New Creative Era The philosophy of dark forests
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Dec 3, 2025 Explore the intriguing philosophy of dark forests, where the line between threat and sanctuary blurs. These spaces foster privacy, enabling dissent and collective action away from prying eyes. Discover how social isolation drives people into communal enclaves, and how deplatforming can energize group formation. Delve into the balance of public and private, and the dangers of echo chambers. The conversation culminates in reflections on how transient groups can evolve into lasting institutions.
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Real-World Dark Forest Examples
- Joshua lists real-world groups (Do Not Research, Dark Forest Collective, MIRI) to ground the concept of dark forests.
- He argues these are deliberately curated spaces where a few hundred or thousand people deeply explore esoteric topics.
Privacy As Infrastructure For Planning
- Yancey frames dark forests as separation that enables planning, consensus, and coordinated action.
- He stresses privacy as necessary infrastructure to develop coherent schools of thought outside public pressure.
Female Fight Club Inside Facebook
- Yancey recounts 'Female Fight Club,' a private group of 200 Facebook women who strategized and pressured executives.
- He uses it to show even central institutions spawn dark forests for organizing and mutual support.
