Ted Kaczynski And Solid State
My fellow ZeroHedge contributor Tim Knight of SlopeofHope was kind enough to send me an autographed copy of his debut novel, Solid State last month.
Just arrived from Palo Alto, an autographed copy of Tim Knight’s debut novel.
— David Pinsen (@dpinsen) July 7, 2023
Thanks, @SlopeOfHope. pic.twitter.com/12sOJNymAa
I plan to review it here for you soon, but for now I'll say two things about it: it's excellent, and the ideas of another TK feature prominently in it: the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. With that in mind, I thought it might make sense to share this thread highlighting some of Ted Kaczynski's key insights below. Following that, we'll close with a brief trading note.
Insights From The Unabomber Manifesto
1/ Kaczynski lists the 4 big problems with modern civilization:
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
- “Excessive density of population”
- “Isolation of man from nature”
- “Excessive rapidity of social change”
- “The breakdown of natural small-scale communities such as the extended family, the village, the tribe”
3/ The balance of power between individuals and the larger “system” flipped when machines made much of human labor obsolete while simultaneously allowing big corp and big govt to observe, track, exclude (social media bans, stripping away bank accounts) anyone being naughty
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
5/ Ted Kaczynski writes:
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
“The Industrial Revolution has radically altered man’s environment..it is to be expected that as technology is increasingly applied to the human body and mind, man himself will be altered as radically as his environment and way of life have been.”
7/ Kaczynski against Leftism:
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
“Leftism is in the long run inconsistent with wild nature, with human freedom and with the elimination of modern technology. Leftism is collectivist; it seeks to bind together the entire world (both nature and the human race) into a unified whole.”
9/ The system knowingly destroys intimate bonds between people because it wants to SOAK UP all the loyalty and energy of individuals for itself
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
Kaczynski writes: “The technological society HAS TO weaken family ties and local communities if it is to function efficiently.”
11/ Can we go back to small-scale communities?
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
Kaczynski says no because we are “enmeshed with and dependent on large-scale systems like public utilities, computer networks, highway systems, the mass communications media and the modern health-care system.” pic.twitter.com/5iZCTJTL6J
I'm creating a "Critics of Modernity" reading list
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) August 13, 2023
2 min intros to some great thinkers :
• Nietzsche on Master-Slave Morality
• Chesterton on Learning
• Burnham on Power
• Huxley on Modern Pleasures
• Evola's Revolt Against The Modern World
Dig in: https://t.co/NUyFXcrjWp
It's worth remembering that Ted Kaczynski wrote this before the Internet and social media had enmeshed us all further into technological society. While most reject his radical solutions, many do acknowledge the downsides of modern technology--including many of those behind it. It's notable that some Silicon Valley parents send their children to schools where they are kept away from computer (and phone/tablet) screens.
Let's wrap up with a trading note, about a bet against a technology company.
Trading Note: Betting Against A Tech Company
There's a tech company reporting earnings after the close today, and we've got a trade teed up to bet against it--not for any Ted Kaczynski anti-tech reason, but because it looks like the company is circling the drain. If you'd like a heads up when we place that trade, feel free to subscribe to our trading Substack/occasional email list below.
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