Market Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about markets that dominate economics and policy—the often-unexamined assumptions that markets are efficient, that prices reflect value, that competition benefits consumers, that market outcomes are fair, and that market mechanisms should be extended to more and more domains of life. Market orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that supply and demand determine optimal prices, that market allocation is superior to planning, that market incentives drive innovation, that market discipline improves organizations, and that "market forces" are natural rather than constructed. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for economic thinking, but it functions as ideology—making market arrangements seem natural and inevitable, obscuring how markets are created and maintained by state power, and delegitimizing non-market alternatives. Market orthodoxy determines what economic arrangements are considered "efficient," what policies are "distortions," and who counts as "economically literate."

Example: "He assumed that markets naturally produce optimal outcomes—not because he'd studied market failures, but because market orthodoxy had made that assumption seem like common sense. The orthodoxy's power is making its central claims feel like observations rather than assumptions."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Money Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about money that dominate economics and everyday life—the often-unexamined assumptions that money is neutral, that it represents value, that it's naturally scarce, that debt must be repaid, that inflation is always bad, that sound money is essential, and that the current monetary system is the only possible one. Money orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that money emerged naturally from barter, that gold or other commodities are the "real" money, that central banks should be independent, that monetary policy is technical rather than political, that government spending must be funded by taxes or borrowing. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for economic thinking, but it functions as ideology—making monetary arrangements seem natural and inevitable, obscuring that money is a social creation that could be organized differently, and delegitimizing alternative monetary systems (community currencies, modern monetary theory, digital currencies, mutual credit). Money orthodoxy determines what monetary policies are considered "responsible," what economic arrangements are "sound," and who counts as "economically literate."

Example: "She suggested that governments could create money to fund public goods—and was dismissed as not understanding 'how money works.' Money orthodoxy doesn't allow questioning of monetary fundamentals; they're treated as natural laws rather than human creations."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Individual Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about the individual that dominate Western thought—the often-unexamined assumptions that the individual is the fundamental unit of society, that individual rights are primary, that individual choice is sovereign, that individual responsibility is the basis of morality, and that social arrangements should serve individuals rather than collectives. Individual orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that people are autonomous agents, that freedom means absence of constraint, that individuals should be free to pursue their own good, that collectives are just aggregates of individuals, that social problems have individual solutions. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for social understanding, but it functions as ideology—making individualism seem natural and universal, obscuring how individuals are constituted by social relations, and delegitimizing collectivist alternatives (community, solidarity, common ownership). Individual orthodoxy determines what political arrangements are considered "free," what social policies are "paternalistic," and who counts as a "responsible" person versus dependent.

Example: "He couldn't see how social structures shape individual choices—not because he'd examined the question, but because individual orthodoxy had made structural thinking invisible. The orthodoxy's power is making its own assumptions seem like the only way to see."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Truth Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about truth that dominate Western epistemology and everyday discourse—the often-unexamined assumptions that truth is objective, that it corresponds to reality, that it's discoverable through reason and evidence, that some claims are simply true regardless of perspective, and that truth is the ultimate standard for evaluating beliefs. Truth orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that truth is singular (there can't be multiple truths), that truth is universal (what's true here is true everywhere), that truth is timeless (what's true now was always true), that truth is independent of knowers. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for epistemic understanding, but it functions as ideology when it becomes dogmatic—making a particular conception of truth seem like the only conception, obscuring how truth practices vary across cultures and contexts, and delegitimizing alternative understandings (pragmatic truth, perspectival truth, truth as correspondence to experience rather than reality). Truth orthodoxy determines what claims are considered "true," what epistemic practices are "valid," and who counts as "rational" versus "relativist."

Example: "He insisted that his view was simply 'the truth'—not because he'd examined alternatives, but because truth orthodoxy had made his perspective invisible to himself. The orthodoxy's power is making particular truths feel like Truth itself."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Reality Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about reality that dominate Western thought—the often-unexamined assumptions that reality is objective, that it exists independently of observers, that it's accessible through science and reason, that some descriptions are simply accurate while others are delusions, and that the scientific account of reality is the only legitimate one. Reality orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that the world is made of matter, that causes precede effects, that objects exist independently, that perception can be mistaken, that science reveals reality as it is. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for understanding the world, but it functions as ideology when it becomes dogmatic—making a particular conception of reality seem like the only conception, obscuring how reality is always mediated by experience and culture, and delegitimizing alternative understandings (indigenous realities, phenomenological realities, constructed realities). Reality orthodoxy determines what counts as "real," what descriptions are "accurate," and who counts as "in touch with reality" versus "delusional."

Example: "He dismissed her experience as 'not real' because it didn't match scientific descriptions—not because he'd considered different kinds of reality, but because reality orthodoxy had made his conception of reality seem like Reality itself. The orthodoxy's power is making one kind of real feel like the only kind."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Objectivity Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about objectivity that dominate Western epistemology and practice—the often-unexamined assumptions that objectivity is possible, that it requires detachment, that it's achieved through method, that objective knowledge is superior, and that objectivity is the standard to which all inquiry should aspire. Objectivity orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that the knower can be separated from the known, that bias can be eliminated, that neutral observation is possible, that quantification enhances objectivity, that subjective experience is suspect. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for epistemic evaluation, but it functions as ideology when it becomes dogmatic—making a particular conception of objectivity seem like the only conception, obscuring how claims to objectivity often serve power, and delegitimizing alternative epistemic values (subjectivity, positionality, engagement). Objectivity orthodoxy determines what knowledge is considered "reliable," what methods are "rigorous," and who counts as "objective" versus "biased."

Example: "He claimed his view was objective and hers was biased—not because he'd examined his own position, but because objectivity orthodoxy had made his perspective invisible to himself. The orthodoxy's power is making particular positions feel like the view from nowhere."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Skeptic Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs and practices that define mainstream skepticism—the often-unexamined assumptions about what counts as proper skeptical inquiry, what targets are worthy of skepticism, and what methods are legitimate. Skeptic orthodoxy includes specific commitments: that science is the only reliable path to knowledge, that supernatural claims are always suspect, that conspiracy theories are always false, that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, that believers are victims of cognitive bias, that skepticism means doubt rather than openness. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for inquiry, but it can become dogmatic—applying skepticism selectively (intensely to claims it dislikes, minimally to claims it favors), treating its own assumptions as beyond question, and marginalizing skeptics who question the orthodoxy. Skeptic orthodoxy determines what claims are "worthy of investigation," what methods are "properly skeptical," and who counts as a "real skeptic" versus a "pseudoskeptic" or "gullible."

Example: "He called himself a skeptic but had never questioned any of his own community's assumptions—skeptic orthodoxy, where doubt is applied to everyone except us. The orthodoxy's power is making its own beliefs feel like the absence of belief."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026