An Open Letter Chapter 4 - Dr. Johnson's Hypothesis

Summary:

Yarvin recalls his parents/grandparents called themselves "progressives" aka Whigs
They were all members of the Communist (aka progressive) Party
This made Yarvin suspicious of "progress" as something "creepy and weird"
He had first-hand evidence that there was an international Communist conspiracy
Modern progressives aren't Communists, rather anti-anti communists
Think communism is a mistake, yet doesn't condone attacks on it

He breaks societies into type 1,2,3 based on relationship between opinion and authority

Thoughts compete on basis of their resemblance to reality
Good ideas outcompete bad ideas in a type 3 society because most would rather be clued in rather than deluded.
Intellectuals compete to see reality as it really is.
You can expect that the "best thoughts" are readily available for those willing to think them.
People who want to understand reality will cluster around the truth

Thoughts coordinated by government
Public opinion a matter of state security - because people are freakin' dangerous
The State establishes 2 categories of thought: Good and bad and reward/punish accordingly
The State supports official information organs (used to install good thoughts in people's brains, cradle to grave)
Information organs have one viewpoint, one set of doctrines, one official story = a sypnosis
There is NO intellectual conflict allowed; disagreement means instability
A single leader (or single institution of authority) maintains synopsis via executive power

Post 1945 western society
These are like type 1 information organs, but no central coordination
They consistently push the idea that they ARE a Type 3 society.
Post 1945 synopsis: The Synopsis
Institutions producing, spreading the Synopsis (Mainstream academia, journalism, education, entertainment industry): The Cathedral
The concept of The Cathedral is one of Yarvin's most important contributions to NRX thought.

Press and universities control the state (inverse of type 1)
Formed when central authority in type 1 breaks down
Hallmark of a Type 2 Society is spontaneous coordination without a clear central authority
The Cathedral is the dominant information system
Captures resources/powers of state
Professors and journalists control public opinion
The Synopsis strengthens The Cathedral
There is no way in current society to receive a mainstream education, watch or read the mainstream news, and actually believe them, and not be a Progressive.
So The Cathedral produces an official information system, which in all other respects resembles a Type I society, but which is not responsible to a central authority.

The Cathedral acts as a power center, but if view divergence occurs (inevitable without outside coordination), they compete in two ways:

Truthers are at a disadvantage to those who view everything in terms of power and use them as weapons

Type 1 pathology
Political power distorts the playing field of ideas, with the State-favored ideals being artificially supported and opposing ideas harshly discouraged.

Type 2 pathology
Ideas are pushed/favored based on their ability to serve as coalition-organizing ideas.
From a Type 3 perspective this is just as dangerous because it doesn't promote idea supremacy based on reality.
Nonsense can be a more effective organizing idea than the truth.
Virtue signaling: belief in nonsense is an unforgeable demonstration of loyalty
The Synopsis includes only political propositions which strengthen the Cathedral when adopted (and weaken its enemies), rejecting all other propositions.

Expands not in the landscape of truth, but in that of Power
The first Type 2 movement in modern history: The Reformation
Through the Reformation, we reach the Enlightenment
The post 1945 type 2 Western regime appears final and irreversible: whig millennium
Satisfies demand for power only by expanding
Whig principles appear noble but are only concerned with seizing power
In line with the doctor's hypothesis: Whigs (Progressives) are only concerned with their own power rather than state of society.
They would rather rule in hell than serve in heaven