This page contains a short summary of each category on the website, with appropriate links to the more detailed content. If the main content is too involved for your taste or available time, go here first. Site info is here, and author info is here. Click here for a random post.
Constitution
This category begins with an overview of the USA version 1 constitution, then proceeds through a few topics that likely need revision the second time around (to make it more resilient against nihilistic attack): judicial review (fiat amendment), the federal power structure (states vs. central government), the bureaucracy (unelected and unaccountable fourth branch of government), hermeneutics (making the constitution more “self-interpreting”), electoral integrity (specifically with regard to the Presidential election, since that’s the only non-state election), and a final short summary essay.
Anti-Marxism
Beginning with an introduction that defines 3 fundamental flavors of Marxism (academic framework, ideology, political/economic system), the category then moves on to specific facets of Marxism: the principal danger (inevitable death toll), an essay on inequality (which is not intrinsically as bad as advertised), an introduction to Thomas Sowell’s conversion from Marxism (with some suggestions for talking to others), a discussion of the fragility of Marxism (why does it always lead to disaster?), the incompatibility of Marxism with other desirable systems (specifically, USA version 1 and Christianity), a discussion of Critical Theory (Marxism for the West: available in 3 flavors – Classic, Postmodern and New), a second discussion of inequality (in which entrepreneurs are found to be useful for society, even if they become wealthy), and a final short summary essay.
Nonracism
This category has a different name style because the word “anti-racism” has been co-opted by one of the ideologies (Kendiangelonianism, sometimes called neo-racism) that this category is written in opposition to (the category is also written in opposition to classic racism). In many (most?) of the contemporary discussions of race, both sides are largely talking past each other – using the same vocabulary list, but different dictionaries. For this reason, much of this category is given over to careful definitions of various words and phrases. The category begins with a (longer-than-normal) introductory essay, containing a summary of the history of slavery, racism and the relation between the two, as well as an introduction to Kendiangelonianism. We then proceed through three (also rather long and detailed) discussions of the competing definitions for racism itself, social justice, and Critical Race Theory/systemic racism. We then continue with a detailed examination of several logical/statistical fallacies that crop up frequently either as part of racism itself or in discussions of racism. This essay also contains an extended examination of a sample demographics fallacy (looking specifically at fatal police shootings in 2016 – the most recent year for which all the statistics needed are publicly available). Finally, we finish with a suggested alternative approach to nonracism, some resources for further study, and a closing summary essay.
Hopefully, this category will be unnecessary in USA version 2, but unfortunately, race may well be the hammer with which progressive nihilists crush USA version 1.
Anti-postmodernism
A (sonata-form) category in opposition to philosophical postmodernism – Introduction (defining postmodernism, as we will use the term), Exposition (expansion of the basic tenets of postmodernism), Development (discussion of the harmful corollaries of postmodernism), Recapitulation (what can be done to guard against the rise of a similarly nihilistic philosophy in USA version 2).
Anti-oikophobia
This category, written in opposition to oikophobia (the loathing of one’s own culture and country, or “the repudiation of inheritance and home“) begins with an introductory essay (largely a discussion of some of the work of Roger Scruton), before moving on to a series of essays on Bad History (or at least, bad historical narrative – the main method by which oikophobia is produced): “Implication Vector” (an essay on a particular problem in historical narrative construction), “Original Zinn” (an essay discussing the many flaws of the history text of Howard Zinn), and “Jonesing for Slavery” (an essay discussing the similarly flawed “1619 Project” of Nikole Hannah-Jones). This is followed by a (very long) historical narrative case study regarding Native American History in the US, and ends with a short summary essay.
Anti-“scientism”
This category, written in opposition to “scientism,” the near-worship of a warped caricature of science, begins with an introductory essay (defining scientism and listing prominent current characteristics). It then proceeds to an exposition of the quality of scientific evidence, essays on scientism in public health and climate policy, an essay on philosophical materialism (specifically, the notion that it is necessary for scientific progress), a short word about virtue-signaling, and a final summary essay. Opposition to “scientism” will likely be necessary if USA version 2 is to avoid a hostile takeover by the bureaucracy.
Misc.
These are short unrelated posts – still important, but not long enough to merit a whole category. At present:
- Economics: an examination of the deadly consequences of deficit spending (and specifically, the debt that it accrues).
- Victimhood Culture: an essay on the rise of a third “moral culture” – following “honor culture” (insults give rise to direct physical violence) and “dignity culture” (insults are overlooked), we now see the rise of “victimhood culture” in which insults result in bringing down the force of a third-party (college administration, government, Twitter mob, etc.). This has given rise to high status for “virtuous victims.”
- Contempt of/for the Rulers: an essay on the current cultural gap (and mutual contempt) between the “ruling class” and the “working class” in USA version 1. This was also treated somewhat in the Bureaucracy post in the Constitution category.
- Energy Prices: an essay on the relation between economic forces and energy prices, specifically making the case that (current) high energy prices are the result of distortions of the global fossil fuels market, not the result of “price gouging” by Big Oil.
- Left vs. Right: an alternative view: a short essay on what is really meant by the ubiquitous “left/right” labels in discussion of politics and government. Also contains a suggestion or two regarding some slightly different ways to think about these ideas.
- How Far Along the Path?: Clearly certain aspects of USA version 1 are no longer operative. How far along the path of decline are we? Are we headed for reform, collapse or revolution? A short essay taking up this question, with links to other writers considering similar ideas.
Christianity
A category written for Christians, urging both doctrinal fidelity and love for others as we move away from a cultural dominance by nominal Christianity and toward more governmental hostility and a cultural push to abandon the distinctives of the gospel. Begins with an introductory essay on the fundamentals of Christianity (and the distinctions among primary, secondary and tertiary doctrines), followed by an essay on the dangers to Christianity (from outside and inside the Church), an essay specifically opposing certain aspects of Progressive Christianity, an essay defending the historically orthodox Christian view of human sexuality (rather shocking that some of this needs to be said), and then a short summary.