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The Silicon Valley Broligarchy Are Engineering An Autocracy [1]

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Date: 2025-03-22

This story appeared on my Substack blog WokeAF but it was so important that I’m reposting it here.

Know thy enemy: how right wing blogger Curtis Yarvin shapes Trump/Musk's actions we are witnessing today

All roads lead back to Curtis Yarvin.

Silicon Valley, once a beacon of disruptive innovation and democratic ideals, is facing increasing scrutiny for the growing influence of a "broligarchy" – a network of tech elites who seek to reshape American democracy in their own image. This isn't just about lobbying or campaign donations; it's a philosophical and technological project aimed at fundamentally altering the relationship between citizen and state.

Central to this concern is the rise of a particular brand of techno-futurism that blends libertarian ideals with a belief in the inherent superiority of technological solutions to societal problems. These figures, often male, wealthy, and deeply embedded in the tech industry, envision a system where data-driven algorithms and AI-powered governance replace traditional democratic processes.

The Curtis Yarvin Influence

A key intellectual figure within this movement is Curtis Yarvin, who calls himself “Mencius Moldbug”. An American blogger and online influencer, Yarvin's neo-reactionary philosophy, outlined in his influential but controversial blog "Gray Mirror," advocates for a return to a form of monarchical or corporate governance. He argues that democracy is inherently unstable and inefficient, and that a more centralized, technocratic system is necessary to ensure societal stability and progress.

Yarvin's ideas, while often dismissed as fringe, have found a receptive audience among Silicon Valley elites. His critique of "the Cathedral" – a supposed alliance of academia, media, and government – resonates with those who feel alienated from mainstream institutions. He proposes a "hard reboot" for the current system, a form of digital sovereignty exercised by a powerful, technologically advanced elite. Yarvin proposes a “Dark Enlightenment”, also called a “neo-reactionary movement”, or NRx in Yarvin’s circles.

“The Cathedral” is just a short way to say “journalism plus academia”—in other words, the intellectual institutions at the center of modern society, just as the Church was the intellectual institution at the center of medieval society. - Curtis Yarvin

Under his Moldbug pseudonym, Yarvin gave a talk about "rebooting" the American government at the 2012 BIL Conference. He used it to advocate the acronym "RAGE", which he defined as "Retire All Government Employees". He described what he felt were flaws in the accepted "World War II mythology", alluding to the idea that Adolf Hitler's invasions were acts of self-defense. He argued these discrepancies were pushed by America's "ruling Communists", who invented political correctness as an "extremely elaborate mechanism for, um, persecuting racists and fascists".

If Americans want to change their government, they're going to have to get over their dictator phobia. - Curtis Yarvin

The Techno Autocracy Vision

The broligarchy's vision, influenced by figures like Yarvin, often includes:

Data-Driven Governance: A belief that algorithms and AI can make more rational and efficient decisions than elected officials.

Digital Sovereignty: The idea that tech companies or individuals can create their own digital spaces and govern themselves, outside the reach of traditional laws.

Decentralized Power Structures: While advocating for centralized technological control, there is also a desire to break down traditional government structures through the use of blockchain and other decentralized technologies.

A Distrust of Democratic Processes: A skepticism about the ability of ordinary citizens to make informed decisions, leading to a preference for expert-driven governance.

Transhumanism: The belief that technology can be used to transcend human limitations, potentially leading to a society ruled by a technologically enhanced elite.

Concerns and Criticisms

Critics argue that this vision poses a serious threat to democratic values. They warn that:

It could lead to a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a small, unelected elite.

It could erode civil liberties and privacy rights.

It could exacerbate existing inequalities.

It disregards the importance of public discourse and democratic participation.

Needless to say this is all happening right now under the Trump/Musk regime. The biggest players in the Tech Broligarchy, namely Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, et al, all worship at the feet of Curtis Yarvin. His proposals and ideas are now being implemented at shocking speed with ruthless efficiency. In fact the existence and actions of DOGE itself directly relates to Yarvin’s ideas. Yarvin’s “RAGE: Retire All Government Employees” is currently resulting in tens of thousands of Federal layoffs and the shuttering of entire Federal departments.

The Future of Democracy

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into our lives, it's crucial to ensure that it serves the interests of all citizens, rather than a select few. The debate over the role of technology in governance is only just beginning, and its outcome will have profound implications for the future of our society.

The rise of the Silicon Valley Broligarchy under the influence of Curtis Yarvin raises fundamental questions about the future of democracy in a technologically advanced world and the adherence of these people to an anti-democratic and anti-egalitarian mindset directly threatens our freedom and way of life. Their mantra is “move fast and break things” and their current obsession with breaking our Federal Government is going to lead to permanent and lasting damage. Their adherence to a neo-fascist mindset and their ability to excuse the worst atrocities of the Nazi Germany while defending Adolph Hitler himelf (as Musk recently did prior to Germany’s election) proves the fact that they pose a direct threat to peace and tranquility in the world.

And we are now seeing this play out directly today in our own country under Trump and Musk. Donald Trump didn’t just give the Tech Broligarchy a seat at the table, he put them front and center for all the world to see. And thanks to Citizen’s United, every one of these tech broligarchs was able to purchase their way into the halls of power with massive donations to Trump’s Inauguration fund.

Message received: the Tech Broligarchs are here. And they have decided that Democracy itself is obsolete.

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