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Notes -
Well this exact effect is exactly why (in a historical sense) this website exists, isn't it? Scott amputated spicy discussions from his blog because people who knew more than him about spicy conspiracy Topic X kept derailing every discussion about every other mundane Topic Y by claiming (with evidence derived from their greater knowledge) that Topic X was actually closely related to Topic Y and dragging entire comment sections into the flames.
Fast forward several subsequent additional amputations and here we are.
Wait, what? The ACX comment section doesn't have any topic bans I'm aware of. I know Motte was amputated from the SSC subreddit due to Scott caving under pressure, though.
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Nobody is perfect. He needs to maintain his brand with his substack and some of these discussions can damage it.
I am being charitable to him and assume that he doesn't denounce lockdown restrictions only because he cannot without damage to his reputation. It is the same Kolgomorov's complicity he wrote about.
I can put my bets that the public is volatile. Crowds that demanded that everyone stays at home, will soon demand for blood of those who issued these orders. But I have nothing to lose if my bets do not work out. For him it is much more riskier. And he can join the crowd too when it demands blood.
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