kevin simler
@kevinsimler
Followers
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on twitter i value insight and kindness ••• once upon a time i wrote a book: https://t.co/v8jaqX5ml0
san francisco
Joined March 2011
GOING CRITICAL — a 🆕 interactive essay!. How to prevent disease, control nuclear reactions, and encourage the spread of ideas. All with playable simulations.
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The essence of systems thinking: Every persistent biological or cultural structure exists because of a positive feedback loop. Sometimes it’s hard to see. But to understand the structure, you must understand the loop.
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Still probably the coolest thing ever to happen on the internet.
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i read this book over a decade ago. been a dad for 2.5 years now. it’s the framework that i rely on the most for guiding my behavior as a parent. v grateful to @bryan_caplan for writing it
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as a nonreligious person, i’m always disappointed there’s no good secular equivalent to “i’ll pray for you”.
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This is incredible. A guy took a fertilized chicken egg out of its shell, incubated it in a clear plastic cup, and filmed the whole thing. It never occurred to me that this was possible. Day 3: 🤯.
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OUTBREAK — 🆕 interactive essay. Explore travel restrictions and social distancing. Learn how #FlatteningTheCurve reduces fatalities. All with playable simulations.
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Fascinating to see the realism of these portraits degrade toward the end of the empire.
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What I look for in ppl I follow:. 1. Able to teach me new things.2. High signal:noise ratio.3. Polite & agreeable.4. Original thoughts > RTs.
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If you’re on the same page — that there’s something inhumane about what we do to kids in school — just like this tweet (or reply and say hi) so I know who’s in the same headspace as me. If you have thoughts to share (from yourself or others), even better.
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Hey Twitter, instead of a mute button, how about an adjustable volume knob?
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So, uh, news item: I had a kid!. It’s going GREAT SO FAR (thx for wondering). Baby boy, healthy, born a few months ago. I’m currently taking all forms of well-wishes and friendly advice :). Below: a long-running thread of things that have surprised me about babies/parenting/etc.
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"Live players" vs. "Dead players" (THREAD). Since reading this distinction two weeks ago, I've thought about it more or less every day. It's a simple distinction, but it explains so much.
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LINDY LINKS THREAD — posts I find myself still thinking about at least a year after reading them.
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hit me with some of your favorite writing (or other art) that defamiliarizes common things
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stupid idea i can’t shake:. whenever you talk or sing to someone, there’s a sense in which your vocal cords are _strumming their brain_. yes it’s mediated by air, ear drums, neurons. but it’s still direct causation. not so different from plucking at their brain with your fingers.
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i stand corrected.
@kevinsimler “I will be allocating emotional bandwidth to your plight in my somnolence” always rolls of the tongue and seems to comfort the crestfallen.
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Where are my “hard problem of consciousness” people??. Like this tweet so I can see you, or reply with a thought or link 🙏.
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Sure the illustrations are weird/wild, but I think this approach is really useful and undervalued:. “To do X, pretend your body is like Y”. Anyone have other examples of this kind of advice?.
The illustrations in this horseback riding book are making me feel weird
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One of the deepest principles that SSC stands for, IMO, is the virtue of engaging with people’s *ideas* rather than their *identities.*. It’s a cruel irony, then, that the NYT would betray this very principle in their attempt to portray the blog to a wider audience.
When it comes to anonymity, death threats are obviously concerning, but imo not the primary reason to avoid doxxing. It's that ppl feel freer to write w/o pressure from bosses, colleagues, friends, strangers, enemies; & we are freer to engage w their content over their identity.
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People here talk a lot about *designing new institutions* — startups, charter cities, governance mechanisms, etc. But I’d be curious to hear about *institutional maintenance.*. Q: What preexisting institutions do you help care for? How do you think about them?.
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yes
Scott Aaronson on vaccines:
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I don't agree with everything @jordanbpeterson stands for these days, but his defense of free speech is exceptionally moving.
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Quick questions (before I go back into the K-hole):. 1. Why is the regular flu seasonal? Why does it seem to spread more in winter months?. I’ve heard the “flu survives better in cold temps and low humidity.” Do people believe that? I’m skeptical because. .
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Re SpaceX: I've only ever had a dry, abstract appreciation for what they're doing. But this video gives me visceral awe:. Shows how fast the rockets are coming in and how much power/control are needed to stick the landing. Recommend watching with sound.
