The Only Game in Town (TOGIT) - Revision history

Aardvark: Text replacement - "|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein↵|username=EricRWeinstein" to "|usernameurl=https://x.com/ericweinstein |username=ericweinstein"

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Text replacement - "|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein↵|username=EricRWeinstein" to "|usernameurl=https://x.com/ericweinstein |username=ericweinstein"

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Pyrope at 06:00, 14 February 2026

2026-02-14T06:00:58Z

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			'''The Only Game in Town''' ('''TOGIT''') is a term used by Eric Weinstein to describe a recurring institutional and rhetorical posture in which a certain approaches, particularly String Theory, represent the sole viable path in theoretical physics. This approach is treated as uniquely legitimate, unavoidable, and fundable. TOGIT detrimentally affects publication, funding, discourse, and epistemic legitimacy of alternative approaches.

			While the phrase itself originates with remarks by physicist David Gross in the late 1980s, the analytic framing, sociological critique, and set of distinctions collected under the name TOGIT are articulated by Weinstein.

			== Origin of the expression ==

			The phrase ''“the only game in town”'' is known, in the physics context, from remarks attributed to David Gross in the late 1980s, where he described a dominant unification program in fundamental physics as lacking alternatives.

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			{{Tweet
			\|image=Eric profile picture.jpg
			\|nameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/2007242128926400624
			\|name=Eric Weinstein
			\|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein
			\|username=EricRWeinstein
			\|content=They then instituted the standards of Collegiality laced by abuse, insult, insinuation, inuendo, and humiliation that you and your crowd now exhibit because your elders taught you to abuse those who won’t go along with the ever changing [[Quantum Gravity\|QG]] [[String Theory]] narrative. Total violation of science ethics.

			I think you are wrong. But not 100% wrong. You’re just following Lubos Motl currying favors with elders by doing the dirty work. You won’t be the last.

			Think about it “Superconformal Hassan”: does it seem odd to you that your heroes are old and grey and are still claiming that this is STILL [[The Only Game in Town (TOGIT)\|TOGIT (the only game in town)]]? Even Sheldon Cooper checked out a decade or more ago.

			It’s over. It failed. I’m sorry. Face it.

			You protest too much methinks.

			Hassan: You have no idea what frontier physics even is as a successful field. It was killed off before you even entered. It’s a giant “too big to fail bubble” that never worked.

			And it just turned 42 years old.

			Good luck Hassan.

			Be well.

			P.S. And if you are going to be super nasty and lie, tag me next time.
			\|thread=
			{{Tweet
			\|image=Eric profile picture.jpg
			\|nameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/2007242122085445832
			\|name=Eric Weinstein
			\|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein
			\|username=EricRWeinstein
			\|content=“There is no substance in the point that you are referring to.”

			Wow. In 2026 I’m not putting up with this.

			Zero substance? None. Really? Ok.

			What are the odds of that? That I would be 100% wrong? Essentially zero.

			You are simply delusional, @Hassaan_PHY.

			The field of [[Quantum Gravity\|QuantumGravity]] is, for the most part, a mass delusion as physics. It’s a mitigated disaster.
			\|quote=
			{{Tweet
			\|image=Hassaan_PHY-profile-sKoxoXn_.jpg
			\|nameurl=https://x.com/Hassaan_PHY/status/2006928788253270063
			\|name=Superconformal Hassaan
			\|usernameurl=https://x.com/Hassaan_PHY
			\|username=Hassaan_PHY
			\|content=I am sorry but there is no substance in the point that you are refering to. It is a false narrative which is perpetuated by cherry picking some anecdotes and ignoring the significant body of counter-arguments that anyone brings against this narrative.
			Moreover, it is you sir who needs to wrestle with all the counter-arguments that people have put forward. Every erroneous point that you have made during some podcast appearance (or your paper) has been answered by someone on the internet. I will even find those answers for you if you ask. When it comes to wrestling with arguments, the ball is in your court. Wrestle with these cruticisms of your narrative instead of saying "Who is Theo?" whenever someone brings up these criticisms.
			<nowiki>#</nowiki>physics #scicomm
			\|media1=Hassaan_PHY-X-post-2006928788253270063-G9oIZCsXIAABVu1.jpg
			\|timestamp=3:21 AM · Jan 2, 2026
			}}
			\|timestamp=12:06 AM · Jan 3, 2026
			}}
			{{Tweet
			\|image=Eric profile picture.jpg
			\|nameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/2007242124593639665
			\|name=Eric Weinstein
			\|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein
			\|username=EricRWeinstein
			\|content=Let’s say it simply. 42Yrs ago, [[Ed Witten]], [[Lenny Susskind]], David Gross, Etc. drove fundamental physics off a cliff into a crevasse called [[Quantum Gravity]]. Because this was obviously a disaster, they set themselves up as the referees of frontier physics in which they are not self-critical.

