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satire
Essays tagged “satire”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on satire
45 essaysACX
The Types Of Candidate You Find In The California Gubernatorial Race
Scott categorizes California's 60 gubernatorial candidates into humorous types rather than covering them individually, from generic top-tier politicians to increasingly bizarre fringe candidates with conspiracy theories, supernatural visions, and incomprehensible platforms.
47 min read 7,172 words
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Every Debate On Pausing AI
A satirical dialogue showing how opponents of AI pause proposals often ignore that advocates explicitly call for bilateral agreements with China, not unilateral pauses.
8 min read 1,207 words
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Interview Day At Thiel Capital
Scott Alexander presents a series of satirical job interviews at Thiel Capital, where candidates share increasingly absurd unpopular beliefs, highlighting the nature of conspiracy theories and contrarian thinking.
16 min read 2,459 words
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My 2024 Presidential Debate
Scott Alexander presents a satirical 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Trump, featuring increasingly absurd positions on various issues.
27 min read 4,116 words
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Ye Olde Bay Area House Party
Scott Alexander writes a satirical account of a Bay Area house party, mocking various tech and social trends in a Chaucer-inspired style.
22 min read 3,370 words
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Son Of Bride Of Bay Area House Party
Scott Alexander satirizes Silicon Valley culture through a fictional house party where everyone is obsessed with Sam Altman's firing from OpenAI.
17 min read 2,624 words
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Hardball Questions For The Next Debate
Scott Alexander presents a satirical, fictional Republican primary debate with absurd rules to highlight candidate personalities and critique political debate formats.
15 min read 2,209 words
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My Presidential Platform
Scott Alexander presents a satirical presidential platform with outlandish and humorous policy proposals, critiquing various aspects of American politics and society.
19 min read 2,817 words
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Bride Of Bay Area House Party
Scott Alexander satirizes Bay Area culture through a fictional house party featuring absurd startup ideas and social trends.
20 min read 3,066 words
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Even More Bay Area House Party
A satirical account of a Bay Area house party featuring absurd conversations on tech, culture, and startups, ending with the protagonist's plan to profit from the information gained.
23 min read 3,563 words
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The Buying Things From A Store FAQ
Scott Alexander uses a satirical FAQ about stores to illustrate common objections to new institutions, then explains the purpose and offers heuristics for evaluating such criticisms.
9 min read 1,342 words
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If The Media Reported On Other Things Like It Does Effective Altruism
Scott Alexander satirizes media coverage of Effective Altruism by applying similar reporting tactics to other causes and movements.
5 min read 627 words
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Another Bay Area House Party
Scott Alexander presents a satirical account of a Bay Area house party, showcasing absurd startup ideas and intellectual discussions that parody Silicon Valley culture.
25 min read 3,825 words
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The Prophet And Caesar's Wife
A satirical series of encounters between a Prophet and various Bishops, exploring the contradictions in religious leadership and public perception.
17 min read 2,576 words
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It's Bad On Purpose To Make You Click
Scott writes a satirical poem about clickbait content, repeating the refrain 'It's bad on purpose to make you click' to critique manipulative media practices.
2 min read 288 words
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Every Bay Area House Party
Scott Alexander satirizes Bay Area culture through a fictional house party filled with eccentric characters and outlandish startup ideas.
28 min read 4,217 words
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Verses Written On The Occasion Of Getting The COVID Vaccine
Scott Alexander writes a humorous poem about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, set to a Les Misérables tune, exploring lockdown frustrations and the complexities of returning to normalcy.
3 min read 456 words
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List Of Fictional Cryptocurrencies Banned By The SEC
Scott Alexander presents a satirical list of fictional cryptocurrencies and the humorous reasons for their ban by the SEC.
6 min read 866 words
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Slightly Skew Systems Of Government
Scott Alexander describes three fictional and slightly absurd systems of government: an acausal democracy, a constitutional mobocracy, and a meta-republic with representatives from various governing philosophies.
9 min read 1,369 words
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“My Immortal” As Alchemical Allegory
Scott Alexander humorously analyzes 'My Immortal' as an alchemical allegory, combining medieval alchemy, Rosicrucian writings, and Goethe's Faust.
48 min read 7,411 words
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Little Known Types Of Eclipse
Scott Alexander humorously invents various absurd types of 'eclipses', ranging from astronomical to metaphorical and apocalyptic.
2 min read 232 words