We often say things we don't really mean, which is fine as long as what we say doesn't make its way to where it looks like we do mean it. Avoiding that is getting more and more difficult and the consequences are quite serious. Read more (8 min, 2000 words).
Tag: social norms
A Quickie on Cancel Culture Questions
A quick, improvised post inspired by a question put to me on Twitter. Read more (4 min, 1000 words).
Facing the Elephant
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).
The Nerd as the Norm
What sort of people would be considered weird if nerdiness was the norm? Read more (14 min, 3400 words)