essays

Each category is arranged roughly in order of popularity and relevance. Scroll down or click here for chronological order or alphabetical order.

Latest

Beyond Civilized and Primitive
15 February 08


The Crash

Fall Down Six Times
15 March 06 -- Six different collapse scenarios.

How to Survive the Crash and Save the Earth
19 December 04

The Slow Crash
2 February 05

What We Learned From Katrina
16 September 05

Thinking Through the Fall
21 February 02

The Coming Expansion
29 July 02 -- They usually call it a "depression."


Civilization and Technology

How To Save Civilization
5 September 07 -- Three words: complexity without growth.

Critique of Civilization FAQ
The Critique of Civilization Changes Everything
8/15 April 05 -- Double essay, a full frontal assault on the mythology of civilization.

The Animal in the Dark Tower
9 February 04 -- Basically an update on my thinking about civilization after reading John Livingston's Rogue Primate.

The Age of Batshit Crazy Machines
Don't Fear The Singularity
4 July and 3 December 05 -- Long and short versions of a critique of techno-utopian thinking, especially the idea that machines will surpass humans. I like the short one better.

21 Stories About Civilization
3 May 03 -- The stories are about what civilization means and where it's going.

The Soul of Progress
19 April 02 -- A personal favorite, not my best essay, but maybe my strongest.

Seven Lies About Civilization
24 November 03 -- A nice summary of my anti-civ thinking.

The System Works
13 May 02 -- We're just in denial about its purpose.


Philosophy and Unclassified

How to Drop Out
2 April 04 -- A reader favorite. Also check out this page of criticism and response.

The Effects of Highly Habitual People
24 June 03 -- I waited years for a chance to use that title!

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
21 March 02

Science the Destroyer
25 October 02 -- The most hated essay on this page.

Grand Diversifying Theory
21 August 03 -- The sequel to "Science the Destroyer," my metaphysical/spiritual manifesto.

Your Life As Pornography
11 December 03 -- Not everyone gets this, but it's one of my favorites.

Violence Unraveled
11 November 02 -- What I'm unraveling here is the word.

The Mathematics of Responsibility
7 February 02 -- It adds up to more than 100%.

Twisted Utopian Visions
27 January 03 -- Some things I might try if I were dictator.

Violence vs. Pacifism
7 March 02

Against Rights
27 November 02

Why do pedophiles get all the attention?
15 January 03


American Politics

9/11 FAQ
5 September 06 -- For the anniversary, my position on the controversy.

These Colors Run
19 March 03 -- America explained.

Who Would Satan Bomb?
5 April 03 -- Interview with Satan during the US invasion of Iraq. This was super-fun to write.

Arno-geddon
13 October 03 -- Schwarzenegger and American fascism.

Where was Luke Skywalker on September 11?
2 September 02 -- He was blowing up a giant grey monolithic structure symbolizing a universal empire, inspired by a bearded guy in the desert!

Troubleshooting America
17 September 04 -- The history of the USA in computer metaphors and puns.

Six Lies About Immigration
27 April 04 -- As long as they're coming to equalize wealth and not to cut down trees, they're OK with me!

Presidential Elections
Why Clinton Almost Won 9 June 08
Why Barack Obama Should Pick a Woman as Vice President 20 May 08
The Election in Haiku 27 Oct 04
The Anarchist Voters' Guide: Bush vs. Kerry 19 Oct 04
Bush popularity high after baby rape 27 Sept 04
Election as Psychological Operation 13 July 04
The Gospel of George 14 June 04
Democrats nominate Hitler 18 Feb 04
Howard Dean Must Die 6 Jan 04
Bush Saves America 27 June 02

. . .

Thanks to Helen Highwater of Unknown News who got me started on these things in January 2002 by suggesting I write a regular column for their site.

. . .

Chronological Order

The Mathematics of Responsibility 7 February 02
Thinking Through the Fall 21 February 02
Violence vs. Pacifism 7 March 02
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow 21 March 02
The Soul of Progress 19 April 02
The System Works 13 May 02
Bush Saves America 27 June 02
The Coming Expansion 29 July 02
Where was Luke Skywalker on September 11? 2 September 02
Science the Destroyer 25 October 02
Violence Unraveled 11 November 02
Against Rights 27 November 02
Why do pedophiles get all the attention? 15 January 03
Twisted Utopian Visions 27 January 03
These Colors Run 19 March 03
Who Would Satan Bomb? 5 April 03
21 Stories About Civilization 3 May 03
The Effects of Highly Habitual People 24 June 03
Grand Diversifying Theory 21 August 03
Arno-geddon 13 October 03
Seven Lies About Civilization 24 November 03
Your Life As Pornography 11 December 03
Howard Dean Must Die 6 January 04
The Animal in the Dark Tower 9 February 04
Democrats nominate Hitler 18 February 04
How to Drop Out 2 April 04
Six Lies About Immigration 27 April 04
The Gospel of George 14 June 04
Election as Psychological Operation 13 July 04
Troubleshooting America 17 September 04
Bush popularity high after baby rape 27 September 04
The Anarchist Voters' Guide: Bush vs. Kerry 19 October 04
The Election in Haiku 27 October 04
How to Survive the Crash and Save the Earth 19 December 04
The Slow Crash 2 February 05
Critique of Civilization FAQ 8 April 05
The Critique of Civilization Changes Everything 15 April 05
The Age of Batshit Crazy Machines 4 July 05
What We Learned From Katrina 16 September 05
Don't Fear The Singularity 3 December 05
Fall Down Six Times 15 March 06
9/11 FAQ 5 September 06
How To Save Civilization 5 September 07
How Hillary Clinton Blew It 14 February 08
Beyond Civilized and Primitive 15 February 08


Alphabetical Order

21 Stories About Civilization 3 May 03
9/11 FAQ 5 September 06
Against Rights 27 November 02
The Age of Batshit Crazy Machines 4 July 05
The Anarchist Voters' Guide: Bush vs. Kerry 19 October 04
The Animal in the Dark Tower 9 February 04
Beyond Civilized and Primitive 15 February 08
Arno-geddon 13 October 03
Bush popularity high after baby rape 27 September 04
Bush Saves America 27 June 02
The Coming Expansion 29 July 02
The Critique of Civilization Changes Everything 15 April 05
Critique of Civilization FAQ 8 April 05
Democrats nominate Hitler 18 February 04
Don't Fear The Singularity 3 December 05
The Effects of Highly Habitual People 24 June 03
Election as Psychological Operation 13 July 04
The Election in Haiku 27 October 04
Fall Down Six Times 15 March 06
The Gospel of George 14 June 04
Grand Diversifying Theory 21 August 03
How Hillary Clinton Blew It 14 February 08
How to Drop Out 2 April 04
How To Save Civilization 5 September 07
How to Survive the Crash and Save the Earth 19 December 04
Howard Dean Must Die 6 January 04
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow 21 March 02
The Mathematics of Responsibility 7 February 02
Science the Destroyer 25 October 02
Seven Lies About Civilization 24 November 03
Six Lies About Immigration 27 April 04
The Slow Crash 2 February 05
The Soul of Progress 19 April 02
The System Works 13 May 02
These Colors Run 19 March 03
Thinking Through the Fall 21 February 02
Troubleshooting America 17 September 04
Twisted Utopian Visions 27 January 03
What We Learned From Katrina 16 September 05
Where was Luke Skywalker on September 11? 2 September 02
Who Would Satan Bomb? 5 April 03
Why do pedophiles get all the attention? 15 January 03
Violence Unraveled 11 November 02
Violence vs. Pacifism 7 March 02
Your Life As Pornography 11 December 03