I read The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson and discuss its implications for the structure of the mind (and how I was wrong about it), our tendency to value loyalty over expertise, my own blindness, and the future of institutions. Read more (27 min, 6800 words).
What sort of people would be considered weird if nerdiness was the norm? Read more (14 min, 3400 words)
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing" it's said. Here I try to explain how and why. Read more (5 min, 1100 words)
We pay lip service to the idea that people are different, but don't take it seriously enough. It needs to be something we keep in mind all the time. There are many ways people can be different and their thinking can be different, and we should learn to be aware of them all. Read more (5 min, 1300 words)
Using Mr. Collins from ”Pride and Prejudice” as an example, I discuss how someone behaving well or badly isn’t necessarily what makes us like or dislike them, and that we should own up to the fact that we aren’t fair in our dealings with others. Read more (4 min, 900 words)
How you can feel like you know people and be part of a group without actually being so. It describes me and the so-called "rationalist community".Read more (1500 words)
