Superlative. Read this in between sets at the gym, Amon Amarth in my headphones. This is writing to lift by. You see clearly and far, and have articulated the essence of the Vitalist Renaissance (for such I believe to be a truer label for the inner spirit of the mislabeled dissident right) as well as I've ever seen it illuminated.
I think the tension you outline regarding the proper prioritization of discourse vs ‘action’ is very real. It is striking - I would argue worrying - how stark the imbalance of intellectual to practical output from our sphere is. Debates rage, but little physical evidence results.
Your piece has made me reconsider the proper role of our sphere though - I take your point that it is not correct to interpret the frog phenomenon as a crude platform for structured political mobilization, but as an emergent, reactive expression of vitality, playfulness, and inquiry.
On the other hand, there comes a point when action is necessary. I don’t think it’s enough to wait for a rightwards shift in the ‘collective consciousness’, as this smacks of a liberal democratic belief about how society functions.
The question then becomes - is there a proper mode of action for us somewhere between Twitter posting and becoming a capital-m ‘Movement’? I think the answer is yes; this is demonstrated (in a small way) by our recognition of the importance of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is evidence that the spirit of the sphere actually orients us in the real world towards beauty and vitality; that all of this is more than terminally online Twitter discourse.
What’s the next step after bodybuilding? There’s a danger in setting our targets too low, in reassuring ourselves that if our mockery of the sitting elite is good enough that ‘men of power’ will emerge, even if we haven’t built the foundations for these men to achieve anything, like economic networks, like localities populated by strong and faithful men, etc. We can’t just be scholars sitting in our Twitter monastery.
But - like bodybuilding - these actions must be a continuation of the spirit of the movement: playful, vital, beautiful.
‘Political solutions’ are only distasteful if you conceive of politics in an entirely modern mode, as ‘democratic party politics’. If we widen our historical lens and view politics in a more age-agnostic fashion as merely the cultivation and wielding of power (in all its subtle modes), its attraction becomes more apparent.
I’m experimenting with some of these actions in my own life, and will document the results in my own writing. Thank you for the inspiration and for the great article.
Really excellent essay, with some really insightful points and some deeply intriguing questions for further consideration. You captured the essence of the changing zeitgeist perfectly!
Excellent essay. You hit the nail on the head with the "all talk, no action" observation. One thing many of the dissident intulechuals (analysts you mention) miss is American's will never bend the knee to a monarch or singular great leader. The wild bands of roaming men BAP talks about in BAM are in America. We are ungovernable at our core and despise being ruled. It's in our blood. We'll throw your tea in the harbor if you try to tell us what to do.
The other aspect missed by the Yarvin crowd is the American revolution was a great political innovation. A constitutional republic, for all its flaws, can't be rolled back to a worse system. Monarchy is way gayer. You maybe get one great Ceasar if you're lucky. Then, you're stuck for generations of inbred trust fund babies in power. It's an untenable proposition - especially for Americans.
The real battle for power isn't b/w illusory right and left, it's between centralization and decentralization of power. Satoshi Nakamoto has acted more to destroy the current regimes power than any dissident figure. Technologists/hackers can do more to remove the tools of power from the douchebags who seek it than any intalekchual could ever dream.
"We are men of action, lies do not become us." -DPR
As a based artist and performer who has been outcast by his previous artistic community irl and longs for one again, but one more genuine, courageous, daring - feels like this article was written specifically for me. Thank you. Best read I've had in a long while.
Excellent essay. You hit the nail on the head with the "all talk, no action" observation. One thing many of the dissident intulechuals (analysts you mention) miss is American's will never bend the knee to a monarch or singular great leader. The wild bands of roaming men BAP talks about in BAM are in America. We are ungovernable at our core and despise being ruled. It's in our blood. We'll throw your tea in the harbor if you try to tell us what to do.
The other aspect missed by the Yarvin crowd is the American revolution was a great political innovation. A constitutional republic, for all its flaws, can't be rolled back to a worse system. Monarchy is way gayer. You maybe get one great Ceasar if you're lucky. Then, you're stuck for generations of inbred trust fund babies in power. It's an untenable proposition - especially for Americans.
The real battle for power isn't b/w illusory right and left, it's between centralization and decentralization of power. Satoshi Nakamoto has acted more to destroy the current regimes power than any dissident figure. Technologists/hackers can do more to remove the tools of power from the douchebags who seek it than any intalekchual could ever dream.
"We are men of action, lies do not become us." -DPR
Tonic Masculinity might be the words you didn’t know you lacked 😉 The viral term spreads over conceptual acres like bush fire no less. Zeitgeist indeed! 🤸
I enjoyed this because it engages the reader on a deeper intellectual plane. With that said, I would encourage you to take additional care in proofreading--I noticed a number of spelling errors that risk making your serious essay come off as amateurish. Looking forward to seeing more!
Superlative. Read this in between sets at the gym, Amon Amarth in my headphones. This is writing to lift by. You see clearly and far, and have articulated the essence of the Vitalist Renaissance (for such I believe to be a truer label for the inner spirit of the mislabeled dissident right) as well as I've ever seen it illuminated.
