Blocked and Reported

Episode 286: Curtis Yarvin Writes A Poem

December 8, 2025

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  • The episode opens with an update confirming that Charles Johnson, a figure previously discussed for spreading misinformation and making false accusations, has been jailed for failing to comply with court orders related to a $71 million judgment. 
  • The hosts pivot to the politics of contemporary poetry, noting that the genre is largely dominated by left-leaning writers, exemplified by the controversy over racial gatekeeping in translating Amanda Gorman's work and the critical reception of a politically charged poem by Curtis Yarvin. 
  • Curtis Yarvin, described as a fascist sympathizer influential among tech figures, published a poem in the indie magazine *Spectra Poets* that drew immediate criticism for its perceived endorsement of themes like the Great Replacement theory and the natural place of slavery. 
  • The reaction to Curtis Yarvin's poem in "Episode 286: Curtis Yarvin Writes A Poem" of *Blocked and Reported* was highly polarized along existing political lines, leading to professional repercussions for those who supported it. 
  • A segment of the dissident literary scene, exemplified by poet Emily Scipiora, frames its alignment as an anti-censorship movement reacting against liberal dogma, though the hosts argue figures like Dasha Necrosoga are overtly right-wing. 
  • The editor of the magazine *Spectra*, Erica, defended publishing Yarvin's poem based on artistic merit alone, stating she would publish anyone, despite facing significant backlash including lost submissions and dropped print orders. 

