Other Life

"Neo-China Arrives From the Future:" On Nick Land's Sino-Futurism (The Meltdown Lectures)

In this episode, we analyze the sentence "Neo-China arrives from the future" from Nick Land's 1994 essay "Meltdown." For Land, Capital is an autonomous intelligence from the future and China is the privileged site of arrival due to its lack of Western moral constraints. We cover China's Special Economic Zones, Land's predictions of Western decline versus Eastern acceleration, and the concept of Sino-futurism. Looking at the data, we find that Land's concept here is surprisingly prescient and accurately predictive; given the mention of China in "The Dark Enlightenment" and his own move to to Shanghai, this idea is arguably one of his most serious, long-term, and high-conviction ideas. I offer one counter-hypothesis on why I think China might not remain the privileged site of technocapital acceleration in the medium-term. 00:00 Intro 01:45 "Arriving from the future" 04:02 Why China? Western Moral Drag 10:15 Why this sentence is underrated 14:08 China in "The Dark Enlightenment" 18:08 A closer look at Chinese Acceleration 22:15 Sinofuturism * (00:00) - Intro * (01:45) - "Arriving from the future" * (04:02) - Why China? Western Moral Drag * (10:15) - Why this sentence is underrated * (14:08) - China in "The Dark Enlightenment" * (18:08) - A closer look at Chinese Acceleration * (22:15) - Sinofuturism

Montaigne, IVF & Embryo Selection, Q&A

I jumped on the livestream for the first time in a while. I discuss the Montaigne chapter in The Independent Scholar, the current debate around IVF & Embryo Selection, and take some questions. I wrote about IVF and Embryo Selection here: https://justinmurphy.studio/ivf/ [https://justinmurphy.studio/ivf/] ✦ The coolest free newsletter in the world: https://otherlife.co [https://otherlife.co] ✦ Pre-order my new book, The Independent Scholar: https://otherlife.co/scholar [https://otherlife.co/scholar] * (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome Back * (02:18) - Life Updates and Current Work * (06:44) - On Independent Scholarship * (08:10) - Montaigne as an Independent Scholar * (19:26) - On Embryo Selection and IVF * (24:58) - Why Do Shrimp Matter More Than Embryos? * (25:59) - Why Do Video Game Characters Matter More Than Embryos? * (35:37) - Long-Term Consequences of Embryo Selection * (43:58) - In-Utero Gene Editing is Approved by the Church * (45:41) - Final Thoughts and Q&A

I Fell Off (It's So Over)

I can't deny it, so let's explore what it means, how it happens, what it feels like, and why it might be... great? In this episode, I share my struggle over the past few years, after having kids and experiencing significant creative and professional challenges. I reflect on the challenges of consistent creative work, the mental and emotional toll having it derailed, and the blessed but weird fabric of life as a father and husband. Despite feeling despondent and losing momentum in my projects, I discuss how this period has given me a valuable reset, akin to a kind of 'ego death.' I explore the liberating and ultimately beneficial aspects of falling off, the importance of accepting defeat to start anew, and how this crisis clarified my true goals and motivations. * (00:00) - Opening Up: I Fell Off * (00:53) - The Pain of Falling Off * (02:39) - Ego Death * (05:59) - Parenthood * (11:35) - Liberation Through Accepting Defeat * (17:55) - Mental and Financial Issues * (18:53) - What Writing the Book Has Taught me * (20:06) - The Challenges of Restarting * (22:59) - Confirmation of the True Calling * (24:42) - The Indie Scholar Vocation * (33:58) - The Importance of Quality Work * (36:02) - Final Reflections Other Life ✦ The coolest free newsletter in the world: https://otherlife.co [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmlyZTIzeWlvRjZhOEZLdldpMVAxQnN4SG9tQXxBQ3Jtc0ttOWdJSXFPZWZTQ1gzNTE4ODVQbjVmQ3daalBxWkZRcDhYUWFWR1RuamxNb05PTTV5OVY0cWFWVTdLRlJfNzhZd18wcWtfYi04MWJEMjRiTTE3WjJuWlV2WGZhTnhtc3M5aG1EN3gwZy1KYkh0bV9uNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fotherlife.co%2F&v=_5Wp5Klb6pY] ✦ The monthly PRINT edition: https://otherlife.co/upgrade [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2pEZEdjcnRkcUlpYzBqOV9wVXNpSlFQc2FOQXxBQ3Jtc0tuanIxSmY3MnBTZEN5REJuUFVBOS1jSDlXVGxzNjl4WVhqQnJNUGRxNzBhMXAxMWMyVmlqMmJjQXlsTkMtZ0hMV0FXSGdHMUEzVko0UGtHRWxvSDkwd2IxRVFGSDNSNVAzWmhWR2JETTl4QUY0eFBiTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fotherlife.co%2Fupgrade&v=_5Wp5Klb6pY] ✦ Pre-order my new book, The Independent Scholar: https://otherlife.co/scholar [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbElQM3ZmQThOZm81RlB5ODRneXdXeEFSMjJoUXxBQ3Jtc0tsdUZDS0tadml4X3dHX0ZTOHk2anJRM20wV2t4MlNHN04wRk16MXF0ck1Ga2RXN0hfTEU5LWROZFZWSGo2aXNUZTJzUF92UGtmSGJobFpZR0FsSzdZNlc3RzNRamJQdkdaV0VISkVEaTQyNzEwY1BaWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fotherlife.co%2Fscholar&v=_5Wp5Klb6pY]

