Tracing Woodgrains: Wikipedia corruption, secular morality, and cultural renewal

I was delighted to speak with

TracingWoodgrains

about Wikipedia corruption, cultural renewal, Mormonism, furries, generational issues, and more. It all makes sense if you listen!

I apologize: The audio quality isn’t great due to connectivity issues — but the quality of Tracing’s remarks more than makes up for it.

“Trace,” as many call him, is one of the most interesting thinkers I’ve met in recent years. He and I are both gay and ex-Mormon, so it was fun to dive into his views on religion, Mormon culture, and how institutions can recreate the good aspects of Mormonism.

Trace is a well-known chronicler of Internet culture. Last week he broke a blockbuster investigative story on the corruption of Wikipedia editing by one of its admins. Previously, he worked for the Blocked and Reported podcast hosted by

Jesse Singal

and

Katie Herzog

where he contributed to number of other big stories on Internet culture.

Trace grew up in Utah, went on a Mormon mission, and served in the Air Force for six years as a Chinese linguist. He’s married to a man and is attending law school. He considers himself an agnostic/atheist but still hungers for a secular religion that doesn’t yet exit. I explore this tension and much more.

Enjoy the conversation!

We discuss

• Wikipedia’s editing process and the response to his article

• The furry subculture and his relationship to it

• His self-doxxing and identity, and what that’s been like

• How to recreate the good aspects of Mormon culture, like volunteerism

• The challenges of building a new religion to push back against progressivism

• His thoughts on building secular institutions

• The need for normative moral frames

• His ecological perspective on religion

• Understanding liberalism as a peace treaty, not as a replacement of the good

• “Choosing the right” in general and as a gay man

• How he thinks about liberation and normative frames

• His value on excellence

• How to be nice and decent, and also direct and unafraid

• The decline of institutions and other challenges younger generations face

• What he wishes older generations would appreciate

• Having kids and building a family

Links to check out

• Trace’s article, “Reliable Sources: How Wikipedia Admin David Gerard Launders His Grudges Into the Public Record”

• Trace’s video conversation with

  Chris Best

• Trace’s podcast with

  Walt Bismarck
  (paywalled) - “Mormonism and Neopets”

• Trace’s podcast with

  Richard Hanania
  (paywalled) - “Towards a Gay Ex-Mormon Furry Centrism”

• Trace’s podcast with Aaron Rabinowitz - “Tracking in Schools”

• Trace’s podcast with Zach Groshell - “Student Loan Forgiveness, Tracking, and Internet Garbage”

• Trace’s video conservation with

  Alex Kaschuta
  - “The Burden and Delight of Carving Your Own Path”