Some people still read blogs. Though not too many Zoomers apparently. Here is a thread if you want to unlurk…seems like the comments are dominated now by about a dozen individuals.
Perhaps some things to say:
– how long you’ve read
– where you live
– what you do
– why you read
longtime lurker, semi-based (and LA-based) writer, here for the deep genetics and the occasional political take.
and — thanks!
Been reading you since the mid-2000s. I like your podcast!
Brazilian public servant here. Also reading you for many, many years now. I discovered gnxp digging references about the HBD controversy. I’m left-leaning but open to diverse viewpoints. I like the science/history posts, above all the discussions about genomics and the origins of man. Also find your (recent?) turn for more brown/south asian content interesting, since nobody talks about this in Brazil.
Lurker since 2000, can’t remember exactly. Living in mid-atlantic US now, work in IP (medical). I was originally here for the politics, genetics, and spitting in the eye of the civic religion. Now more for genetics and the books.
I am a commercial fraud litigation lawyer living in Hong Kong. I have read your blog for many years. I forget how I came across your writing, but likely through a link from either Tyler Cowen or Andrew Sullivan. I enjoy the wide range of topics you cover, and in particular, the deep well of reading that informs your posts. One might say I read vicariously through you books I do not have the time to read for myself.
Thank you for writing.
Been reading for at least 10 years, your blogs have been very helpful for keeping my genetics class current over the years.
Middle aged American academic working in Russia. Been reading Razib Khan’s blog regularly for about two years. Don’t comment much, since I read the blog precisely because it covers interesting topics about which I know little (genetics and history).
Gen X lawyer in Western Canada. Been reading for 3+ years. Got here from NeoReaction blogs mentioning Razib as based. Stayed because Razib writes very well on genetics, politics, history and popular culture, and has completely avoided the lunacy that prevails on these topics on the Web.
University professor here with iconoclastic views. I’ve been reading regularly for a couple of years. Razib’s intellect is God damn fierce — easily outclasses most in the elite academy — so this blog is not to be missed.
At the end of the day, I read you because I know that if you write “the horrific death of George Floyd,” it will be because you believe the death was horrific, not because you are genuflecting.
Mid-30s psychologist, from Rosario, Argentina. Lurking since c.2010, absorbing RK´s erudite history-politics-genetics-religion syntheses. Also appreciate both The Insight and Brown pundits podcasts. Saludos
It is normal to have 90-9-1 ratios on the internet…
I ran across one of Razib’s old articles in Discover magazine yesterday, it was about Charles II having bad genetics and incest was nentioned in comment thread of another blog… Honestly, I don’t read most posts but miss the good ol’ days.
Your content teaches me about subjects I know little about, but find fascinating. I read most and understand part of it.
I’ve read you since before the Neanderthal admixture into modern humans was known in 2010.
Swedish deep tech entrepreneur and investor.
Middle-age Canadian with only a high-school education.
I discovered you about six years ago when I started getting into genetics and anthropology. I’ve followed you pretty constantly since then. I also have a conservative bent, and an interest in most of the subjects you cover here, particularly religion, archaic humans and history.
Other blogs I regularly follow are Eurogenes, Bell Beaker Blogger, Genealogie genetique (thanks Google Translate) and Twilight Beasts.
I enjoy the fact that you’re a prolific poster.
Don’t forget to ask how many children each one has, as this is your supreme measure of everything 😉
(joking. I read because your blog is fun, informative on an area that I like, and sane 95% of the time)
20s, California, tech.
Skim via RSS for book recs and posts on history / cultural evolution.
– how you’ve read: use RSS reader to get you
– where you live: DC
– what you do: Analyst
– why you read: learning about genetic is the main thing, but I enjoy religious history
Been reading since late in the Dubya administration; try to comment rarely since that is about as often as I have anything to add of value.* But still reading & learning. The book suggestions are very good. I’ve learned a fair amount of Roman history as a result (Fate of Rome — unfortunately but necessarily tedious — & Fall of Rome ), some Chinese economic history (?) and now reading Wood’s Empire of Liberty
Esp., as I’ve discovered, about Ashkenazim. Boy does that derail the thread, as RK himself observed a few months back.
Lurking for 2 or 3 years, did comment on one thread a while back. Genetically northwestern European, living in Florida, USA. On-line political tests label me as Left (Liberal) or Social Libertarian/Economic Left, so I likely do not agree with you on many issues, but the views you do express do not offend me. I am fascinated by the narratives about human history that advances in DNA have brought out.