Great piece.
I think the tension you outline regarding the proper prioritization of discourse vs ‘action’ is very real. It is striking - I would argue worrying - how stark the imbalance of intellectual to practical output from our sphere is. Debates rage, but little physical evidence results.
Your piece has made me reconsider the proper role of our sphere though - I take your point that it is not correct to interpret the frog phenomenon as a crude platform for structured political mobilization, but as an emergent, reactive expression of vitality, playfulness, and inquiry.
On the other hand, there comes a point when action is necessary. I don’t think it’s enough to wait for a rightwards shift in the ‘collective consciousness’, as this smacks of a liberal democratic belief about how society functions.
The question then becomes - is there a proper mode of action for us somewhere between Twitter posting and becoming a capital-m ‘Movement’? I think the answer is yes; this is demonstrated (in a small way) by our recognition of the importance of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is evidence that the spirit of the sphere actually orients us in the real world towards beauty and vitality; that all of this is more than terminally online Twitter discourse.
What’s the next step after bodybuilding? There’s a danger in setting our targets too low, in reassuring ourselves that if our mockery of the sitting elite is good enough that ‘men of power’ will emerge, even if we haven’t built the foundations for these men to achieve anything, like economic networks, like localities populated by strong and faithful men, etc. We can’t just be scholars sitting in our Twitter monastery.
But - like bodybuilding - these actions must be a continuation of the spirit of the movement: playful, vital, beautiful.
‘Political solutions’ are only distasteful if you conceive of politics in an entirely modern mode, as ‘democratic party politics’. If we widen our historical lens and view politics in a more age-agnostic fashion as merely the cultivation and wielding of power (in all its subtle modes), its attraction becomes more apparent.
I’m experimenting with some of these actions in my own life, and will document the results in my own writing. Thank you for the inspiration and for the great article.
Really excellent essay, with some really insightful points and some deeply intriguing questions for further consideration. You captured the essence of the changing zeitgeist perfectly!
Based.
Excellent essay. You hit the nail on the head with the "all talk, no action" observation. One thing many of the dissident intulechuals (analysts you mention) miss is American's will never bend the knee to a monarch or singular great leader. The wild bands of roaming men BAP talks about in BAM are in America. We are ungovernable at our core and despise being ruled. It's in our blood. We'll throw your tea in the harbor if you try to tell us what to do.
The other aspect missed by the Yarvin crowd is the American revolution was a great political innovation. A constitutional republic, for all its flaws, can't be rolled back to a worse system. Monarchy is way gayer. You maybe get one great Ceasar if you're lucky. Then, you're stuck for generations of inbred trust fund babies in power. It's an untenable proposition - especially for Americans.
The real battle for power isn't b/w illusory right and left, it's between centralization and decentralization of power. Satoshi Nakamoto has acted more to destroy the current regimes power than any dissident figure. Technologists/hackers can do more to remove the tools of power from the douchebags who seek it than any intalekchual could ever dream.
"We are men of action, lies do not become us." -DPR
As a based artist and performer who has been outcast by his previous artistic community irl and longs for one again, but one more genuine, courageous, daring - feels like this article was written specifically for me. Thank you. Best read I've had in a long while.
Excellent essay. You hit the nail on the head with the "all talk, no action" observation. One thing many of the dissident intulechuals (analysts you mention) miss is American's will never bend the knee to a monarch or singular great leader. The wild bands of roaming men BAP talks about in BAM are in America. We are ungovernable at our core and despise being ruled. It's in our blood. We'll throw your tea in the harbor if you try to tell us what to do.
The other aspect missed by the Yarvin crowd is the American revolution was a great political innovation. A constitutional republic, for all its flaws, can't be rolled back to a worse system. Monarchy is way gayer. You maybe get one great Ceasar if you're lucky. Then, you're stuck for generations of inbred trust fund babies in power. It's an untenable proposition - especially for Americans.
The real battle for power isn't b/w illusory right and left, it's between centralization and decentralization of power. Satoshi Nakamoto has acted more to destroy the current regimes power than any dissident figure. Technologists/hackers can do more to remove the tools of power from the douchebags who seek it than any intalekchual could ever dream.
"We are men of action, lies do not become us." -DPR
Tonic Masculinity might be the words you didn’t know you lacked 😉 The viral term spreads over conceptual acres like bush fire no less. Zeitgeist indeed! 🤸
Following the travel of inspirational arrow:
https://wonderlandrules.substack.com/p/tate-modern
https://barsoom.substack.com/p/tonic-masculinity
https://ponerology.substack.com/p/what-is-a-man
https://luctalks.substack.com/p/what-is-tonic-masculinity
https://markbisone.substack.com/p/in-from-the-cold
I enjoyed this because it engages the reader on a deeper intellectual plane. With that said, I would encourage you to take additional care in proofreading--I noticed a number of spelling errors that risk making your serious essay come off as amateurish. Looking forward to seeing more!
How, indeed. In a word, populism. It has worked before, it can work again.