Scott Alexander examines his sudden shift towards conservatism, proposing it may be part of a broader trend of intellectuals differentiating themselves from mainstream leftism.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander explores the concept of fashion and political beliefs using a cellular automaton model, then reflects on his sudden shift towards conservatism. He proposes that this shift might be due to a counter-signaling hierarchy, where intellectuals differentiate themselves from mainstream leftism by adopting more conservative or libertarian views. The post discusses various potential explanations for this shift, including stress, exposure to neoreactionary ideas, and a desire to avoid being associated with certain leftist positions. Scott concludes by hoping that this pendulum-like movement between political positions might lead to gradual learning and improvement over time.
Shorter summary