Intellectual Dark Web

[[File:CurrentAffairs darkweb insta edited.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|They're basically a modern day version of snake oil salesmen for political discourse.<br />[https://rationalwiki.org/w/images/f/f0/CurrentAffairs_darkweb_insta_edited.jpeg Full size version.] 
<br/><small>Art by Chelsea Saunders, originally published in ''Current Affairs'', used by permission.<ref>[https://www.chelseasaunders.me/dark-web-currentaffairs Intellectual Dark Web] by Chelsea Saunders.</ref></small>]]
{{politics}}

{{cquote| Is there anything they've done? 'Cause all they do is talk. Is there anything they've built? Is there one appliance that they have anything to do with? Have they came up with something even like the Rotato? Which peels and slices potatoes as you cook? Is there one thing anything they've done except whack off [[Elon Musk]] and talk?...You've got all these people that are all geniuses and you can't find the thing they do? What is any of THEIR JOBS? Research? They're just talking about [[trans people]]. And these are the best minds of our time?!|||Tim Dillon describing the group.<ref>''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW3goQ5bwWE Comedian Tim Dillon on Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris and The Intellectual Dark Web.]</ref>}}

The '''Intellectual Dark Web''' ('''IDW''') is a neologism coined by [[economist]] Eric Weinstein to refer to an informal group of (mostly [[right-wing]], [[libertarian]], and [[centrist]]) [[pundit]]s, journalists, media producers, academics, and so on, with the common thread linking all of them being a deeply reactionary and hostile attitude towards towards various [[social justice]] activist movements (such as [[Black Lives Matter]]) and liberal views whilst presenting themselves as free-thinking intellectuals standing up to the woke "Establishment".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/08/opinion/intellectual-dark-web.html Meet the Renegades of the Intellectual Dark Web: An alliance of heretics is making an end run around the mainstream conversation. Should we be listening?] by Bari Weiss (May 8, 2018) ''The New York Times''.</ref>

In reality, their ideas and arguments mostly consist of worn-out conservative talking points that have already been around for decades, but sold to new audiences with pretentious and "edgy" rebranding. Because of this, there is no actual organization, or movement which it represents other than a bunch of "thinkers" sharing similar beliefs while promoting each other. In other words, anyone can say they are a member, and no one has the authority to deny it.

Some people like to say '''Intellectual Dork Web''' instead.

==Individuals associated with the term==
*[[Eric Weinstein]], American economist, [[mathematician]], [[conspiracy theorist]], and managing director of [[Peter Thiel]]'s Thiel Capital.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/25/15998002/eric-weinstein-capitalism-socialism-revolution Why capitalism won’t survive without socialism] ''Vox''. July 25<sup>th</sup>, 2017.</ref>
*[[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], Somali-born American anti-Islam activist.
*[[Sam Harris]], American neuroscientist, Islamophobe, and one of the "Four Horsemen" of [[New Atheism]].
*[[Maajid Nawaz]], British activist who advocates for a "moderate, [[secular]] [[Islam]]" and Trumpian conspiracy theories.<ref> https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jan/31/lbcs-maajid-nawazs-fascination-with-conspiracies-raises-alarm</ref>
*[[Steven Pinker]], American [[linguist]], psychologist, and court witness for [[Jeffrey Epstein]].<ref> https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/17/steven-pinkers-aid-jeffrey-epsteins-legal-defense-renews-criticism-increasingly</ref>
*[[Jordan Peterson]], Canadian clinical [[psychologist]] turned self-help "philosopher" and anti-trans conservative activist.
*[[Joe Rogan]], American Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator and host of The Joe Rogan Experience.
*[[Dave Rubin]], American libertarian/self-proclaimed "classical liberal" former comedian and token gay conservative host of The Rubin Report.
*[[Ben Shapiro]], American conservative pundit, conspiracy theorist, former-[[Breitbart]] writer and co-founder of The Daily Wire.
*[[Douglas Murray]], British ultra-nationalist and conspiracy theorist.
*[[Michael Shermer]], American science writer, editor-in-chief of the magazine ''Skeptic'', and bicyclist.
*[[Christina Hoff Sommers]], American writer for [[American Enterprise Institute]].
*[[Bret Weinstein]], (Eric's brother), American [[biologist]] and conspiracy theorist.
*{{wpl|Heather Heying||,}} (Bret's wife), American biologist, [[transphobe]] and conspiracy theorist.

