202306260857 Status: #📚 #book #antilibrary #article Tags: #reference #epistemology #communism #politics #polaroisiation #capitalism #sociology ___ # What's Our Problem? * Author: [[Tim Urban]] * Reference: [What's Our Problem](https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Our-Problem-Self-Help-Societies/dp/B0BVGH6T1Q/ref=sr_1_1?crid=26O7IBZ6CKPYX&keywords=what%27s+our+problem+tim+urban&qid=1707465793&sprefix=what%27s+our+prob%2Caps%2C473&sr=8-1) ## Summary In "What's Our Problem?" Tim Urban tries to work through the complexities of ideological divides and political dynamics. Surprisingly, he also goes pretty fucking hard on what he calls [[Social Justice Fundamentalism]] (or like, *wokeness*). The book's major epistemic framework (and crown jewel) is [[The Thought Ladder]], which attempts to explain how our Higher Mind (prefrontal cortex) is in constant battle with our Lower Mind (limbic system) as try and navigate a "stressful" world (true). The headline here is that our hardware (Lower Mind) is designed for the environment we evolved for hundreds of thousands of years ago, not whatever modern society is. Our new software (Higher Mind) is better equipped, but harder to run; evoking [[Daniel Kahneman]]'s classic [[Fast Brain, Slow Brain]]. This leads to various degrees of motivated reasoning we tend towards when exploring our identities and expressing our worldviews. He scales this concept up to the sociological level of 'Giants', using [[Genies and Golems]] to depict the contrasting social consciences formed by [[Echo Chambers and Idea Labs]]. Urban then uses this framework to try to explain what's happening in modern politics a la [[Klein-Why Were Polarized]]. He critically examines conventional political classifications, and explores the transformation of the Republican Party from Reagan's era of conservatism to Trump's era of populist nationalism. But the book seems to draw Urban almost inevitably to the examination and implications of what he sort of thinks of as 'Anti-liberal Liberalism' — but what the centre-and-anyone-right-of-that would call [[Wokeism]]. This culture of thinking, while ostensibly liberal in its pursuit of justice and equality, counter-intuitively cuts against core liberal principles by promoting the silencing of dissenting opinions and fostering a culture of shame. Basically all that shit that, I dunno, [[Sam Harris]] or [[Elon Musk]] or Fox News or whatever complain about all the time. Except with a lot less table-thumping and intellectual dishonesty and whatnot. Urban goes hard on the fact that free and open dialogue is the backbone of a liberal democracy. And worries that we're not doing it, obvs. While it may sound like a Reublican senator's talking points, he winds up sounding more like [[John Stuart Mill]] [[Karl Popper]] and [[David Deutsh]] than Tucker Carlson or, I dunno, MTG. And for a liberal like me, the result is, honestly, scary. PS. this is a book worth reading (it's very visual) for yourself. But for reasons that he very much anticipates in the book, it's not really available anywhere. So buy it [here.](https://waitbutwhy.com/2023/02/wop-chapter-1.html) ## Worth It For Anyone who considers themselves liberal (as I do), and intellectually honest (as I wish to.) ## Core Ideas 1. [[The Thought Ladder]] 2. [[Echo Chambers and Idea Labs]] 3. [[Genies and Golems]] 5. Conservatism vs Progressivism 6. What the Fuck Happened to the Party of Regan 7. History of Woke Ideology 8. Anti-liberal Liberalism ## Arguments ### **Thought Ladder** Urban starts with "[[The Thought Ladder]]," which breaks apart "what we think" from "how we think". Putting aside different opinions for a moment (imagine someone having views from "right" to "left"), he takes time to set up the nature of one's thinking when thinking about things. He imagines a vertical axis with 4 different stages, which become quadrants. Stages of the Thought Ladder 1. Scientist: who questions and seeks evidence (actual Scientists, it should be noted, can think like Zealots, this is more of a [[Platonic Form]]) 2. Sports Fan: who passionately supports a team regardless of its performance (but ultimately cares most for the game) 3. Attorney: who argues for a pre-determined position (irrespective of the facts) 4. Zelaot: who clings fervently to an ideology, impervious to any contradiction It's a useful tool for understanding how different modes of thinking can lead to varied perspectives and responses to issues in society. ## Echo Chambers and Idea Labs > "*Most of us know the term “Echo Chamber,” and we’ll get to that in a minute—but we sorely lack a term for the _opposite_ of an Echo Chamber. When the rules of a group’s intellectual culture mirror the values of high-rung thinking, the group is what I call an **Idea Lab.