I tried to google what a Ziz is last night and it sent me to a World of Warcraft character. So I’m going to believe it’s an in game cult until I hear your report 😅
That's a very brief version. Think of what happens when you mix mental illness with the people who take Roko's Basilisk and Effective Altruism seriously.
The recent Grauniad story has a lot of nice biographical detail but is light on the intellectual background, giving too much credit to Rationalist "research" and thus downplaying the possibility that Zizians are just Yuddites without cash flow.
It's underappreciated how early the bad stuff started with the Rationalists. Like, everything Yudkowsky wrote about quantum mechanics in the Sequences... it wasn't just mathematically and historically incorrect, it was also cult shit.
His whole theme was that scientists are insufficiently Rational to see the truth in front of their faces, so you should ignore the scientists and listen to him instead.
The world is entering a downswing of history. I'm not ashamed to shill my dad's book that covers electricity, ammo, water, food, health, and sustainability. These topics are covered in ways that other books do not. Especially making, storing and using electricity.
It's too bad they are getting locked up. They would have made a good team for the Democrats version of DOGE to reinstate DEIA policies. Maybe George Soros could hire them.
I know of the Curtis murder in Vallejo. I met Curtis twice at his lot in an industrial area in Vallejo. A very kind and generous person, who was tormented by the Zizians, though at the time it was unknown as a cult.
Genuinely looking forward to these episodes- even with how much I know about the Rationalists (too much), the Zizians are a deeply obscure and weird topic to me.
Speaking as someone tangentially connected to two of the involved communities, I've suggested that a friend reach out to you on this because only she has both the spite and the deep lore necessary to really take this to the level I want to see it hit.
Seconded. If you want to start putting out the texts I'll gladly pay for the privilege. You don't have to worry about the podcast taking a hit, I'll still have it in the background while I'm playing TW Warhammer 3.
I’d love to hear more about what went down at that one protest. Child endangerment charges and false imprisonment? Sounds like it was their tipping point from weird to stupid murders
I've only seen a tiny bit of coverage on them from the Last Podcast guys and they were not exactly thorough or accurate on their talking about it, I'm so excited to hear whatever you put together for this.
I think I'm there's anything justifying my feeling of sour grapes towards not being in academia and tech for very long is that all of the intellectual circles I'd have been exposed to would have either made me a bad person or caused me to jump. Zizians included
You are one of the relatively few people I trust not to fuck this one up for several reasons, in part because I think you are more responsible than you give yourself credit for sometimes and this subject is touchy in some very unique ways. Godspeed, regardless.
As someone who liked a certain Rationalist fanfic and found some of the tools in it compelling and useful, I'm incredibly eager to learn how messed up the people who actually became a part of that community get.
Robert I believe you are one of the few people who is both clearheaded enough and familiar enough with rationalism and occultism to tell this story, as someone who was peripherally involved I am looking forward to hearing what you discover
It’s a good jumping off point for explaining the black hole of cringenerd dipshittery that is Silicon Valley Rationalism. The people must be told about the horrifying power of a thoroughly mid Harry Potter fanfic Robert.
Comments
(*dreading)
That's a very brief version. Think of what happens when you mix mental illness with the people who take Roko's Basilisk and Effective Altruism seriously.
https://awful.systems/comment/6469558
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=teotwawki+Thomas+Moore&crid=AJMJHTE4T466&fbclid=IwY2xjawI1mfhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHW93u-_EcBikMQDOh3BYa8VVeH9Wf8uk1fMjiRDMtKrnhlmqpNdBWSRGYQ_aem_cRlj9p3gtpjvlg7TLI9gUA&sprefix=teotwawki+thomas+moore%2Caps%2C101&ref=nb_sb_noss
oh no
It promises to be an interesting read!
6 PARTER!
6 PARTER!
6 PARTER!
I think I'm there's anything justifying my feeling of sour grapes towards not being in academia and tech for very long is that all of the intellectual circles I'd have been exposed to would have either made me a bad person or caused me to jump. Zizians included