What is Retardmaxxing?

"Perfection is the enemy of the good" would be a fitting way to encapsulate the idea behind retardmaxxing, but thanks to the Internet being a constant machine for discovering and blowing things up, we have a few more points to discuss. We're already stepping into murky waters with the pejorative and ableist connotations that the prefix brings. The suffix is an expression that comes from internet subcultures like 4chan and Reddit and refers to taking some aspect of life to the extreme. It also falls into the category of things like “it was a joke and it stuck.” The viralization of this term and its adoption as a sort of life philosophy opens the door for us to untangle some other issues that aren't as far removed as they seem.

The term retardmaxxing comes from Elisha Long, a content creator and founder of the “High Thumos Men's Group,” which specifically aims for men to develop their “thumos,” a Greek term that is usually translated as “vital force.” Groups like Long's are part of what is known as the “manosphere,” a constellation of communities linked to the alt-right, anti-woke movements, and misogynistic tendencies that defend, for example, men's rights against the supposed overwhelming advance of feminism.

It's an expression that comes from internet subcultures like 4chan and Reddit and refers to taking some aspect of life to the extreme.

This idea has taken hold in these circles heavily influenced by 4chan culture that seek to distance themselves from the normie by increasingly exaggerating certain positions, aiming to discomfort more traditional audiences. In this way, the boundaries of what is considered "acceptable" are pushed. The article on lacanshitposting in this magazine explains in detail how this dynamic works.

Fundamentally, retardmaxxing aims to put an end to ruminating thoughts, prioritizing action over analysis, and it rescues both a playful aspect and trust in intuition, as a counterpoint to constantly questioning oneself or waiting for permission to act. For Long, these issues are key to escaping negative situations, whether they be relationships, friendships, or mediocre jobs, with the idea of executing these actions abruptly.

"Supposedly intelligent people love to analyze every little detail, constantly ruminating, critical and skeptical of everything," says Long, encouraging people to stop waiting for "the right moment to," abandon perfectionism, and trust the instincts of those who know their own bodies and desires. These are seemingly legitimate pieces of advice at first glance, but when stripped of the proper context, they only reinforce a tendency towards a reactionary, obscurantist, and fundamentally individualistic way of life. While it's true that we live in an era where the constant bombardment of information becomes a sort of anesthesia that leads to inaction, the solution shouldn't necessarily be a reckless leap; knowing when to hit pause is crucial.

Stripped of the proper context, they only reinforce a tendency towards a reactionary, obscurantist, and fundamentally individualistic way of life.

Much has been written, even here, about the mind as a battleground. In the face of algorithm-driven feeds that promote doomscrolling through endless online content, it turns out that putting a brake on the amount of information consumed and prioritizing action is not exclusive to retardmaxxers. “Where ignorance is bliss,” Thomas Gray said in the 18th century, “it is folly to be wise.” The figure of the idiot or the ignorant as a possessor of wisdom has a long history. The word “idiot” was used in the Middle Ages to refer to an ignorant person, in contrast to the speakers, philosophers, and wise individuals of the time. This is a recurring figure in philosophy, from Socrates onward, through Nicholas of Cusa, Voltaire, and Rancière, among others.

However, unlike the retardmaxxers, the "ignorant" of Cusan philosophy seeks to generate change in the interlocutor not through impulsive action, but by leading them to seek wisdom in places where academic knowledge shies away: the public square, the city market. Cusan “docta ignorantia” does not propose shutting down the brain or celebrating stupidity. Nicholas of Cusa champions the ignorant because he recognizes the limits of dogmatic knowledge and goes out to seek the truth in the public square, in horizontal conversation with the people. It is a stance of openness to the world.

That said, I can't overlook the noise generated by some of these expressions. Long's text notes, for example, a strong rejection of facts and science: "fuck the science, fuck the facts." Besides explaining the impact and reception it had in circles close to the alt-right, it seems to be a direct legacy of the old Silicon Valley motto: move fast and break things.

It seems to be a direct legacy of the old Silicon Valley motto: move fast and break things.

In a hyper-accelerated world, it seems necessary, from time to time, to take a moment to pause and observe the landscape before looking for the pass.

In this era of infinite feeds and immediate responses, reacting quickly is not a symptom of freedom, but of conditioning. Acceleration wants us hyperactive and impulsive so that we consume without filter. Therefore, perhaps the truly radical act in the face of digital fatigue is not to blindly rush forward as the retardmaxxers suggest, which only continues to feed that acceleration, but to reclaim the ability to pause. Taking a moment is not passivity: it is the tactical gesture of someone who refuses to play at the pace imposed on them and demands the necessary time to survey the field before acting. A Riquelmista philosophy of life.