Oct 18, 2022Member-onlyBook Review — Safe Haven: Investing for Financial StormsRead this story on my blog instead. You invest 100$ in an ETF today, and every year the ETF returns 10% on average, you are smart, so you know time in the market beats timing the market. Y1 110$ Y2 121$ Y3 133$ I said on average, let’s say that…7 min read7 min read
Sep 28, 2022Member-onlyUnique IdentifierAs more and more things are moving online, two problems became apparent to our collective consciousness: How do you know someone is really a person? How do you know someone is who they say they are? Initially, the “person” thing wasn’t a big issue, the internet was used for low-stake…3 min read3 min read
Sep 7, 2022Member-onlyGenerators Of Disagreement With AI AlignmentI often find myself disagreeing with most of the things I read about AI alignment. The closest I probably get to accepting a Berkely-rationalism or Bostrom-inspired take on AI is something like Nintil’s essay on the subject. …Artificial Intelligence11 min readArtificial Intelligence11 min read
Aug 30, 2022Any Utilitarianism Makes Sense As PolicyThere’s been a lot of discussions around utilitarianism as of late in the blogoblob I hang out in. So fine, I’ll bite: Most issues with any system of ethics arise when you try to make it absolute. Be it the repugnant conclusion, theodicy, solipsism, preference-towards non-existence; Or any other sort…Effective Altruism9 min readEffective Altruism9 min read
Aug 29, 2022Why Remote WorksThere are many books about remote work, some of which I’ve even read (e.g. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]). There are also countless blogs and podcasts on the subject, I’ve gone through too many to list. After working remotely for 4 companies over 5 years, interviews with hundreds of…Remote14 min readRemote14 min read
Aug 24, 2022It Looks Like You’re Trying To Take Over The NarrativeNote to reader: If the idea of “AI alignment” rings empty to you, feel free to skip this one, it will be uninteresting. Recently, Gwern wrote a story about an AI taking over the world. While well thought-out and amusing it is unrealistic. However, people have been using it to…12 min read12 min read
Aug 18, 2022In Defense Of Making MoneyMoney is abundant and meaningless. There are good founders with few relationships able to raise upwards of half a million as the first investment in ideas that seem impossibly difficult to monetize. With decent connections, you can pocket upwards of 10 million to start a company that seems hot. You…Money9 min readMoney9 min read
Aug 7, 2022Surviving Automation In The 21st Century — Part 2Note 1: I’ve recently landed in Brussels, so if you read this blog and are around Brussels (or the whole of Belgium, really), mail me, let’s grab a coffee. Note 2: I promise this is getting to a point and not just complaining about tax systems, but just bare with…11 min read11 min read
Jul 23, 2022Eating BoogersShould you ,eat boogers… I mean practice automucophagy? The science on this is surprisingly lacking. Maybe you’re one of the normal people that find it gross and refuses to engage in the behavior for fear of breaking social norms. But what about us, bold thinkers, outspoken intelligentsia willing to thrust…8 min read8 min read
Jul 18, 2022How The — - Did Feynman Get Here !?How The Fuck Did Feynman Get Here !?I’ve been re-rereading stories about Feynman again. People decry that no such geniuses exist today, they oft seem to decry the fact that no physicists since has developed such a thirst for understanding and beautiful ability to abstract for others. But the question…5 min read5 min read
