Semantic Apocalypse and Life After Humanism with R. Scott Bakker 

I highly recommend the second apocalypse series

The best fantasy and my favorite author at the moment.

This was an absolutely fascinating discussion, especially concerning how rampant misinformation has become during the pandemic. Especially pertinent about 54:00

Something I would have loved to seen discussed in this context is the infant status of humanity, and whether or not this "semantic collapse" is more indicative of a kind of mass intellectual growth. Bearing in mind, of course, that growth is typically messy and painful, especially when humanity collectively bears the mark of generational Trauma. I also feel that one does a disservice to one's self by "identifying" as anything, even an "eliminativist," serving only as a further unnecessary restraint that forces one to examine novel external information from within this framework exclusively, however complex and nuanced that framework might be. All this to say, I don't see the semantic apocalypse, if there even is such a thing, as something apocalyptic at all. Long term, I think (hope) humanity will benefit from this, as we (hopefully) move past our fetishization of meaning. Maybe our philosophers and other great thinkers will finally stop asking the wrong questions.

I have found today about RSB... After hearing this discussion I thought to myself: " He is the answer to my question - What if David Foster Wallace did not die?" I am starting to read your books and other pdf's :) And as an after read to this video I would highly recommend Perfect Imperfection by the Polish science fiction writer Jacek Dukaj. He is our present Lem and probably the best sf autor in Poland. Much like RSB I would expect no less. Sadly Witcher is the only Polish book that has an english translation. But you can find some english summary on wiki. Sapkowski and Dukaj are probably like Tolkien and Asimov for Polish people.

Funny thing is...if you are ok with doing labor there is a lot of work in most cities(I have found.) There is a ton of it. Everything in this built environment is falling apart around us just in time. If you live in Detroit, they seriously need reliable contractors, plumbers, painters, electricians... right now. You could make a lot of money, but this "intellectual class" just can't seem to figure out how to pick up a vertical impact generator(hammer).

Starts at 6:00

Bakker Bro

Excellent!

First three books are amazing.

Did Bakker mention anything about his new books?

Some recs for podcast guests: Cosma Shalizi, @evolving_moloch, @silvervvulpes

The problem with it being harder to live and the idea that that will sort out things is that you are not doing PVE, where you have to tough it out against the RL environment to survive. PVE really is a good selector. But what you have is PVP, where you earning money for food and shelter comes from how much you pander to the ideological expectations of other people. This doesn't lead to more sanity, it leads to greater insanity as you can't say 'Look, it's bloody stupid to say the moon landings didn't happen' because you'll be living under a bridge next week if you do so. In such a case things don't get more sane from it being tougher to live.

Bakker doesn't really explain his transition from the plurality of opinions expressed on the internet causing a collapse of meaning to determinism causing a collapse of meaning. If it turns out that different groups of humans objectively have different desires, this doesn't necessitate a collapse of meaning within the group. It only means the collapse of a universal narrative. Having universal standards as a prior condition for meaning is highly idealistic from my perspective, but maybe Bakker (being solidly to the left) disagrees.

>bakker says something really smart >jm misses the point

This guy seems like me if I had taken another turn somewhere in the past. He is hyper-rational but also inevitably nihilistic even if he wouldn't admit it. He at some point starts talking about humans needing to run on BS. This idea that we are constantly unconsciously deceiving ourselves with false narrative. He sprinkles in post-modern grand narrative deconstruction with his own grand narrative. I don't flirt with those ideas anymore. I get the feeling that he would argue to the polar bear that it only has thick fur because it was convinced this should be. I do think that we humans act as though we have intentions because we do. The manipulation of our fellow man is increasing available but that it always has been and indeed is wrong. That these sins which have always been identified and available to lesser degrees have consequences. There is a reality with he doesn't understand. Which the hyper-rational mind combined with a prideful disposition is blind to. There is something missing. This all can't be "bs" as he puts it.

Very cool, absolutely did not expect to see Bakker here. The Prince of Nothing is great, even if the second series falls off pretty dramatically in quality.