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2 posts found
Jun 03, 2022
acx
70 min 9,743 words 249 comments 73 likes podcast (72 min)
A comprehensive review of 'The Castrato' by Martha Feldman, exploring the history, biology, and social impact of castrati singers in Italy. Longer summary
This book review explores 'The Castrato' by Martha Feldman, detailing the history of castrati singers in Italy from the 16th to 19th centuries. It covers their origins, biology, vocal abilities, social status, and relationships with the church and aristocracy. The review also draws parallels to modern practices and speculates on potential future implications of human modification for entertainment or power. Shorter summary
Feb 11, 2014
ssc
23 min 3,172 words 158 comments
Scott Alexander reviews and critiques a polite but underwhelming video debate between Noah Smith and Michael Anissimov on neoreactionary ideas. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews a video debate between Noah Smith, an economics professor, and Michael Anissimov, a spokesperson for neoreaction. The debate covered topics such as social isolation, happiness trends, equality, capitalism, democracy, monarchy, organic state theory, aristocracy, and gender roles. Scott found the debate polite but somewhat underwhelming, with both participants making more moderate claims than expected. He provides his own analysis and critiques of the arguments presented, noting areas where he felt important points were missed or inadequately addressed. Shorter summary