I’ve been reading since early this year, mostly for the genetics and the history, though the political takes are interesting too at times (I’m on the far-ish Left in most respects). I picked up Reich’s book after hearing about it here, and read it in less than a week, unusual for me. I’m Swedish, though living in Berlin, and I work in tech.
I pop in every day, but don’t feel that I am qualified to comment; with up-to-the-minute sciences, I’m like someone who doesn’t catch all the lyrics of a song—but I can hum along. 🙂
But the interest is there.
Mid 20s, military officer living abroad, originally from southern California, patriotic / nationalist conservative, non-observant Protestant. I’ve been reading you for around 5 or 6 years now, probably first read something by you circa 2012. I come back for the book recommendations, the genetics papers, and the commentary on organized religion.
Old lady in hurricane country on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Interested in genetic genealogy. Long-time lurker; my background is in English Literature and I don’t feel qualified to comment. Now reading Reich’s Who We Are and How We Got Here.
Lurk since 2011. Physician in California-and horrors(!) a boomer. Discovered you when I became interested in my family genealogy and genetics. I initially found your emphatic style a little off putting but have to say love the scope of your blog and I now do love your style. I probably check twice a day for updates. Interestingly you are not very emphatic on Insitome. Keep up your excellent work. Cheers!
I am an attorney from Arkansas in the United States. Product of a largely secular interfaith household (Chicago Jewish and Southern Mainline Protestant). Democratic in party affiliation and left/liberal in political ideology. Genetic ancestry largely confirms family written and oral tradition (~49% Ashkenazi, 34% British, 12% French and German).
Lurking for around eight years. As someone long interested in learning through the study of history (undergraduate major), I enjoy the comprehensive perspectives you bring to the field. I also feel enriched by your social and political observations. Though I often draw different conclusions on the policy and value responses, I tend to agree with much of your underlying problem assessments. More importantly than the agreement-disagreement aspect, your blog provides valuable information and sharpens the mind. I hope you continue for years to come!
Long time GNXP reader, retired, suburban, mid west – enjoy your writing related to history and genetics. Please continue!
Long-time reader, geneexpression posts show up in my RSS feed (inoreader). My field is philosophy, but I learned good stuff here and through the Insightome podcast. Thank you Razib! Hope to lurk here for many more years to come! [I also think of you whenever I listen to Course of Empire by Atlantean Kodex. It might not be your thing, but then again, it might!]
Initially came for the human history/population DNA content, stayed for continued exposure to your brain. Reading since 2010, probably came in via a link from Dienekes. I miss the good old genome blogging days. Funny, I got my 23andme test done in 2011 when you raised concerns that testing could be banned at the time. Your political commentary is spot on, and I like the lens of history you employ as I used to read a lot of parallel titles before I started wearing a suit. As my kids approach university age I keep reading as much for that content as anything else. Early 40’s CEO in the Vancouver area. You make me smarter, so I hope you keep blogging.
I hadn’t noticed that personal descriptive information was requested when I commented above.
* Clearly an important trait is sloppy reading habits 😉
* How I read: on my PC
* Where I live: in a northern New England college town since 2000
* What I do (and a bit about who I am):
– mid 60s economist/statistician with undergraduate and graduate degrees from elite universities in the last quarter of the 20th C (I mention this because elite colleges are bete noire of RK and I feel I should lay my cards on the table)
– 2 children (we tried for more but it didn’t work out), 3 grandchildren (so far) all under 5
– secular (left-wing) Jew in an ethnically mixed but religiously homogeneous marriage (i.e., both confidently atheist with similarly inclined parents and grandparents)
– another set of cards to lay on the table given the valence of immigration today, both nationally and on this blog: my parents and my wife’s parents were born in the US but grew up in immigrant households and spoke or at least (more or less) understood their parents’ native tongues.
* I read for the genetically informed human history, the history more broadly and the book recommendations. Before this year, I also read for the politics although I disagreed with much of it, because the posts struck me as generally well considered & well expressed, & I thought I could learn from them, perhaps improving my own opinions. Recent posts have led me to reconsider this.
