Welcome to the Luke Smith Fanclub & Archive

Trump is Great, Hilarious and I Hope He Wins
tl;dr: Trump breaks all elite rules, mocks media control, and wins by refusing moral blackmail - even if his policies are incoherent, his sheer mental freedom made him a political icon; Luke saw Trump not as a savior, but as a hilarious wrecking ball that shattered the establishment’s illusion of control and turned politics into honest chaos.

Libertarianism as a Gateway Drug to Reaction tl;dr: true-blue libertarianism, once it grasps spontaneous order in markets, naturally slides into Reaction by realizing society itself-gender roles, xenophobia, nepotism-is also emergent; what starts as a defense of laissez-faire ends in a rejection of all social engineering and a plunge into post-liberal order, where mores aren’t outdated bigotry but evolved solutions to deep coordination problems; from Rothbard to Moldbug, the worms always do their work.

Politics Is Just LARPing tl;dr: ideology is just LARPing (live action role-playing) for people who think their meat-brain can design society better than emergent norms; Enlightenment rationalism gave power to academic fantasists, while people outside the masturbatorium know reality is messy, trade-offs are real, and results beat rhetorical victories.

Elon Musk vs. a German Woman tl;dr: Elon says something about Germany, a German woman squeals about “interference”; Luke drops a WWII fanfic where Nazis were peace doves who later became psyop’d American slaves; caps it off by calling her hyper-American

I'll Vote for Any Politician Who Promises to Destroy Jobs
tl;dr: job destruction is a sign of progress - efficiency kills obsolete work, lowers costs, frees capital, and creates space for better jobs; clinging to "pro-jobs" policies is Luddite charity in disguise; instead, retrain workers and let the economy evolve - the end goal isn’t more jobs, it’s less need for them.

Where Do Protests Get Us?
tl;dr: modern protests, especially on campuses, aren’t about change but about self-affirmation and tribal identity - they substitute rational debate with chants, seek arrest as performance, and punish dissent with moral labels; it’s emotional theater that kills actual democratic discourse rather than enabling it.

Politics matters most to slaves
tl;dr: Politics matters most when you’re a slave plugged into the system. True resistance isn’t voting or “owning the libs”—it’s exiting, becoming materially independent, and building the post-collapse future now. Be a plumber, not a pundit.

Why It's Bad to Have High GDP
tl;dr: GDP measures economic exchange, not wealth; higher GDP often means higher dependence on the global economy and less self-sufficiency. It doesn't account for social and environmental costs or the value of sustainable living. While GDP grows, real human wealth—independence and quality of life—shrinks. The focus on GDP masks the true cost of modern consumerism and technological progress.

Abortion in Social Morality tl;dr: abortion causes no social harm like murder does; moral outrage over it is mostly abstract or inconsistent; even pro-life groups often act otherwise; real harm comes from forcing births at bad times, not from ending pregnancies.

On secular morality tl;dr: religious morality isn't real morality - it overrides evolved human ethics with divine commands; the faithful flinch at their own scriptures because their moral sense comes from within, not above; true morality is rooted in what benefits people and society, not tribal dogma.

Why People Do and Don't Leave Religion
tl;dr: religion isn't just belief - it's an interwoven memeplex anchoring morality, family, and social identity, which is why people rarely abandon it from argument alone; in 2011, Luke saw religion’s strength as social, not factual - now, from a theist stance, he still sees its memetic power but affirms its truth as the actual foundation, not just its cohesion.

Looking at Consciousness
tl;dr: consciousness isn't magic or a soul - it's a messy, self-referential brain function evolved for internal control; it resists full analysis because it's both the tool and the object of study; spiritual takes are lazy placeholders for science’s current limits.

On the Quran
tl;dr: the Quran is revered less for clarity and content than for its divine status - despite contradictions, obscure language, and recycled folklore, Muslims treat it as untouchable; Western critics see it as a muddled compilation possibly rooted in Syriac Christian texts, but such theories face outrage rather than open debate.

