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
status
Essays tagged “status”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on status
7 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
ACX
Book Review: Sadly, Porn
Scott Alexander reviews the obscure psychoanalytic book 'Sadly, Porn', attempting to decipher its core ideas about human psychology and society.
79 min read 12,094 words
SSC
Financial Incentives Are Weaker Than Social Incentives But Very Important Anyway
Scott Alexander critiques an NYT article on the weakness of financial incentives, arguing that they remain crucial as a counterweight to powerful social incentives.
11 min read 1,611 words
SSC
Contra Simler on Prestige
Scott critiques Simler's theory of prestige, finding it insufficient for human behavior, and proposes five alternative explanations for the phenomenon.
23 min read 3,468 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
LW
How to Not Lose an Argument
Scott argues that to persuade people rather than just demolish them, you should leave them a social line of retreat by being genuinely nice and not treating the discussion as a status contest.
13 min read 1,961 words