The end of the Sinclair Davidson Catallaxy blog, and the break up of people who used to regularly comment or contribute there into 3 or 4 separate online spaces (depending on how and what you count) has had the salutary effect of really highlighting what a sad sack of culture war losers and conspiracists the blog had long become home to.
One new incarnation is run by a guy who has little time for moderation of comments, meaning it has been regularly overrun by Graeme Bird, with the usual consequences of it likely becoming of interest to the Human Rights Commission for his ratbag and obsessive brand of anti-Semitism. No one wants him there, but the blog controller takes days (so it seems - I am not following it closely) to ban him and delete comments, making many (I think) inclined to abandon participation.
The other main competitor (as monty's alternative - the only one I have linked to in the blog roll - already seems to have given up any hope of becoming the heir apparent) is the one run by conservative Catholic dover beach, who I attacked strongly at monty's blog for being a terrible ambassador for the Church, and who promptly moderated me for insulting his depressive contributor Arky, while still letting regulars post comments about "faggots", as all good conservative Catholics are wont to do. Anyway, it has become a hive of anti COVID vax sentiment, and conspiracy mongering about e-vil government control of people, as well as general culture war complaint. It also welcomes contribution by Trump cultist Steve Kates. The number of people commenting regularly seems a pretty small pool, though. And it's dull.
Currency Lad, meanwhile (you can link via monty's blog) has started blogging again. His themes now seem so tired and repetitive, though; and again, resistance to taking COVID seriously is a common subject. I have said elsewhere that his style of writing has deteriorated over the years; it's now overworked to such an extent that I can't always see clearly the point trying to be made. He's become too performative - like a slightly softer version in blog form of that incredibly annoying Paul Joseph Watson. He needs new ideas and material.
I said for years that the problem with old Catallaxy was that it gave the regulars a false sense of the extent of like minded support for their increasingly Right wing/wingnutty views - and Sinclair Davidson devoted just enough time in things like weeding out Bird strikes (and those who needed a break for their mental health) to stop it collapsing completely into madness. It was still extremely disreputable, but having a known public figure performing some gatekeeping role still gave the participants some false sheen of credibility.
But now, by being cast amongst these smaller enterprises, that has been dissolved, and they just look like somewhat sad but angry (always angry) conspiracy minded losers, complaining in their small groups about lack of influence.
This is a Very Good Thing.
They simply want to have an echo chamber.
ReplyDeletesomeone tried to write about letting the delta variant loose without knowing how fast it spreads. I tried to point this out but can no longer.
I have also tried to make a point at CLS blog about a person who allegedly did not die from covid. they clearly do not understand what co-morbities are and how people who have them are very vulnerable to covid.
It is embarrassing how much they are into conspiracy theories and how they prefer them to actual facts