			And you don’t have the guts to say it. So you look for a scapegoat.
			\|timestamp=12:06 AM · Jan 3, 2026
			}}
			{{Tweet
			\|image=Eric profile picture.jpg
			\|nameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein/status/2007242126611099796
			\|name=Eric Weinstein
			\|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein
			\|username=EricRWeinstein
			\|content=They created [[The Only Game in Town (TOGIT)\|TOGIT: The Only Game In Town]]. And they ended the careers of people competing with them by insinuation that only they were succeeding.

			They abused their authority Hassan. They abused the High Trust of academe. And you are following them.
			\|timestamp=12:06 AM · Jan 3, 2026
			}}
			\|timestamp=12:06 AM · Jan 3, 2026
			}}


	{{Tweet		{{Tweet

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2026-01-25T02:26:27Z

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Pyrope: /* 2026 */

2026-01-15T04:34:16Z

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	The point isn’t that too few promised too much and got too many resources.		The point isn’t that too few promised too much and got too many resources.

	The problem is that those few destroyed their competition, peers, rivals and challengers. And I want those theories/programs/models/researchers/predictions destroyed by those people REEVALUATED. I think Lenny and Ed and Andy etc may have buried the answers with insinuation, shunning, ridicule.		The problem is that those few destroyed their competition, peers, rivals and challengers. And I want those theories/programs/models/researchers/predictions destroyed by those people REEVALUATED. I think [[Lenny Susskind\|Lenny]] and [[Ed Witten\|Ed]] and Andy etc may have buried the answers with insinuation, shunning, ridicule.

	I think we have had answers for 40 years. And I want none of the [[The Only Game in Town (TOGIT)\|TOGIT]] cult evaluating them.		I think we have had answers for 40 years. And I want none of the [[The Only Game in Town (TOGIT)\|TOGIT]] cult evaluating them.
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	The complainers are those trying to say “No one gets to give seminars about the origin of chirality or 3 generations unless it comes out of The Only Game In Town:		The complainers are those trying to say “No one gets to give seminars about the origin of chirality or 3 generations unless it comes out of The Only Game In Town:
	\|timestamp=10:22 PM · Jan 3, 2026		\|timestamp=10:22 PM · Jan 3, 2026
	\|media1=fgp2b8pfmMeBy2Y1.jpg		\|media1=ERW-X-post-2007578265893114346-fgp2b8pfmMeBy2Y1.jpg
	}}		}}
	{{Tweet		{{Tweet

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Pyrope at 19:47, 4 January 2026

2026-01-04T19:47:27Z

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	[[Category:Physics]]		[[Category:Physics]]
			[[Category:Concepts]]
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BeefSandwich27 at 13:32, 4 January 2026

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	[[Category:Physics]]		[[Category:Physics]]
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BeefSandwich27 at 13:31, 4 January 2026

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	\|content=Hi Matt.		\|content=Hi Matt.

	Sam regularly portrays himself as outraged about 'angry' or 'dissatisfied' or otherwise 'upset' voices and insinuates that they are turning to sensationalism. I furnished two (of very many) cases that folks like Sam would find absolutely outrageous if the real concern was damaging science with sensationalism, and which cause far more harm to fundamental physics than independent voices like Sabine Hossenfelder.		Sam regularly portrays himself as outraged about 'angry' or 'dissatisfied' or otherwise 'upset' voices and insinuates that they are turning to sensationalism. I furnished two (of very many) cases that folks like Sam would find absolutely outrageous if the real concern was damaging science with sensationalism, and which cause far more harm to fundamental physics than independent voices like [[Sabine Hossenfelder]].

	SG is a brand on line. A guy who tries to make the establishment seem 'edgy'...often by targeting people who are raising the real issues with the institutions.		SG is a brand on line. A guy who tries to make the establishment seem 'edgy'...often by targeting people who are raising the real issues with the institutions.