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I confess I don’t get the existential concern around deepfakes. Can anyone explain it to me? . I imagine we’ll have a few incidents where deepfakes are taken too seriously, as we get used to them. But we’ll learn and adapt pretty quickly, as we did with Photoshop. Yes/no/maybe?.
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A striking fact: “Across all past papers, there has not been even one reported case of a congenitally blind person who developed schizophrenia.”.
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Paul Graham on "moral fashions." Timeless essay from 2004
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Well this is astonishing, and not a little uncanny. A neural network can predict what someone’s face looks like, given just an image of their EAR. Frankly a little hard to believe that it works this well. .
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Life hack I don’t share often enough: using text-to-speech to proofread your writing. Your eye will gloss over all sorts of mistakes (repeated “of”s, extra or missing “s”s, etc.). But your ear catches them all.
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Periodic reminder: "You" aren't an object — you're an eddy. Less like a table, more like a tornado. Image from "Life is a Braid in Spacetime" by Max Tegmark
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A few scattered life hacks for reading more books. These have been working wonders for me the past couple months. 1/14.
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What are some lifestyle choices or decisions you’ve made that most people would consider “unconventional”? — taking a different path, coloring outside the lines, etc. If those choices are in hindsight, how do you think about them now?.
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An instinct I particularly hate: . Feeling the need to defend something I said just because *I* said it. 🙄.
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Bespoke: Bureaucracies as "organizational mech suits" built around powerful, competent individuals. Broke: Bureaucracies with no one in charge, carrying on as automata/zombies after their founders depart.
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Introducing 'Intent' — a project I've been working on to help you curb online distractions and build better habits
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A Natural History of Beauty — new (?!) Melting Asphalt post on the ecology and game theory of beauty
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I think what galls me the most about the NYT fixing to dox Scott Alexander is (1) there was no journalistic reason for it, and (2) the NYT already has a policy that would have allowed them to behave honorably here. Instead they chose to be a bully.
In re NYT vs @slatestarcodex, this seems relevant: According to the NYT itself, there is no one-size-fits-all policy. Which makes it even more difficult to understand why the NYT would promise/threaten to doxx Scott.
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Aliens are here to destroy Earth 🙀. But first, we’re allowed to send a 1-page letter back in time to some historical figure, which will then create a new timeline + trajectory for our species. For maximum positive impact, who should we contact and what should we tell them?.
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Fun example of language evolution:. I am going to.I’m going to.I’m gonna.I’m-onna.I’mma. Weird to live in a time when all five of these coexist.
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What's the most important thing that has ever happened?. A thread about transitions.
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Alright. I've been sitting on an idea for a couple years now, but finally realized I'm never going to act on it. So I'd like to "open source" it here. THE IDEA: Grassroots "getting started" programs for new Twitter users.
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My Twitter right now is flickering like an old TV set. It's exactly how I want it: usable, but certainly not fun :). (I'm experimenting with ways to gracefully degrade the UI as a deterrent to prolonged usage. Part of my project.)
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Back in Feb/Mar, I saw a _ton_ of public health messaging around washing one’s hands — how to do it, how often, what songs to sing, etc. Wish we could have that same effort on wearing masks. E.g. this great diagram by Nicky Case:
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Mind-blowing: The Inca governed an empire spanning 2500 miles and encompassing 10 million subjects, a feat they managed *without the wheel* and *without a formal writing system*.
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This is something I’ve believed for a long time: Humans aren’t going to colonize Mars. Or anywhere off Earth. Not for many decades. Why? MUCH too costly and dangerous. Who would raise kids there? Antarctica is orders of magnitude easier — yet ppl show no interest. More below:.
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i'm fascinated by the existence of weird youtube genres — esp ones that didn’t exist before the internet. ‘genre’ = a distinct style/theme with videos from many separate creators. e.g. asmr, mukbang, haul videos, soap shaving, unboxing videos for kids. what are some others?.
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To all the friends I’ve ghosted this year: I’m sorry :(. This is a longstanding pattern — I mismanage my social energy and end up having to turtle for months at a time. Y’all have been pretty gracious about it, but know that I feel bad and wish I was a better communicator.
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Apollo 11 was performance art. An audience of billions. Eight years in the making. One showing only. Arguably the most sublime thing ever performed.
