OC ACXLW Meetup #92 – ACX Everywhere Edition
 Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 2:00 – 5:00 PM
 Location: 1970 Port Laurent Place, Newport Beach, CA 92660
 Host: Michael Michalchik – (michaelmichalchik@gmail.com | (949) 375-2045)

Welcome!

Hello, everyone! We’re excited to invite you to a special ACX Everywhere gathering, where we’ll explore two of Scott Alexander’s most influential and widely discussed essays: “Meditations on Moloch” and “I Can Tolerate Anything Except the Outgroup.” Whether you’re brand new to these pieces or have studied them before, we welcome your curiosity and ideas. Come ready for a relaxed but thought-provoking conversation—no prior expertise needed!

Readings & Links

1) Meditations on Moloch

• Text: Slate Star Codex (2014)
  
   
• Audio: YouTube Reading
  
   

2) I Can Tolerate Anything Except the Outgroup

• Text: Slate Star Codex (2014)
  
   
• Audio: Podcast link
  
   

(No worries if you can’t read or listen to them in full—just come with an open mind!)

Essay Overviews

“Meditations on Moloch”

• Coordination Failures: Scott frames “Moloch” as the destructive force that arises when people or institutions compete in ways that force everyone into a worse outcome—even if no one wants it.
  
   
• Arms Races & Zero-Sum: Examples include doping in sports, environmental exploitation, or endless overwork—everyone follows suit to stay competitive, with no single actor able to unilaterally stop.
  
   
• Escaping Moloch: Potential solutions often involve strong collective agreements or frameworks that break the cycle of “If I don’t, the other guy will.”
  
   

“I Can Tolerate Anything Except the Outgroup”

• Tribalism’s Double-Edge: Many of us consider ourselves tolerant—until we meet the group we truly can’t stand.
  
   
• Hypocrisy of Tolerance: We readily accept differences that don’t threaten us, but violently reject those we see as morally or culturally opposite.
  
   
• Real Implications: We may unify around certain enemies or narratives, ironically bridging differences only to channel hate toward a chosen outgroup.
  
   

Conversation Starters

1. Personal Moloch Moments
   
    
   • Where have you felt trapped in a “race to the bottom”—working longer hours, competing for scarce resources—and wished for a collective fix?
     
      
2. Is Outgroup Hatred Inevitable?
   
    
   • Do we each have a hidden “line in the sand” for what we refuse to tolerate? Where do you draw that line, and why?
     
      
3. Solutions to Moloch
   
    
   • How do we form strong enough coalitions or social norms to break vicious cycles? Is it purely top-down (regulation, laws) or bottom-up (individual choices, culture shifts)?
     
      
4. Tolerance vs. Complicity
   
    
   • When does “tolerating” become passivity or enabling something harmful? Conversely, is it easy to mistake rightful moral stances for “intolerant outgroup hatred”?
     
      
5. Interplay: Moloch & Outgroups
   
    
   • Do these two phenomena reinforce each other? For instance, do tribal rivalries hamper the coordination needed to defeat Moloch?
     
      

Join Us On April 5!

We look forward to a friendly deep dive into these essays and their relevance—from everyday life dilemmas to global issues. If you have any questions, just contact Michael (info above). Whether you’re new to Scott Alexander or a longtime SSC/ACX reader, come share your perspective—and let’s celebrate the spirit of ACX Everywhere together!