Scott Alexander reviews 'America Against America', a 1988 book by Chinese political scientist Wang Huning, analyzing his observations of US society and institutions after a brief stay in Iowa. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews 'America Against America', a book written by Wang Huning, a Chinese political scientist who spent six months in Iowa in 1988 and later became a top CCP official. The book presents Wang's observations and analysis of American society, culture, and institutions, often focusing on aspects that seem strange or contradictory to a Chinese perspective. Scott notes that while Wang makes some insightful observations, he also sometimes uncritically accepts American narratives about their own problems. The review explores Wang's views on American regulations, social relationships, politics, culture, and perceived decadence, as well as his prediction that Japan would overtake the US economically. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques Sam Kriss's analysis of nerds and hipsters, offering an alternative theory about identity investment in cultural products. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to Sam Kriss's post about nerds and hipsters. He agrees with Kriss's analysis of hipsters as information sorting algorithms, but disagrees with his characterization of nerds. Scott proposes an alternative theory: hipsterism and nerdism are both forms of trying to invest one's identity in a cultural product, with hipsters focusing on breadth (discovering new things) and nerds on depth (showing extreme devotion to popular things). He explores the motivations behind these behaviors and reflects on the decline of traditional collecting hobbies. Shorter summary

A review of Ray Huang's '1587, A Year of No Significance', examining the decline of the Ming dynasty through the lens of an apparently uneventful year. Longer summary

This book review examines '1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline' by Ray Huang. The reviewer details the book's exploration of a seemingly uneventful year in Ming dynasty China, highlighting how it exemplifies the systemic inertia and decline of the empire. The review covers key figures like the Wan-Li Emperor, Grand Secretaries Chang and Shen, and other notable individuals, while drawing parallels to other historical contexts and discussing the broader implications of the Ming dynasty's governance style and eventual fall. Shorter summary

Anna Schaffner's 'Exhaustion: A History' traces explanations for chronic fatigue from ancient times to modern Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, showing how they reflect contemporary cultural and scientific ideas. Longer summary

The book 'Exhaustion: A History' by Anna Schaffner explores the concept of chronic, pathological exhaustion throughout Western history. It traces various explanatory models used in science and culture, from ancient humoral theory to modern conceptions of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). The author argues that while the symptoms have remained consistent, the explanations for exhaustion have changed over time, reflecting contemporary cultural and scientific ideas. The book covers religious, moral, sexual, and medical explanations, culminating in the current debates surrounding CFS and its controversial status in modern medicine. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines the puzzling downfall of New Atheism, comparing it to other progressive movements and questioning why it alone faced backlash for repeating accepted ideas in liberal circles. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the puzzling failure of New Atheism, a movement that seemingly alienated a society that largely agreed with its positions. He notes that while most educated liberals don't believe in God and agree with New Atheists on social issues, New Atheism has become more criticized than traditional religion in these circles. The post analyzes potential reasons for this failure, including the movement's repetition of obvious truths, its inability to make a case for social importance, and its possible association with an emerging cultural divide. Scott compares New Atheism's fate to other progressive movements that similarly repeat widely accepted ideas in liberal spaces but haven't faced the same backlash. He expresses confusion and frustration at this inconsistency, wondering if this self-awareness could extend to other areas of discourse. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that the Dark Ages in Western Europe (500-1000 AD) did occur, presenting evidence of economic, demographic, and intellectual decline during this period. Longer summary

Scott Alexander argues against the claim that the Dark Ages never happened, presenting evidence for a significant decline in Western Europe from 500-1000 AD. He addresses common counterarguments, showing how they often rely on isolated demands for rigor or misunderstandings of the term. Scott provides data on economic decline, population decrease, and reduced intellectual output during this period. He acknowledges that the topic is complex and can be politicized, but ultimately concludes that the evidence supports the existence of a 'Dark Age' in Western Europe. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting news items and links from July 2014, covering topics from philosophy and politics to science and pop culture. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and news items from July 2014. Scott covers a wide range of topics, including a plagiarism scandal involving Slavoj Zizek, a man claiming unclaimed African land for his daughter, artificial language generation, diet research, a Tumblr convention, online drug trade, religious preferences in America, and various other cultural, scientific, and political items. The post has a light, sometimes humorous tone, and often includes Scott's personal commentary on the news items. Shorter summary