***" > - [[Tim Urban]] #quote Urban postulates the antithesis of an Echo Chamber (a group of Zealots) as an [[Idea Lab]] (a group of "Scientists"). Obviously, ### **Genies, Golems, and the Social Conscience** [[Genies and Golems]] are two types of societal "Giants," each representing different forms of social conscience. Genies, born out of idea labs, aid in elevating individual thought beyond primitive instincts, guiding people towards their better selves. On the other hand, Golems, birthed from echo chambers, foster groupthink and punish divergence, dragging individuals down. It's essential to remember that no single idea or idealist will have all the answers, highlighting the importance of freedom of speech. ### **Left and Right vs Low Rung and High Rung** Sociopolitical orientation is often oversimplified as "far right" and "extreme left." However, this binary overlooks the fact that people can hold far left or far right views and still be reasonable. Adding another axis — Low Rung and High Rung — to the political spectrum lends the needed depth. It also underscores the fact that our ideas are akin to precious babies needing protection. ![[Pasted image 20240212134820.png]] ![[Pasted image 20240212140751.png]] ### **[[Conservatism and Progressivism]]** At their core, conservatives typically favour maintaining established traditions and social structures, prioritising stability and continuity. Progressives, on the other hand, tend to advocate for reform and innovation. They are often characterised by their willingness to challenge the status quo and their openness to new ideas and practices. Both philosophies have their merits and limitations, and a healthy society often thrives on a balance of these two forces, with each providing a necessary counterbalance to the potential excesses of the other. ### The Party of Regan The Republican Party, once synonymous with Ronald Reagan's presidency, experienced a significant shift under Donald Trump's leadership, both in terms of policy and political style. Reagan's conservatism was marked by a firm belief in limited government, free market economics, and individual liberty. He also upheld certain social conservative values and championed a strong national defense. His presidency was characterized by a sense of optimism, best encapsulated by his vision of America as a "shining city on a hill." In contrast, Trump's Republican Party diverged from traditional conservative principles in several ways. While Trump advanced some conservative policies, such as tax cuts and deregulation, other moves, like advocating for trade protectionism, bucked conventional conservative favoring of free trade. The differences extend beyond policy into the realm of political style. While Reagan was known for his charm and communication skills, Trump's style was more confrontational and direct, often using social media to address the public and his critics directly. His approach fostered a strong connection with a particular segment of the population, but it also stoked division and heightened political tensions. ### History of Wokeism Urban traces the history of the school of thought that becomes [[Wokeism]] from its Marxist roots. What starts with [[Karl Marx]]'s [[Communism]] in the mid-19th century becomes the [[Frankfurt School]] after the end of [[WWII]], morphs into [[Critical Theory]], then [[Postmodernism]], and then evolves into contemporary ideas such as [[Queer Theory]], [[Intersectionality]], and finally into its current form which encompasses all of the above, but includes schools of thought like Ibram X Kendi's [[Antiracist]] theory. These evolving theories, building upon each other over decades, form the tapestry of what is broadly referred to as 'Woke' ideology, which seeks to challenge systemic injustice and promote a more inclusive society, but winds up doing so in some questionable ways. ### Anti-liberal Liberalism The result is what Urban calls Anti-liberal Liberalism. Urban (among others) highlight the core paradox in contemporary woke discourse, which is that, while seemingly liberal in their pursuit of justice and equality (*What* they think), the methods norms around the conversation (*How* they think) often counteracts the core liberal principles — particularly freedom of speech. Anti-liberal liberalism demonstrates all the hallmarks of [[Fundamentalist]] thinking (Zealotry), which fosters an environment conducive to the propagation of only certain types of theories, even if they're internally inconsistent. For instance, the idea that racism works one way falls short of recognizing that prejudice can impact anyone, regardless of their ethnicity. Similarly, [[Standpoint Theory]], while providing useful insights, can veer into logical fallacies by overemphasizing subjective perspectives over objective truths. In fact, any discourse that optimises for [[Subjectivism]] is, as [[David Deutsh]] would quickly point out, completely doomed. Finally, it enforces its core ideas and tenets as a religion might — through a culture of shaming and, as extra as it sounds, control of thought, speech, and action – a technique more akin to authoritarian regimes than liberal societies. Such tactics can stifle free speech, suppress dissent, and inadvertently inhibit the free exchange of ideas. ### **The Real Threat** Urban ends by suggesting that the real threat isn't one political color threatening another. It's the danger posed by low rung thinking, impervious to reason and open dialogue, threatening the high rung's spirit of questioning and evidence-based reasoning. --- # Further Reading - [[History of Wokeism]] - [[What's Our Problem?]] - [[The Thought Ladder]] - [[Communism]] - https://waitbutwhy.com/homepage - https://waitbutwhy.com/wop-ch-1-excerpt - [[Klein-Why Were Polarized]]