Translating God
tl;dr: sacred texts lose clarity across time and language - Muslims cling to Arabic for Quranic purity, but most barely understand it; Christians embrace flawed translations like the KJV or Septuagint, letting mistranslations shape core doctrines like the Virgin Birth; both traditions show how divine meaning often bends to linguistic drift and cultural myth.

The Problems with Utilitarianism tl;dr: utilitarianism seems appealing ("greatest good for greatest number"), but it’s incoherent at every level. You can’t quantify or compare subjective experience (feelings aren’t math), and you can’t maximize two variables (individual vs collective happiness). Even if you could, it’d justify insane things (like rape or theft) if net utility rises. 🔥 New version softens tone, removes rape/robbery hypotheticals, drops the Coaseatron satire, and replaces edgy libertarian sarcasm with calmer critique of Sam Harris’s "well-being of conscious creatures" obsession. Ends by warning that elites still pretend utilitarianism is workable to justify technocratic control.

The Parable of Alien Chess tl;dr: coin-flip model of chess? Perfect fit, zero truth. Logical positivism = elegant stupidity. Science stuck on local maxima because no one questions assumptions. Parsimony ≠ accuracy. Real progress means metaphysics, risk, and “bad” science. Feyerabend wasn’t trolling. “Purposeful noise” needed to escape dead paradigms. Otherwise? Tweaking equations forever like a blind autist.

We Want Our 4 Causes Back!
tl;dr: modern science may have ditched Aristotle's Formal and Final Causes, but they’re unavoidable for real understanding. Evolution sneaks in "purpose" through selection, and emergent properties show that form and function emerge from simple principles, not conscious design. You can’t escape purpose, even in a materialistic universe.

The Fragility of Physics
tl;dr: physics is fragile because its foundations can radically change with new theoretical shifts; its data is often circumstantial, especially in fields like astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Unlike linguistics, which is based on secure, observable data, physics relies heavily on theory-internal assumptions that may soon be obsolete, revealing the limits of its "scientific" image.

John Searle and Daniel Dennett on Consciousness
tl;dr: Searle critiques Dennett's denial of subjective experiences, arguing that Dennett's theory of consciousness ignores the first-person perspective. Searle defends the reality of consciousness and qualia, while Dennett claims it's all a matter of complex behavior and brain function, denying inner mental states. Searle critiques Dennett's reliance on "objective science" and his dismissal of consciousness as an illusion, arguing for the importance of subjective experiences in understanding consciousness.

Science of the Gaps
tl;dr: Mainstream science often misrepresents itself as fully explaining the world, but much of it is based on incomplete or circumstantial evidence. Public perception of science fills in gaps with assumed certainties, like in evolution, where scientific models are presented as facts. The reality is messier and more complex, and mainstream science often presents ideology rather than true, comprehensive knowledge.

Science vs. Soyence
tl;dr: Pop-science has turned into a dogmatic, superficial force that stifles critical thinking and intuition. It encourages blind trust in "scientific consensus" while dismissing personal experience and instincts. The overemphasis on scientific certainty and rational management has led to societal fragility. True understanding of complex systems, including human society and the body, requires humility and caution, not over-reliance on scientific validation.

Notes on Learning Languages
tl;dr: vocabulary is less important than understanding grammar and morphology when learning a language. Focusing on verb use and sentence structure is key. Learning a language isn't about translating but thinking directly in the language. Passive listening or using apps isn't enough; active participation and creating sentences are crucial. Overcoming the "stupid" feeling in pronunciation is necessary, and the myth of the "critical period" for language learning is overrated—adults can learn languages effectively with the right approach.

Learning European Languages (Michel Thomas)
tl;dr: Michel Thomas's audiotapes are the ideal way to learn major European languages. His method focuses on learning verbs and sentence structure before vocabulary, helping learners think in the language rather than translating. The lack of comprehension exercises and emphasis on productive language use makes this method highly effective. Avoid the later "Michel Thomas" courses not taught by him, as they lack the spontaneity and teaching skill that made the original tapes so successful.

