Intellectual Dark Web

The Intellectual Dark Web (IDW) is a term coined by Eric Weinstein to describe the network of people engaging in good faith sensemaking discussions outside of institutions.

For background on the IDW, see the documentary Glitch in the Matrix II, The Origin of the Intellectual Dark Web and Eric's short video explanation Why the "Intellectual Dark Web" has such a crazy name. (embeds below), and read Bari Weiss's 2018 Opinion article in The New York Times, Meet the Renegades of the Intellectual Dark Web

On X

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

I have been relatively quiet for a reason. Amidst a large number of discussions misframing the IDW recently, I thought I was losing my mind. Even people close to me have become completely confused. Why??

This article gets it right to first approximation:

https://thefederalist.com/2019/04/23/stop-assuming-intellectual-dark-web-political-movement/

1:14 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

Right now cancerous ideas are ubiquitous as institutional models are collapsing simultaneously from Journalism to Universities to Political parties. These bizarre ideas are flowing like water (Open and Zero immigration are both cancerous as an example).

So, we are fighting that.

1:32 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

I am the first to admit that I cannot always keep my footing out here. If you can, your a better human than I am. Really. I know I’m not up to the task as I am being pulled apart by all those I respect who need Left/Right institutional or media anchors which seem to be going mad.

1:37 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

If there’s one thing I do that‘s most confusing it‘s this: I am consistently fighting bigoted SJW oppression theories not because I fear them the most. Quite the contrary. I fear that SJWs are trying to antagonize far right bigots to give their lazy oppression ideology relevance.

1:45 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

The benefit of the previous progressivism was that we had the extreme right down to a few guys with Tiki torches. We got gay marriage, co-education, female choice over work, reproductive rights, etc... and then came the confused & bigoted issues like “Whiteness”. Which is insane.

1:51 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

If you wanted to antagonize out-of-work patriots in swing states who have been screwed over by coastal boomers, intersectional oppression theory is maximally efficient. You could elect a Trump by demonizing white skin, patriotism, Christian values, military service & masculinity.

1:58 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

I’m not a republican. I’m some flavor of progressive. But I do my best to love all my fellow Americans, including the SJWs and the patriots demonized by the SJWs. I love the US which has at times been horrible to my family *because* I’ve traveled the world. And even with warts...

2:03 PM · Apr 23, 2019

Eric Weinstein

@EricRWeinstein

...she’s amazing. So there you have it. I’m thoroughly multicultural but because of that, I learned through that lens why Patriotism is not to be discarded when you find your nation has lied to you. Instead it’s time to pick up tools and get to work fixing her up. Hence: the IDW.

2:06 PM · Apr 23, 2019