My falling-out with the rationalist community
lcamtuf.substack.com
July 20, 2026
5 min read
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48/100
Summary
The author experienced a falling-out with the rationalist community, influenced by events such as the arrest of financier Sam Bankman-Fried and a 2025 scandal involving the Zizians, a group accused of sex and murder. This disillusionment led to a reluctance to publicly address these issues until now.
Key Takeaways
- The rationalist community in the SF Bay Area rebranded from the skeptic community in the late 2000s, focusing on finding "correct" answers to significant global questions.
- The rationalist movement has faced criticism for its biases, often justifying its preferences through post hoc reasoning.
- Allegations of serious misconduct, including a sex/murder cult linked to the community, have contributed to growing skepticism towards the rationalist ideology.
- The author reflects on their personal journey and disillusionment with the rationalist community, highlighting its marketing and the challenges of critiquing its ideology.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The rationalist community initially attracted people with its emphasis on reason and evidence-based skepticism, which are crucial ideas that have stood the test of time.
- Some commenters appreciate the diversity of thought within the rationalist community, noting that discussions can lead to significant changes in personal beliefs.
Concerns
- Rationalism is dismissed by some as a secular religion, complete with dogmas and schisms that undermine its credibility.
- Critics argue the rationalist community often resorts to post hoc justifications, revealing a lack of true rationality in their arguments.
- There’s a pervasive sentiment that many rationalists rely on intuition and anecdotes just like anyone else, which contradicts their claims of seeking scientific truth.
