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PaperclipPerfector  8mo ago (text post)   3469 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 10, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Are there any other sites that you suggest with similar themes as here? Not necessarily forums, blogs or substacks are good, and not necessarily with the same politics, even better if it is completely different from here.

Watering holes with similar discussion norms: DataSecretsLox, /r/theschism (slowly dying)

Blogs: I interpret 'similar to here' as trying to understand the cultural moment at least one layer of abstraction deeper than Current Thing, and making observations besides the most obvious talking points from their political perspective. AstralCodexTen (obviously), PSmith's bookshelf, Ecosophia, Scholar's Stage, EXIT podcast, Richard Hanania's Newsletter.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Watering holes with similar discussion norms: DataSecretsLox, /r/theschism (slowly dying)

Yes, I knew them and seeing the slow decay is somehow more painful that a clear cut end.

EXIT

Are you a member?

I have been for a couple months.

What is it? A PR service that helps "repair" the reputations of "cancelled" people?

The main goal is to help people build their own businesses. Side goals are things like homeschooling, homesteading, and otherwise working to raise a family outside the grasp of the state. So it's pretty much a chat group and 10-15 weekly zoom calls where people offer each other their help and expertise working towards those goals.

The idea is pretty great, and there are some pretty successful guys in the group willing to lend their expertise, but I can't say I've been too impressed so far--certainly not enough to justify the $100/month price tag. Nobody is really operating on the scale I'd like to see, and nobody seems ambitious enough.

Still, it's less of a LARP than any comparable group I can think of. These guys are acutely aware of @KulakRevolt's point that most modern-day prepping is LARPing, and any societal disaster is a lot more likely to look like a communist revolution than a zombie apocalypse.

Thank you for the insightful context. $100/month membership sounds very steep, especially if the goal is for men, as you said, to build their own businesses.

I could see the price tag being justified for those who seek a group chat that is an active, free speech haven.

It's a group chat too, moderately active and imo fairly insightful. I'd be fine with the price tag if I felt like I had ownership in the group--if it was a club, rather than a corporation, building things together--but as is it's too much for me.

Are you a member?

I wouldn't provide value to the group, nor do I think the group would provide value to me (I'm not much of a cancel target). If one of these two variables changed I'd consider giving it a shot.

Ymeskhout has a Substack and he usually cross-posts his articles here: https://ymeskhout.substack.com/

Those Who Tremble is a bit hit-and-miss but can be interesting https://thosewhotremble.substack.com/

If you'll forgive me for promoting myself: https://firsttoilthenthegrave.substack.com/ A lot of my posts originate as comments I've posted here before I flesh them out for general consumption, and I generally try to cross-post.

Thank you. I really like your essay about Unfalsifiable Aesthetics: it summarizes many of my intuitions about music as a classical trained player.

Thank you! Which instrument?

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