The State can't save you from terror
tl;dr: governments can't stop terrorism because they're centralized and slow; real safety comes from local preparedness, not surveillance; media amplify terror for attention; most extremists are posers who don't want to die.

Violence Has Declined
tl;dr: modern politics is all ideology disguised as higher purpose; everyone from fascists to SJWs believes they're serving a sacred mission; underlying it all is the dogma that Progress® is inevitable and good-history only moves forward, and they're leading it

Whomst lives in Georgia?
tl;dr: Luke left Arizona, now couch-surfing and weighing options: go full innawoods, semi-rural with family, back to Athens for dissertation, or become an NGO bugman (lol); no car, maybe some income soon; also asks if any fans live in Georgia.

Limitations of economics
tl;dr: economics looks scientific but overrelies on oversimplified models; mathy jargon hides basic ideas; forecasts fail because exogenous factors ruin the neat equations; economists should be more humble about what they actually know.

Democracy Is All It Takes
tl;dr: U.S. foreign policy pretends to spread democracy but ends up empowering Islamists; secular regimes fall, rights vanish, but it's all fine as long as there's an election; democracy is the magic word that justifies any disaster

Roads and Anarcho-Capitalism
tl;dr: common arguments against ancaps ("who will build the roads?") are weak; author claims roads, lighthouses, and fire services can all be privately funded; state crowds out solutions that would otherwise emerge; sympathizes with ancap logic, minus a few caveats.

Nothing Wrong with a Little Money Hoarding
tl;dr: money hoarding isn't harmful-it's like saving Chuck-E-Cheese tickets without claiming prizes; savers give more than they take, boosting others' purchasing power; obsession with spending misunderstands that production, not money, is the real economic goal.

Alien invasion!
tl;dr: aliens probably won't look or think like us-pop culture "Greys" are too human; real ETs might lack limbs, faces, or language we can understand; invasion makes no sense-resources and space are easier to get elsewhere; actual contact, if it happens, would be rare, brief, and mostly untranslatable.

Comments on Crime and Poverty
tl;dr: poor people often commit crimes not out of immorality but rational risk-taking-little to lose, chance to gain; rich avoid risk, buy insurance; crime drops with stability, but stability doesn’t guarantee growth; policy impact is slow, but reducing one problem helps the other.

Immigration: Building Bridges Where There Is No Water
tl;dr: Luke's pro-immigration view grounded in econ logic; both Left and Right exaggerate cultural impact-immigrants integrate on their own, kids drop old norms fast; the "cultural change" is mostly superficial and overhyped.

The Rectification of Names in Politics
tl;dr: Luke compares modern political discourse to Confucius' warning-misusing terms like "liberal", "capitalist", "communist" leads to confusion and chaos; most people throw around labels without knowing what they mean, especially in U.S. pop-politics.

Why Modern Art Is So Awful
tl;dr: art used to be beautiful, skilled, and meaningful - now it’s ugly, random, and smug; modern artists, outclassed by machines and photography, retaliated by rejecting beauty altogether; critics gaslight the public into pretending this is genius, but most people just see lazy nonsense and walk away.

The Recording Industry's Bigger Problem
tl;dr: the recording industry is obsolete - digital distribution made its role unnecessary; instead of adapting, it clings to outdated rights, sues everyone, and manufactures scarcity; modern tools let anyone make music, so why keep funding deadweight gatekeepers?

On the whole "Nordic countries are Socialist" meme

Losing Faith in Statistics

Misuse of Citation

Save the World with Conspicuous Consumption!

What is not natural

Anyone Can Be a Doomsayer...