Segments

Hosts’ Personal Updates
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(00:00:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Jesse returned to New York after sorting through 40 years of belongings at his childhood home, while Katie recently took her first skateboard lesson.
  • Summary: Jesse is dealing with the entropy of sorting through decades of accumulated possessions. Katie reported being the only older woman at the skate park during her lesson. The hosts briefly mention their upcoming events in Austin and Duke, respectively.
Chuck Johnson Legal Update
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(00:02:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Chuck Johnson, known for spreading false accusations and claiming to be an intelligence agent, was ordered to jail for failing to comply with court orders following a $71 million judgment against him.
  • Summary: Johnson was sued by Point Bridge Capital founder Hal Lambert for running a fraud and extortion scheme involving false claims of being a government agent. The judge noted Johnson stole a mug from the courtroom, leading to a $1,000 fine and subsequent jailing for non-compliance. Johnson’s father filed documents claiming his son has $60 million in illiquid investments but cannot access them due to ‘previous hacks’ and forgetting his accountant’s name.
Poetry World and Wokeness Critique
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(00:10:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Contemporary mainstream poetry is largely the domain of liberals and leftists, often featuring politically correct themes that may be mediocre but receive institutional validation.
  • Summary: The hosts note that poetry has received less attention on Blocked and Reported compared to other literary genres. They reference Susan Neiman’s NYRB review, ‘Where Wokeness Went Wrong,’ which critiques contemporary cultural liberalism. The translation controversy surrounding Amanda Gorman’s poem highlighted racial gatekeeping, where translators were selected based on identity rather than merit.
Curtis Yarvin’s Political Philosophy
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(00:30:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Curtis Yarvin, a self-styled dissident intellectual with fascist sympathies, advocates for replacing democracy with authoritarian rule led by a ‘CEO-in-chief’ governing sovereign mini-countries.
  • Summary: Yarvin coined the term ’the cathedral’ to describe the cultural elites (universities, media, NGOs) whose progressive orthodoxy he believes is irredeemable. His political shift was reportedly triggered by the 2004 Swift Boat controversy, leading him to conclude that facts were unstable. Yarvin’s influence is noted among figures like Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance, despite his own criticism that Trump’s movement is failing to achieve its true anti-democratic mission.
Yarvin’s Poem and Reaction
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(00:44:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Curtis Yarvin published a poem, ‘For William and Christine,’ in the indie magazine Spectra Poets, which critics interpreted as containing clear dog whistles for the Great Replacement theory and fascist aesthetics regarding family and servitude.
  • Summary: The poem references Ambrose Bierce’s ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’ and uses imagery of ’emigrants from an alien star’ taking the place of the established order. The publication immediately provoked backlash on social media, with critics calling the work ‘hideously awful’ propaganda affirming slavery and promoting fascist motifs.
Yarvin Poem Interpretation
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(00:49:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The poem’s imagery, referencing immigrants and Civil War stories, is interpreted by the hosts as potentially advocating for fascist aesthetics privileging reproduction for military purposes.
  • Summary: The poem is analyzed for propaganda elements, specifically noting fascist aesthetics that prioritize family units for reproduction, possibly to create soldiers for a front line. The discussion touches on Yarvin’s sympathies for ante-bellum slavery, suggesting a political motive behind the seemingly subtle poetry. The hosts acknowledge the ambiguity, noting the poem could also be about aging and having a child.
Critique Filtered by Yarvin
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(00:50:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Critics are unlikely to offer objective critiques of Curtis Yarvin’s poetry because their pre-existing negative opinion of him filters all analysis.
  • Summary: The hosts suggest that any critique of Yarvin’s work will inevitably be colored by the audience’s strong negative feelings toward him, making objective literary assessment difficult. They note that Yarvin’s past controversial statements, such as his comparison of Breivik and Mandela, ensure strong reactions to his current work. The consensus is that Yarvin intentionally seeks to provoke a rise out of people.
Backlash Against Spectra
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(00:52:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Publication of Yarvin’s poem caused significant professional fallout for the indie lit magazine Spectra, including authors withdrawing work and shops dropping the print edition.
  • Summary: The editor reported that at least 15 people demanded their work be removed from Spectra’s site, and others withdrew pending submissions following the publication. The hosts found the extent of this professional retaliation to be excessive for a small literary magazine. Sympathetic readers, however, supported the publication of the poem.
Dissident Right Literary Scene
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(00:52:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘dissident right literary scene’ is characterized by figures who reject mainstream liberal literary standards and are associated with figures like Dasha Necrosoga and the alt-lit crowd.
  • Summary: Emily Scipiora, a poet in this scene, described it as an anti-censorship movement rolling its eyes at ‘very online liberal dogma.’ The hosts counter that figures like Dasha Necrosoga are explicitly right-wing, having attended Trump rallies, making the scene more than just a reaction against ‘wokeness.’ The hosts find the flirtation with fascism by privileged literary figures intellectually lazy and tiresome.
Retaliation Against Supporter
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(00:55:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Poet Emily Scipiora had two accepted poems cut from another poetry outlet solely because she tweeted positively about the Curtis Yarvin poem.
  • Summary: The editor who cut Scipiora’s work cited an inability to publish writers who might harass or deny the humanity of other writers the journal planned to publish. The hosts criticized this action as detrimental to poetry, though they acknowledged the literary world is not a meritocracy. The editor of Spectra refused to name the journals involved in the retaliation.
Spectra Editor’s Stance
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(00:56:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Spectra’s editor, Erica, expressed surprise at the ‘derangement’ caused by the publication but maintained a commitment to publishing art based on merit, not the artist’s ideology.
  • Summary: Erica tweeted ’editor’s note: read the poems’ and confirmed she published the work because she loved it, despite having personal gripes with the ‘cathedral’ since 2020. She stated she would continue publishing whatever she likes, asserting that those who only read comfortable ideologies are ‘pansies.’ The hosts appreciated this commitment to art over artist, though admitted they would likely be petty and refuse to publish people they dislike.
Meritocracy in Literature
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(00:58:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The literary world is fundamentally non-meritocratic, suggesting that submissions should ideally be judged blind to mitigate the influence of author reputation or politics.
  • Summary: The hosts agree that the literary world is rife with subjective decisions where poems are published for reasons other than merit, which is then compounded by politics. They argue that subjective judgment submissions should be done blind, where the author’s name is unknown during the initial review. The hosts debate whether they could publish a poem by someone they professionally dislike (like Michael Hobbes) if the craft was undeniably excellent.