Newer non-core additions to the network include:<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240712131622/https://intellectualdarkweb.site/vanguards-of-the-intellectual-dark-web/ Leaders of the Intellectual Dark Web] ''Intellectual Dark Web'' (archived from July 12, 2024).</ref>
*{{wpl|Coleman Hughes||,}} American conservative affiliated with the [[Manhattan Institute]] and critic of [[CRT]].
*{{wpl|Glenn Loury||,}} American conservative economist affiliated with the Manhattan Institute, critic of CRT, and hosts "the Glenn Show" with John McWhorter.
*{{wpl|John McWhorter||,}} American conservative linguist affiliated with the Manhattan Institute, and critic of CRT.
*[[James Damore]], American [[Google]] employee turned reactionary clickbait publisher and outrage activist.
*[[Niall Ferguson]], (Ayaan's husband), Scottish [[pseudohistory|pseudohistorian]] and [[neoconservatism|neoconservative]].
*{{wpl|Debra Soh||,}} Canadian neuroscientist.

==Patreon==
After [[Sargon of Akkad]] was banned from Patreon, Rubin, Peterson and Harris left Patreon in protest.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/technology/patreon-hate-speech-bans.html Patreon Bars Anti-Feminist for Racist Speech, Inciting Revolt] ''The New York Times''. December 24<sup>th</sup>, 2018.</ref> Since then, Rubin and Peterson have suggested creating a Patreon equivalent.<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/jordan-peterson-says-hell-launch-patreon-alternative-before-christmas-2018-12 Top Patreon creators, of the 'Intellectual Dark Web,' say they're launching an alternate crowdfunding platform not 'susceptible to arbitrary censorship'] ''Business Insider''. December 17<sup>th</sup>, 2018.</ref>

==A gateway to alt-right radicalization==
In 2019 a study from the {{wpl|Federal University of Minas Gerais}} by Manoel Horta Ribeiro et al. found the Intellectual Dark Web's [[YouTube]] channels were a gateway from the "[[alt-lite]]" to alt-right radicalization.<ref name=ribeiro>[https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.08313.pdf Auditing Radicalization Pathways on YouTube] by Manoel Horta Ribeiro et al. (2019) ''arXiv'' 1908.08313v3.</ref> The study looked at 331,000 videos that an algorithm had classified as right-wing, and analyzed 72 million YouTube comments.<ref name=ribeiro/>{{rp|4}} A large number of those users who had posted comments on IDW channels later migrated to leaving comments on more radical YouTube channels.<ref name=ribeiro/>{{rp|7-8}} As Ribeiro puts it, "there is migration among users from the Alt-lite and the I.D.W. to the Alt-right," confirming that less extreme right-wing content did indeed serve as a gateway of sorts for radicalization.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dickson |first=EJ |date=August 28, 2019 |title=Study Shows How the 'Intellectual Dark Web' Is a Gateway to the Far Right |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/youtube-far-right-radicalization-study-877061/ |work=Rolling Stones Magazine |access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Koch Industries]], who provide funding for numerous members of the IDW<ref>[https://medium.com/@guineverefry/the-intellectual-dark-web-is-a-billionaire-funded-echo-chamber-8c8981b79e01 The “Intellectual Dark Web” is a Billionaire-Funded Echo Chamber] ''Medium''. August 13<sup>th</sup>, 2018.</ref>
*[[Dennis Prager]], as many members have hosted [[PragerU]] videos, such as Shapiro,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc7VUoytoU4 "What Is Intersectionality?"] (Jun 18, 2018)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjMYCnI5kz0 Hollywood Wants Your Money...and Your Mind"] (Dec 18, 2017)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hok2PiRnDfw "Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings"] (May 11, 2017)</ref> Rubin,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35AxkSgQUTI "So, You Think You're Tolerant?"] (Jul 9, 2018)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiVQ8vrGA_8 "Why I Left the Left"] (Feb 6, 2017)</ref> Peterson<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LquIQisaZFU "Dangerous People Are Teaching Your Kids"] (Jun 11, 2018)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o73pqQ9Gzt4 "Fix Yourself"] (Jan 29, 2018)</ref> and Sommers<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oqyrflOQFc "The Myth of the Gender Wage Gap"] (Sep 22, 2014)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFpYj0E-yb4 "War on Boys"] (May 19, 2014)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcDrE5YvqTs "There Is No Gender Wage Gap"] (Mar 16, 2017)</ref>
*[[Alt-right_glossary#Alt-lite|Alt-lite]], the less impressive name given to them by the [[alt-right]]

==External links==
*[https://www.pinkerite.com Pinkerite: Steven Pinker, the Intellectual Dark Web and Race Science]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Academia]]
[[Category:Intellectual Dark Web| ]]
[[Category:Kochsphere]]
[[Category:Neologisms]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Thielsphere]]

Categories: Academia, Intellectual Dark Web, Kochsphere, Neologisms, Politics, Thielsphere