Master Index
Sign in Subscribe
nrx

Curtis Yarvin

Mencius Moldbug aka Curtis Yarvin, an American software engineer, blogger, and political theorist. He is known for his writings on the blog "Unqualified Reservations" and his political philosophy known as "neoreaction."

Curtis Yarvin

Description

Mencius Moldbug is the pseudonym of Curtis Yarvin, an American software engineer, blogger, and political theorist. He is known for his writings on the blog "Unqualified Reservations" and his political philosophy known as "neoreaction." In his writings, he claims to be a Jacobite in regard to political persuasion

Moldbug's writings gained attention in the late 2000s and early 2010s for his unique views on politics, governance, and society. His philosophy is generally known to be critical of democracy and advocates for a return to a form of absolute monarchy or autocratic rule, which he sees as having several inherent advantages, especially in times of turmoil. Moldbug's ideas typically challenge mainstream political ideologies and institutions.

He has been associated with various right-wing groups, often uncharitably and his writings have influenced a subset of online communities. Mainstream media and left-wing sources are not shy about attacking him with their usual bevy of slurs.

Content

Mencius Moldbug's Unqualified Reservations

Open Letter to Open-Minded Progressives

A Gentle Introduction to Unqualified Reservations

Patchwork: A Political System for the 21st Century

How Dawkins Got Pwned

He has several other solid article series, including Moldbug on Carlyle, A formalist manifesto, Technology, communism and the Brown Scare, and Sam Altman is not a blithering idiot.

Grey Mirror

Other Mentions/Media

Political Philosophy

Curtis Yarvin has made significant contributions to the neoreactionary movement and political discourse, especially of right-wing ideology. Here are some of the major themes of his work:

Articulating Neoreactionary Thought: Yarvin played a key role in formulating and popularizing the ideas associated with neoreaction, which shares some themes with Nick Land's work The Dark Enlightenment.

Critique of Democracy: In his work, he has developed a distinct critique of democracy and articulated alternative visions of governance, challenging mainstream political ideologies. He points out the inherent flows in democratic systems, and highlights that they are prone to inefficiency, and susceptible to corruption (which seems pretty clear if you follow American politics at all). He keys on issues such as the influence of special interests, short-term thinking, and the irrationality of the masses.

Monarchy and Autocracy: As a Jacobite, Yarvin sees strengths in forms of autocratic rule, including absolute monarchy, as alternatives to democracy. He argues that a beneficent sovereign with long-term vision and control over governance would provide stability, efficient administration, and reduced corruption.

Technocracy: Yarvin also considers the idea of technocratic governance, where decision-making power is concentrated in the hands of experts with specialized knowledge (which is also what the founders of the current regime aim for, though they are much less meritocratic). He suggests that this approach would lead to more efficient and effective solutions to societal problems.

Patchwork and Decentralization: Yarvin's concept of Patchwork proposes a decentralized system of governance with competing jurisdictions. Patches, functioning as independent city-states, would offer distinct legal systems and policies, allowing individuals to choose the patch that aligns with their preferences.

Historical and Cultural Tradition: Yarvin emphasizes the importance of historical and cultural tradition in shaping society. He contends that society should draw on historical knowledge and lessons rather than attempting radical societal transformations.

The Cathedral: Yarvin originated the term "Cathedral" to refer to the interconnected institutions of mainstream academia, media, and bureaucracy that he believes maintain and propagate the dominant ideologies and narratives of the democratic order. It represents a metaphorical structure of influence and power.

Distillations:

Back to

Master Index

Tags

#nrx

Read next