Howdy neighbor: just you, me and Alex Jones here in Austin keepin’ it weird. The darnedest people live in this town. Been reading for about six years after being introduced by an acquaintance whose politics are somewhere between Torquemada and Attila the Hun. My politics, of course, would be far right of those social just warriors. I am an energy professional and you are likely familiar with my work on hot days. Never much got into genetics but read the green stripped book from your recommendations (and NNT’s) and found it enlightening. I enjoy your book lists and poli-social observations. Some of the genetics stuff too. I have read a lot of your recommended books and many we’re not **supposed** to read on diverse non-fictional topics. I think you like many of us are coming to the conclusion of the illusion. Or not. The internet would be a dumber place without you, perhaps measurably so.
Late 20s engineer in Utah. Been reading for about a year via RSS. Not sure how I found your blog, but I’ve stayed for the book recommendations, esp. the ones on religion since religion’s influence on society is an intellectual interest of mine.
I’m from São Paulo, Brazil and I am in my mid 30s. I’m a actuary.
I generally open gnxp.com twice a week or so these days. I’ve been reading you since 2008 or so.
I initially came here because of the genetics articles, but these days I also enjoy the ones about history.
I stumbled across your blog a couple of years ago and have enjoyed the eclectic mix of reviews, paleogenetics, and speculation. Never posted here because there’s little I can add to any of the topics you discuss.
– how you’ve read: on my phone
– where you live: Missouri, USA
– what you do: currently a project manager in an IT group for a bank. Previously 25 years as research professor in molecular/cellular biology, NIH funded lung and extracellular matrix biology and pathology, at Washington University School of Medicine.
– why you read: there are often posts about the possible impact and context of new discoveries in science and medicine. I also find human behavior fascinating, though frustrating, and some posts seek to explain how we arrived “here” and where certain movements may take us next. I’m more left-leaning (boomer after all) and I get exposed to disparate views here which is informative and provokes consideration.
I read GNXP since 2006 or 2007, I think; I discovered the blog from a link, probably from “Stumbling and Mumbling” or “Half Sigma”; usually read the blog one or two times a weak.
I am Portuguese civil servant, economist, 47 y.o., politically very far-left (probably specially for US standards).
I like the articles about history and social issues.
been reading regularly since 2016. might’ve commented once or twice. came here through refs in UR and Xenosystems. I’m from Brazil, living in Sao Paulo. computer scientist, working in IT management. keep coming back for the realism in general
I’ve read this blog in its various incarnations for many years. I subscribe to Razib’s total feed in my RSS reader (Newsblur) on my computer and phone, so I also see Brown Pundits and the other sites that show up there.
I live in Massachusetts and I’m a recently retired software engineer who still contributes to some open source projects. Like marcel proust above, I attended an elite university, but of course it was quite a bit less elite forty-some years ago than it is today.
I’ve always been interested in science. (I was a physics major in college.) Genetics, human origins, history and the broad range of topics covered here always keep me interested. I also listen to and enjoy the Insight podcasts, although since I no longer have a long commute, I’m way behind in my podcast listening.
Thanks Razib, for posting so much interesting content over the years!
– how you’ve read: I read your blog on my laptop mostly at home
– where you live: In Rhode Island, USA
– what you do: Retired military (USN) now working in education
– why you read: You write very well and make many interesting connections between genetics (I know very little about this topic, mostly at the high school/college biology level from a LONG time ago and hence dated), history (I know very little about southern Asian history, though I have tread on some of the land mines of the mythology of the region), popular culture (I am a late boomer and hence suspect) and intellectual trends (I am in academia. . . ). You review/discuss many books in your blog that look interesting to me for future reading and thought. You make me think about a lot of interesting ideas, which is a good thing when you are getting older and the brain is ossifying at an increasing rate.
Thanks.
Late 60s semi-retired nuclear-power simulation software engineer.
Lurker for ~3 years now. Live in USA Northeast Corridor.
Conservative/libertarian with an interest in how genetics can help us
understand history.
I generally do not post, here or elsewhere, unless I have something
specific to add or correct.
Three year Lurker. Danish-British with Swedish and Belgian ancestors.
Middle aged married right-leaning “Social Democrat” with a background in History, and a growing shock at political correctness, cancel culture and various attacks by the political left on free speech.
I’m here for the way you write frequently and clearly about genetics and biology, fields I know little about. I check in 4-5 times a week on my phone and value the digressions into politics and culture, especially books. I also value the many smart comments made by fellow visitors responding to your posts.
Chromebook and windows desktop. Virginia accountant. Political views secular right and came here via that blog. Lifelong interest in history. Interested in genetics though much of the that content over my head.
I follow Razib’s whole bundle via RSS.
