this is a prior attempt by me at giving a (very) concise overview of the “main camp” (for lack of a better term). the zizians are a distinct, specific, extremist offshoot of these.
and I want to make clear that “extremist” there is really, really intense. because 'ole Yud himself has advocated nuking datacenters to “stop the AI”
thiel’s linked in by…many strands. it’s pretty accurate to say that many aren’t known, and only some are. some things that are: these ideas are extremely popular with a lot of the kind of people who work at thiel-funded/thiel-connected companies (palantir, etc etc). there’s also a strong link/correlation between the sort of shit that both thiel/yarvin say, and many of these
don’t feel bad for not getting it from the getgo, nor should you feel bad about not wanting to dive in. much of their shit spans 2~3 decades (even longer when you account for the extropians and longtermists and shit…), so there’s a lot
one other visible strand: thiel has kinda sorta grant program where he pays people to not to got to university and instead do anything else. this way he funded a couple of people from extended rationalist universe and some cryptobros
e: oh well
In early February 2025, Elon Musk used several Thiel Fellows in an attempt to take over operations of the Department of the Treasury through the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).[9]
there’s a bunch of people, some of which made technodystopian bullshit (like cryptobros or later ai) or went all in in bubbles (thiel fellowship is diverse in their hype, vr, tissue grown meat, cryonics, anti-aging drivel, pick your poison) which embedded them in sv financial circles, and all of them rub shoulders with, and have debts to, peter thiel (some literal, some in terms of favours)
and also they’re isolated from normal academia and instead believe all that monumental extended rationalist universe horseshit. this also means that they never learned critical thinking in proper university but instead dwelt on forums dedicated to extremely verbose and badly written harry potter fanfic. all of that for a small price of 100k per head
I mean if these people are even more extreme than “let’s turn the poors into biodiesel” … what the actual fuck.
I’m suspicious of AI… I think it can help in science research and medicine for novel solutions to difficult problems but should never be used by everyday people or by companies just trying to profit for the sake of profit, which is most companies under capitalism.
The people who quote chat gpt (and it’s competitors) answers in comments are people I wouldn’t mind turning into biodiesel. Ok not really but if they can’t/are too lazy to use their brain for basic shit what does that say about our society? Why are we outsourcing our ability to think and reason to a fucking overhyped algorithm???
Anyway. About to read your link and hopefully (no offense to you!) not lose any more brain cells than I have already trying to figure these weirdos out.
I’m trying to figure out if this cult is mostly aligned with Peter thiels nonsense or not. I’m still lost.
Or are these trans ladies and fellow cultists fighting against them?
The fact I can’t figure who is on what ideological team is uh… worrisome. I’m usually pretty good at that?
it’s … hairy
this is a prior attempt by me at giving a (very) concise overview of the “main camp” (for lack of a better term). the zizians are a distinct, specific, extremist offshoot of these.
and I want to make clear that “extremist” there is really, really intense. because 'ole Yud himself has advocated nuking datacenters to “stop the AI”
thiel’s linked in by…many strands. it’s pretty accurate to say that many aren’t known, and only some are. some things that are: these ideas are extremely popular with a lot of the kind of people who work at thiel-funded/thiel-connected companies (palantir, etc etc). there’s also a strong link/correlation between the sort of shit that both thiel/yarvin say, and many of these
don’t feel bad for not getting it from the getgo, nor should you feel bad about not wanting to dive in. much of their shit spans 2~3 decades (even longer when you account for the extropians and longtermists and shit…), so there’s a lot
one other visible strand: thiel has kinda sorta grant program where he pays people to not to got to university and instead do anything else. this way he funded a couple of people from extended rationalist universe and some cryptobros
e: oh well
@skillissuer @sneerclub
"Here, I’ll fund some smart people to isolate them among like-minded fringe thinkers rather than mixing with a healthy normal range of opinions.”
if only
there’s a bunch of people, some of which made technodystopian bullshit (like cryptobros or later ai) or went all in in bubbles (thiel fellowship is diverse in their hype, vr, tissue grown meat, cryonics, anti-aging drivel, pick your poison) which embedded them in sv financial circles, and all of them rub shoulders with, and have debts to, peter thiel (some literal, some in terms of favours)
and also they’re isolated from normal academia and instead believe all that monumental extended rationalist universe horseshit. this also means that they never learned critical thinking in proper university but instead dwelt on forums dedicated to extremely verbose and badly written harry potter fanfic. all of that for a small price of 100k per head
make of that what you will
@skillissuer @sneerclub
It’s like a reverse cult. All the isolation, but they pay *you*.
I mean if these people are even more extreme than “let’s turn the poors into biodiesel” … what the actual fuck.
I’m suspicious of AI… I think it can help in science research and medicine for novel solutions to difficult problems but should never be used by everyday people or by companies just trying to profit for the sake of profit, which is most companies under capitalism.
The people who quote chat gpt (and it’s competitors) answers in comments are people I wouldn’t mind turning into biodiesel. Ok not really but if they can’t/are too lazy to use their brain for basic shit what does that say about our society? Why are we outsourcing our ability to think and reason to a fucking overhyped algorithm???
Anyway. About to read your link and hopefully (no offense to you!) not lose any more brain cells than I have already trying to figure these weirdos out.
the sidebar has a link (the TESCREAL one) which may also be illuminating
as to the rest, yuuuuuup. that’s why sneerclub and techtakes exist.