How to explore Scott Alexander's work and his 1500+ blog posts? This unaffiliated fan website lets you sort and search through the whole codex. Enjoy!

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Aug 25, 2023
acx

Your Book Review: Why Nations Fail

42 min • 5,751 words • 341 comments • 125 likes • podcast (34 min)
A critical review of 'Why Nations Fail' that examines the authors' academic work and methodology, while questioning the book's quality and practical implications. Longer summary
This review critiques 'Why Nations Fail' by Acemoglu and Robinson (AR), arguing that while the book itself is not very good, AR's academic papers present a more compelling case for their thesis that political institutions are the main determinant of economic growth. The reviewer explains AR's methodology using instrumental variables, discusses their evidence and criticisms, and ultimately concludes that even if AR are correct, their extremely long-run focus may not be very useful for practical policymaking or development efforts. Shorter summary
Apr 06, 2023
acx

Book Review: The Arctic Hysterias

35 min • 4,889 words • 265 comments • 176 likes • podcast (28 min)
A review of 'The Arctic Hysterias' by Edward Foulks, exploring culture-bound mental disorders among Eskimos and their decline with westernization. Longer summary
This book review examines 'The Arctic Hysterias' by Edward Foulks, which explores culture-bound mental disorders among Eskimos, particularly focusing on 'piblokto' or Arctic hysteria. The review discusses various Eskimo mental conditions, Foulks' investigations into their causes, and the decline of these disorders as Eskimo society westernizes. It also considers the cultural context, the impact of colonialism, and potential explanations for these phenomena, including comparisons to panic disorders and the effects of societal changes on mental health. Shorter summary
Apr 21, 2021
acx

Book Review: Global Economic History

22 min • 2,951 words • 463 comments • 74 likes • podcast (22 min)
Scott Alexander reviews a book on global economic history, discussing various factors and strategies that have influenced national development and industrialization. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews the book 'Global Economic History: A Very Short Introduction', which explores why some countries are richer than others and how nations have attempted to industrialize. The book avoids explanations based on cultural superiority or colonial exploitation, instead focusing on historical factors like the Industrial Revolution and various development models. It discusses the challenges faced by countries trying to industrialize in different eras and the effectiveness of different economic strategies, including planned economies and free market approaches. Shorter summary
Scott Alexander shares and comments on key passages from Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century', discussing historical economic trends and their modern implications. Longer summary
This post is a collection of passages highlighted by Scott Alexander in his reading of Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century'. Scott provides commentary on various economic and historical insights from the book, including the failure of past economic predictions, the role of inheritance in society, the history of taxation and public debt, and how wealth inequality has changed over time. He draws parallels between Piketty's observations and rationalist thinking, and reflects on how these historical economic trends relate to modern society and politics. Shorter summary
Jul 25, 2016
ssc

How The West Was Won

39 min • 5,388 words • 935 comments • podcast (35 min)
Scott Alexander distinguishes between 'universal culture' and 'Western culture', exploring how the former outcompetes all traditional cultures and the ethical implications of this process. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the concept of 'universal culture' as distinct from 'Western culture', arguing that what is often called 'Westernization' is actually the spread of a culture optimized for industrial societies. He explains how this universal culture outcompetes traditional cultures, including Western culture itself, and explores the ethical implications of this process. The post concludes by considering whether we should support or resist the spread of universal culture, acknowledging the complexity of the issue without reaching a definitive stance. Shorter summary
Apr 19, 2015
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Blame Theory

8 min • 1,017 words • 340 comments
Scott Alexander proposes that academics blaming their own demographic for societal problems stems from a desire to justify helping others within their moral framework. Longer summary
Scott Alexander explores the paradox of academics from privileged backgrounds attributing societal problems to their own demographic group. He proposes that this behavior might stem from a fundamental human goodness, combined with a common moral framework he calls 'Moral Therapeutic Deontology'. This framework struggles to justify helping others without obligation, leading people to create reasons why suffering is their fault to align with their moral system. Scott suggests that utilitarianism offers a more straightforward justification for helping others without needing to assign blame, and argues this approach might be more effective in motivating aid without the drawbacks of identity-based guilt. Shorter summary
Nov 28, 2013
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The Story Of Thanksgiving Is A Science-Fiction Story

9 min • 1,138 words • 27 comments
Scott Alexander reframes the Thanksgiving story as a science fiction narrative to highlight its overlooked complexities and darker aspects. Longer summary
Scott Alexander retells the story of Thanksgiving as a science fiction narrative, highlighting lesser-known historical facts. The post reimagines Squanto's life as a tale of alien abduction, dystopian empires, and post-apocalyptic America. It portrays the Pilgrims as aliens with advanced technology but lacking basic knowledge, and Squanto as a complex figure trying to rebuild civilization. The narrative concludes with a reminder of the eventual near-extinction of Native Americans, drawing parallels to the aliens' actions in the story. Scott uses this sci-fi retelling to emphasize the often-overlooked complexities and dark aspects of the Thanksgiving story. Shorter summary
Oct 20, 2013
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The Anti-Reactionary FAQ

252 min • 35,224 words • 810 comments
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
Mar 03, 2013
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Reactionary Philosophy In An Enormous, Planet-Sized Nutshell

120 min • 16,672 words • 341 comments
The post provides a comprehensive overview of Reactionary philosophy and its critiques of modern progressive society, attempting to present these controversial ideas fairly for the sake of debate. Longer summary
This post provides a comprehensive overview of Reactionary philosophy, presenting its arguments against modern progressive society and in favor of traditional values and governance structures. The author explains Reactionary critiques of democracy, diversity, feminism, and other progressive ideals, and presents Reactionary arguments for monarchy, cultural unity, and traditional gender roles. The post covers topics like race, colonialism, and immigration from a Reactionary perspective. While not endorsing these views, the author attempts to present them fairly to encourage debate and examination of commonly held progressive assumptions. Shorter summary