Urbit, Nockchain, and the Current State of Sovereignty Technology

In this episode, I review the state of Urbit and my history with this ambitious project to rebuild the internet. I explain why I stepped back, detailing what's happened with the network in the past few years, including the challenges faced by startups attempting to build on the platform and the surprising return of founder Curtis Yarvin. I take an honest look at how my initial timeline expectations were off, and other mistakes I made. This period taught me a lot about technology, market sentiment, and cognition. I share how the experience has shaped my current thinking, as well as my current work with Zorp, a startup from the Urbit ecosystem now building Nockchain. I discuss the attraction of zero-knowledge proofs and why I've adopted a more patient attitude in my relationship with radical technology projects, now preferring to work behind the scenes if I really believe in something. This is my first update on what I've been doing with Nockchain over the past year, helping to build their audience. 01:21 Discovering Urbit 02:44 Involvement with Urbit 04:44 Challenges and Reflections 05:38 The Independent Scholar 06:57 Urbit's Market Dynamics 15:31 Urbit Startups and Setbacks 22:49 The Rise and Fall of Urbit 23:38 Orbit's Struggles and My Realizations 24:54 Current State and Future Potential of Urbit 31:42 The Promise of Zero Knowledge Proofs 35:18 Introducing Nock Chain 38:31 Reflections and Lessons Learned 45:05 The Launch of Nock Chain Other Life ✦ The coolest free newsletter in the world: https://otherlife.co ✦ The monthly PRINT edition: https://otherlife.co/upgrade ✦ My new book, The Independent Scholar: https://otherlife.co/scholar

Soft-Engineering, Transversality, Human Security System (Nick Land, Meltdown, Sentences 7-8)

This episode unpacks the seventh and eighth sentences of Nick Land's "Meltdown," where "soft engineering slithers out of its box into yours" and "human security is lurching into crisis." We consider how Land's vision of programming the body manifests in surprising ways, from COVID-19 as a biological agent turned symbolic force, to the AI of Ex Machina. The idea of the human body as a programmable interface, with roots in William Burroughs, is central to understanding these unfolding crises. This episode also touches on the rapid, horizontal replication that bypasses old hierarchies – seen in actual cloning, the way internet personalities jump expertise ("transversal replication" via Deleuze & Guattari), and even how IVF restructures reproduction. Cyberotics, like AI girlfriends, and the merging of biological and memetic viruses further illustrate this acceleration where boundaries dissolve and new forms of replication flood in. Other Life ✦ The coolest free newsletter in the world: https://otherlife.co ✦ The monthly PRINT edition: https://otherlife.co/upgrade ✦ My new book, The Independent Scholar: https://otherlife.co/scholar