FAQ

Diphthongization in Romance Language

How to Judge a Book by Its Cover

Why Passive Voice Should Be Used

On the Efficient Market Hypothesis

We need to start studying NPCs scientifically

Everything People Say About the Media Is True

Little-Known Fallacious Arguments

Using statistics to look smart

Why Johnny Can't French

On Free Intermigration in North America

How to Manipulate with Language tl;dr: Media doesn’t argue, it manipulates—through scope ambiguity (“Trump said horrible things about women”), presupposition smuggling (“renounce Trump’s racist rhetoric”), and word games like “still” to imply inevitability. Omit the agent of violence, let normies connect the wrong dots. Headlines do the lying so the article doesn’t have to. The kicker? Even this post is a manipulation—but at least it’s honest about it.

The Framework of Grammar and the Michel Thomas Method

The American School of Economics

The Future History of Cuba

Hazy Hours on the Internet tl;dr: The internet’s promise of infinite knowledge creates infinite distraction. Unlike limited old media, its endless links induce catatonic haze. Ironically, less-capable tech (like e-readers) makes you smarter by disabling the dopamine buffet of “democratic” junk info.

What's the Matter with Massachusetts?

What's Wrong with Hipsters? (Everything)

Gender and language

University Values: Novel, Implied Then Derided

Don't Be Too Worried About a Robot Takeover

Education and Human Spirit

My Gripes with Mainstream Economics

The fundamentalism opportunity

When Progressives Are on the "Wrong Side of History"

Emergent Acedemic Phenomena

Unexpectedly Bad Movies

The Leninist Narrative of Imperialism

Machine and Human Intelligence

The Computational Theory of Mind

"Why Waste Your Vote on a Third Party?"

Chinese is Inconceivably Easy

2021 Election

How an Open Media Makes People More Dogmatic

Against the Neil deGrasse Tyson-ization of Science

Sociobiology and Progressivism

Some Signs You Are a Terrible Teacher

"I Have Nothing to Hide" and Comments on Totalitarianism

Maurice Allais

Ron Paul

Stamp an Apple Logo on Anything and People Will Buy It

Rosetta Stone and Other Ways to Waste Money

Alex Jones, increasingly BASED, now even more banned from everything

The Internet: The Greatest Source of Knowledge and Stupidity

The Moral Obligation of Consciousness?

Is a Bachelor's Degree Worth It?

Innovation: Why Old Dogs Don't Invent New Tricks

In Defense of "Pseudoscience"

Deconstructing the Towel of Babel

Conversational Latin

Customizability Is Not a Virtue

The Division of Labor

The nature of discovery

Nassim Taleb on IQ, and what is IQ anyway?

The Infant Problem
Luke uses irony to compare newborn infants to immigrants; both seen as burdens; taking jobs and resources from real citizens; pro-immigrant view from liberal, old Luke.

Cheap IT: The Google Model

Wishful Thinking: Non-Overlapping Magisteria

Western Self and the Society of China

Journalists are slime

The Republican Endgame?

What's So Good About Private Property?

The Arab Spring Versus Democratic Eschatology

Perfect Competition

(Reason vs. Passion) vs. Heuristics

A Critique of Sraffa's Commodities
tl;dr: critiques Sraffa's static model for assuming fixed inputs, no real markets, and price levels without behavior; argues the labor-based value theory and uniform profit rate are unjustified; gives credit for exposing flaws in capital aggregation during the Cambridge Capital Controversy.

Wanna Learn LaTeX?

tl;dr: LaTeX is the tool for serious document formatting, offering automated bibliographies, section/page numbering, and cross-referencing. Unlike Word, it separates writing from formatting and is scriptable. It's customizable, efficient, and essential for academics, with video tutorials available for learning installation, compiling, and advanced features like Beamer presentations and creating professional résumés.

Reviews of All Linux Distros (That Matter)
tl;dr: most Linux distros don’t matter once you reach basic competency. What’s important is free software, up-to-date packages, minimal gimmicks, and reliable maintenance. Ubuntu is bloated, while Debian is solid but a bit slow. Artix and Arch are cutting-edge, with Artix being the recommended distro. Manjaro is good for beginners but bloated, while Parabola is ideal for free software enthusiasts but has some limitations. Gentoo offers deep control but requires knowledge, and Void is minimalist with a unique package system.