battle Hymn of the Republic, starting with an observation about American patriotic songs having more verses than commonly known. The author shares a rarely-sung sixth verse of the Battle Hymn and discusses its impact. The post then delves into interesting facts about the song's history, including its origins, creation, and various adaptations. The author finds the song's evolution particularly fascinating, describing how it progressed from a simple spiritual to the powerful anthem we know today, likening this process to memetic evolution. The post concludes with a brief explanation of why it might seem unusual, as the author is writing without access to their usual resources. Shorter summary