How to avoid getting lost reading Scott Alexander and his 1500+ blog posts? This unaffiliated fan website lets you sort and search through the whole codex. Enjoy!

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Aug 08, 2024
acx

Highlights From The Comments On Nietzsche

117 min • 15,193 words • 250 comments • 129 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to reader comments on his article about Matt Yglesias and Nietzschean philosophy, exploring various perspectives on master and slave morality. Longer summary
This post highlights comments on Scott Alexander's article about Matt Yglesias and Nietzschean philosophy. It covers various perspectives on master and slave morality, critiques of different thinkers mentioned in the original post, and other related topics. The comments explore nuances in Nietzsche's philosophy, discuss the applicability of these concepts to modern society, and debate the merits of different moral frameworks. Shorter summary
Apr 18, 2024
acx

Ye Olde Bay Area House Party

26 min • 3,370 words • 177 comments • 323 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander writes a satirical account of a Bay Area house party, mocking various tech and social trends in a Chaucer-inspired style. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents another satirical Bay Area house party scenario, this time written in a Chaucer-inspired style. The narrator encounters various eccentric characters, each representing absurd or exaggerated tech and social trends. The post humorously critiques concepts like land acknowledgments, tunnel-digging ventures, anti-celebrity magazines, QR code browsers, and overzealous environmental protection. It also pokes fun at tech optimism, social awkwardness, and the Bay Area startup culture. Shorter summary
Aug 17, 2023
acx

Bride Of Bay Area House Party

24 min • 3,066 words • 242 comments • 365 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander satirizes Bay Area culture through a fictional house party featuring absurd startup ideas and social trends. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes a satirical Bay Area house party, featuring various absurd startup ideas and social trends. The narrative follows the protagonist encountering different characters, each presenting a ridiculous concept or social commentary. These include an automated land acknowledger, a restaurant based on historical food descriptions, a reality TV dating show as a dating strategy, the reveal of 'Max Roser' as a title, and an urbanist's attempt to solve housing issues with intentionally ugly architecture. The story humorously critiques various aspects of Bay Area culture, tech startups, and social justice initiatives. Shorter summary
Feb 16, 2022
acx

Book Review: Sadly, Porn

93 min • 12,084 words • 679 comments • 208 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander reviews the obscure psychoanalytic book 'Sadly, Porn', attempting to decipher its core ideas about human psychology and society. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews 'Sadly, Porn' by Edward Teach, a complex and obscure psychoanalytic work. He attempts to decipher the book's core ideas about human psychology, desire, and societal structures, while grappling with its intentionally difficult style and controversial claims. The review explores themes of envy, status-seeking, and the modern psyche's relationship with corporations and technology, as well as the book's critique of contemporary politics and culture. Shorter summary
Jun 10, 2021
acx

Your Book Review: Down And Out In Paris And London

107 min • 13,899 words • 92 comments • 77 likes • podcast
The review analyzes Orwell's 'Down and Out in Paris and London', praising its vivid depictions of poverty while noting some limitations in perspective. Longer summary
This review analyzes George Orwell's 'Down and Out in Paris and London', a memoir of his experiences living in poverty in both cities. The reviewer praises Orwell's vivid descriptions and insights into the lives of the poor, while noting some limitations in Orwell's perspective. The book is divided into sections on Paris, where Orwell worked grueling jobs in restaurant kitchens, and London, where he lived as a tramp relying on shelters. The review highlights Orwell's observations on the psychological impacts of poverty, the failings of charity and welfare systems, and societal attitudes towards the poor. It also discusses how some aspects of poverty and homelessness have changed since Orwell's time. Shorter summary
Feb 24, 2021
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Book Review: Fussell On Class

43 min • 5,573 words • 865 comments • 227 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander reviews Paul Fussell's 1983 book 'Class', which analyzes America's informal class structure and its impact on behavior and preferences. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews Paul Fussell's 1983 book 'Class', which examines the American class system. The book argues that America has a complex, informal class structure, dividing society into upper, middle, and working classes with various subclasses. Fussell describes the characteristics, preferences, and behaviors of each class in detail, often with a mix of seriousness and humor. The review highlights how some of Fussell's observations may still be relevant today, while others have aged poorly due to societal changes since the 1980s. Scott also discusses the book's unusual final chapter, which introduces a 'Class X' of people who supposedly transcend class distinctions. Shorter summary
Feb 12, 2021
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List Of Fictional Cryptocurrencies Banned By The SEC

7 min • 866 words • 150 comments • 186 likes • podcast
Scott Alexander presents a satirical list of fictional cryptocurrencies and the humorous reasons for their ban by the SEC. Longer summary
Scott Alexander humorously describes a list of fictional cryptocurrencies banned by the SEC, each with unique and often absurd features. He explains the concept behind each cryptocurrency, ranging from religious-themed coins to those based on communist ideals or vampire slaying. The post then provides comical reasons for why each cryptocurrency was banned, often highlighting potential societal issues or unintended consequences of their implementation. Shorter summary
Apr 12, 2013
ssc

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less

2 min • 217 words • 37 comments • podcast
The post contrasts public reactions to the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Margaret Thatcher, highlighting inconsistent moral standards in celebrating or condemning deaths of public figures. Longer summary
This post compares the public reactions to the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Margaret Thatcher, highlighting the contradictory nature of societal responses. The author notes that after bin Laden's death, many people preached against celebrating anyone's death, regardless of their actions. Conversely, when Thatcher died, many celebrated and defended the right to express negative feelings about public figures' deaths. The post suggests a significant overlap between these contradictory groups, implying a critique of inconsistent moral standards and selective outrage. Shorter summary