ACX
Lifeboat Games And Backscratchers Clubs
Scott Alexander uses thought experiments to explore how people form coalitions and support networks, relating these to real-world social and political dynamics.
21 min read 3,120 words
A thread through the archive
nationalism
Essays tagged “nationalism”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on nationalism
5 essaysACX
Who Gets Self-Determination?
Scott Alexander argues for a universal right to self-determination, critiquing the current paradigm of determining which groups qualify as 'peoples'.
20 min read 3,044 words
SSC
The Invention Of Moral Narrative
Scott Alexander examines and critiques the claim that good-vs-evil narratives in popular culture are a recent, nationalism-driven phenomenon, offering alternative explanations for their prevalence.
14 min read 2,137 words
SSC
Tuesday Shouldn’t Change The Narrative
Scott Alexander argues that the 2016 US election outcome shouldn't drastically change our understanding of politics, given how close the race is.
8 min read 1,158 words
SSC
The Ideology Is Not The Movement
Scott Alexander examines tribalism, arguing that ideologies often serve as 'rallying flags' for tribes rather than defining their core identity.
50 min read 7,647 words