Discovered via Brown Pundits which I stumbled across while reading about the last general election in India. It’s increasingly hard to find helpful information about elections around the world on the internet. Bloggers and other trusted personalities form a connective tissue without which it would be impossible to make sense of anything.
Follow genetics enough to appreciate that writing + the Insight podcast. Also enjoy the book reviews.
I live in Vermont, where I work as a data analyst in the health care sector. Not happy with that line of work, which feels extremely ineffectual, but I can’t think of anything else to do with myself.
Haunting GNXP since 2002.
I first started reading you when you got hired/fired from the New York Times. I distinctly remember Arnold Kling’s coverage of it; he spoke highly of your work.
I live in Rockford, IL, and attend law school. I worked for a few years before this as a lab technician. I hope to get into patent law–I do not have high hopes though, due to a spotty academic record.
Reading stuff like this is my hobby. You, Cowen, Kling, Lemoine, and others produce the content I like to read, and y’all recommend great books.
I discovered your work back when you wrote for Discover Magazine. I’m an American living in Kenya and I’m an MFA grad student zooming into classes in California in the early AMs.
I read you for all the exciting, cutting edge information about the origins of the people-groups of the past and today. I love history- through your websites I followed the links to read Sarah Tishkoff’s study and I enjoyed seeing how closely her data matched up with all the stuff Christopher Ehret was writing about years ago.
I suppose I don’t care too much for the political stuff. Maybe living in Africa so long has made me less interested in American politics and the various social signifiers entailed by one’s alignment. Most Kenyans, including my girlfriend, complain about high taxes, license and registration fees for businesses, government business cartels, high duties on imports, bureaucracy, and the general corruption of the political class. Would that make them conservative, lol?
I’ve been reading your content since you were posting on the Usenet in soc.history.what-if during the 90s. I followed you to your blog in the early 2000s.
I’m in my 40s and live in Hawaii, as I have for most of my life.
I work as a college security guard. Not the best use of my education, but it’s a living, or at least it was until Covid demolished the economy here.
I read because it’s a workout for the brain, and you’re the academic equivalent of a drill instructor. More recently, it’s also been a good escape from the shit happening in my real life, which includes eviction, work furloughs and car trouble.
Thank you for providing a place my brain can escape to away from the screaming stupidity of most online discourse, and my own dumpster fire of a life right now. It means a lot.
spike, lots of tough times (someone close to us lost their house in the fires here on the mainland!). hopefully you’ll bounce back, and if i ever go to Hawaii on vacay with wife & kids I’ll ping you. we should hang. you’ll love my daughter, she’s a quick wit.
always crazy that you know me from usenet. it’s like we’ll gone in parallel since our teens! i was even with someone else back then 🙂
Raised in part in the crumbling Soviet Union, later for some time in several western countries, I am back now in my native Baltic states. I work as a political analyst, mostly on geopolitical subjects.
My background is in history and Western literature.
As for my political and social inclinations, I am a partisan of far right policies, certainly not a liberal or a social-democrat. When I hear the word ‘diversity’, I start looking for my revolver.
I have been reading your work for God knows how long. Anyways, I read your blog even before You started to write for R.Unz.
Why do I read your work and check on it each week? I would say that as a historian I like your analysis of historical events based on genetic insights. The way You apply your genetician’s knowledge to enlighten complex issues in Western history.
Finally, as a man of the traditional right, I cannot but appreciate your political commentary or pesimistic utterances on the contemporary political situation.
All the best wishes for You and your family, may You indulge us with your knowledge for years to come!
Millennial, neurosurgeon, living in Manhattan. Neurotech startup founder. I’ve been reading for about 7 years, probably originally by way of Marginal Revolution. Read for the unique breadth of content you cover and the way you integrate it in the formation of a larger cohesive worldview. Especially enjoy the historical, religious and cultural evolution content. Currently reading Empires of the Silk Road at your recommendation. Appreciate the clear-eyed perspective you bring to our current soci-politico-cultural circumstance which in addition to the content makes your writing a unique breath of fresh air.
Early Millennial Lawyer, from Spain. Been reading you for at least 5 years, perhaps longer, mostly for your commentary on history, and breath of knowledge.
Your blog has been indispensable in widening my intellectual interests, especially with regards to non-western history (I even followed you down to Brown Pundits and Browncast!).
As other people in this thread, I’ve given good money to the authors you recommend. I also always wait for your interpretation of genetic papers whenever I see a new one trending.Thanks for all the work you put in!