ACX
Highlights From The Comments On Subcultures
Scott Alexander discusses reader comments on his cyclic theory of subcultures, addressing critiques and expanding on the model's applications and limitations.
31 min read 4,672 words
A thread through the archive
subcultures
Essays tagged “subcultures”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on subcultures
6 essaysACX
A Cyclic Theory Of Subcultures
Scott proposes a four-phase cyclic theory of subculture evolution, explaining their rise and fall without requiring sociopathic takeovers.
15 min read 2,229 words
SSC
Cultural Evolution 2: Thanks For The Meme-Rise
Scott examines five potential mechanisms of cultural evolution, discussing their strengths and limitations, and concludes that they don't strongly justify preserving specific cultural features.
5 min read 737 words
SSC
Black People Less Likely
Scott Alexander argues that polyamory's low black representation is part of a broader pattern across many subcultures, proposing general explanations and criticizing how this issue is often weaponized.
16 min read 2,462 words
SSC
Archipelago and Atomic Communitarianism
Scott Alexander proposes 'Archipelago', a society of voluntary communities, as a potential solution to issues in modern politics and social organization.
45 min read 6,855 words
LW
That other kind of status
Scott proposes that people don't just seek status itself, but rather seek mental states that allow them to believe they have status, explaining why people adopt low-status beliefs like conspiracy theories.
8 min read 1,193 words