The Tragedie of Dominick Cummings [Part 2] ft. James Allen-Robertson (Patreon)

Check out part 1 of this episode, with comedian and cool guy Nish Kumar here: https://tenthousandposts.podbean.com/e/the-tragedie-of-dominick-cummings-ft-nish-kumar/

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In Part 2 of our series on the nation's Postradamus, Dominic Cummings, we're joined by researcher James Allen Robertson (@Minyall), who studies Radical Tech Cultures, to talk about what ideologically drives Cummings' posts, and how a fairly mediocre blogger who largely copy-pasted sections of other popular blogs ended up becoming both the darling of the Tories, and the government's most senior advisor.

James gives us a brief history of the Online Rationalists, where they came from and the ways in which they have splintered in the wake of the 2008 recession and the broader downward trajectory of libertarianism in the Western world. He also talks to us about the movements notable figures - from Slate Star Codex to Curtis Yarvin - and how their ideas of 'free' and 'open' debate online never quite materialised, and, more often than not, would lead to morally questionable choices and decisions that have both shaped how we discuss 'free speech' online, and given significant platforms to people who, while claiming to be intellectual diverse, all seem to be really really fascinated by IQ tests and Eugenics for some reason. Weird!

You can check out James' latest research on Gamergate and Technocultures here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283848479_Gamergate_and_The_Fappening_How_Reddit's_algorithm_governance_and_culture_support_toxic_technocultures

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Ten Thousand Posts is a show about how everything is posting. It's hosted by Hussein (@HKesvani), Phoebe (@PRHRoy) and produced by Drew (@Drewtopia_). Follow us on Twitter @10kpostspod.