
Alex Miller's Statement on Curtis Yarvin and Strange Loop - Garbage
https://twitter.com/puredanger/status/606663407635283968
======
twoodfin
Really surprised this hasn't gotten more traction here, as it seems to be
right in HN's wheelhouse.

I hadn't heard of Curtis Yarvin or his online _nom de plume_ until yesterday,
but this statement is completely unconvincing on why someone whose
presentation passed a pretty thorough review process should be disinvited for
essentially unrelated political writings.

~~~
lexcorvus
As Alex Payne (@al3x) helpfully explains [1], those calling for Yarvin's talk
invitation to be rescinded didn't do so because of _politics_ —oh, no—but
because of _hate_. You see, it's important to be inclusive, even of "far-
right" views, but we should draw the line at _hate_. "Hate has no place in the
Strange Loop community, nor in any community with a future." And who gets to
determine which beliefs cross the line from merely "uncomfortable," or even
"fascistic," to truly hateful? Why, Alex Payne! And the rest of the Thought
Police.

[1]: [https://al3x.net/2015/06/04/wouldn't-censorship-be-
exciting....](https://al3x.net/2015/06/04/wouldn't-censorship-be-
exciting.html)

------
lexcorvus
Virtually every tech conference operating today is a vehicle for progressive
ideology. But since virtually everyone is a progressive, attendees hardly
notice, like a fish not noticing water. Consider, for example, this egregious
talk, which can reasonably be summarized as "the liberal arts have done a good
job at decreasing the relative proportion of white men, and we in technology
should learn from their example":

[http://railsconf.com/program#prop_842](http://railsconf.com/program#prop_842)

Or take a look at this one:

[http://selfconference.org/sessions#session_33](http://selfconference.org/sessions#session_33)

When "tech" conferences include talks like "Empathy & Gender Diversity: AMA,"
I'm afraid the pattern is clear.

We in tech are going to have to make a decision about whether we want this
process to continue. It's already rather badly violating some cherished
liberal principles, such as the policy of offering need-based scholarships to
worthy recipients, but _only to members of favored underrepresented groups_.
In other words, poor white and Asian men are out of luck. This policy is being
pursued by organizations such as the Y Combinator–backed Recurse Center [1]
and by the Strange Loop conference itself [2]. Perhaps we need a fork: in
addition to the current events, with their trigger warnings and diversity
agendas, maybe we need events that say, "This event is open to anyone. We are
all adults here, so if you hear something that upsets you, leave the room or
take it in stride. And this is a tech event, so please leave your politics at
the door."

[1]: [https://www.recurse.com/diversity](https://www.recurse.com/diversity)

[2]:
[http://www.thestrangeloop.com/opportunity.html](http://www.thestrangeloop.com/opportunity.html)

------
acheron
Ugh, what a disappointing and frankly inexcusable decision. I had thought
StrangeLoop was one of the better conferences.

------
mvid
Strange. His political blog has been inactive for over a year.

~~~
yebyen
He's been busy writing Urbit (and raising a family.)

~~~
mvid
That's my point. His political persona has been dormant for long enough that
this decision seems suspect.

~~~
yebyen
I have a friend who is a level-headed critical thinker that reads a lot more
than I do, who did read Moldbug when he was publishing, and he still hates
Moldbug and I can hear the blood start boiling when I ask him to explain why.
I won't ask again.

One of the sad facts of the internet is, whether you are the one saying "[X
person] is a racist" or "[X person] is not a bigot", to the casual observer
all they see is (conversation) "[X person] blah blah racist bigot."

I can understand why this decision was made, even if I don't agree with it.
The people calling out Yarvin would have made it uncomfortable for everyone.
So, go ahead and get on with your conference then.

~~~
twoodfin
This is called a heckler's veto and it's a terrible precedent to set at what
is (nominally) a non-partisan, non-political tech conference.