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I’ve been mentoring my 10-year-old nephew in programming. Some impressions (thread):.
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Apparently my book with @robinhanson, "The Elephant in the Brain," is now available on Kindle! Hardcover doesn't come out until January. Attached: some things I like about this book (that you might like too).
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@fortelabs One last tip: Set your current book as your phone's lock screen, as a reminder of how you'd rather spend your time. (Here's mine. ) 13/
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you’ve just been hired to teach Critical Thinking at the local high school. what’s going on the curriculum? . what activities/assignments do you have planned for the kids?.
Our first class in college they told us local business leaders said the most important skill they wanted to hire for was Critical Thinking ,so our curriculum would focus on that. And I remember how we all had no idea what that meant.
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People who publish things online (blogs, videos, papers, articles, etc.):. What’s the most important piece you’ve published? . “Most important” = in your estimation. Don’t think too hard about it. But please stick to just one.
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@robinhanson A move I wish people made more often. C.f. this great blog post by @everytstudies
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Until reading @SimonDeDeo’s recent tweet, I’d never considered falling in love as a common knowledge cascade. Kinda feels like it might explain what’s happening here. Are these birds “developing common knowledge of their pair bond”?
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Last night I tried to describe the rationalist community to a friend who had never heard of it. I struggled, but finally settled on describing it as "A school of philosophy that arose on the internet rather than in the academy.".
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Well friends, I’m ready to come out of the K-hole (my term for an antisocial spell; short for “Kevin-hole”). I feel shitty for ignoring messages and ghosting everyone :(. Will try to play catch up. Regardless, it’s time to be a person again. Wish me luck!!.
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Realization: 'Fake news' stories aren't news—they're sermons. Nominally about facts, actually about (shared) values.
Just saw some fake news that was perfectly evolved to prey on my peer group. Now all tangled inside, b/c it would feel so good to believe. 😧.
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Overrated: getting the right answers to known problems. Underrated: asking new and generative questions.
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So many of my favorite people are independent thinkers: they seek their own data and derive their own (tentative) conclusions. Recently, however, I realized that such people — we? — are a handicap to factions we’re a part of. Let me try to explain.
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Someone discovering Slate Star Codex for the first time :).
I have never in my career read a synopsis of a paper I've (co-)written that is better than the original paper. Until now. I have no clue who this person is or what this blog is about, but this simply nails every aspect of the issue:
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Fitting, I suppose, that my most viral post to date is about things going viral. (Re-up for the morning crowd ;).
GOING CRITICAL — a 🆕 interactive essay!. How to prevent disease, control nuclear reactions, and encourage the spread of ideas. All with playable simulations.
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IME there are a ton of Twitter users who don’t get much engagement here, despite having most of the qualities that usually correlate with social media “success.” . These people are insightful, funny, generative, etc. I’m often puzzled by this, and wonder what they’re missing.
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Ugh. I’ve composed about a half dozen tweets in this box but can’t bring myself to send any of them. Think I’ve lost the will to say things. Any of y’all have this problem? Thoughts on what to make of it?.
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I think about this chart by @robert_mariani pretty much every week. Not perfect but v. useful. Left ⇔ Right. Restrained. ⇕.Sensational
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This is one of my bigger frustrations with this site — high-volume tweeters who drown out low-volume tweeters. I genuinely enjoy following these people. They just talk too much. So I end up muting a lot of them. But I wish I didn't have to.
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Equal parts hilarious and horrifying:. An SSC "photo essay" on the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
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Deliberately vague question: Where are you getting your best signal these days?.
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I had no idea how many ancient Greek poleis (plural of polis) there were. Maybe upwards of 1000. There were over 300 in the Delian League (Athenian empire) alone. Each a complex state with its own government, military, constitution, etc. "Frogs around a pond" indeed.
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This chart doesn’t get enough attention, IMO. “Unemployment” stats can only be understood side-by-side with “labor force participation rate.”. When someone stops trying to find a job, they drop out of the “unemployment” stat and only show up in the (non)-“participation rate.”
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Here’s a weird one for you:. I wish I could talk about all that’s wrong with modern/compulsory education. But I have too many feelings and don’t know what to say that hasn’t been said better by others. Instead, a request ⇊.
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Extremely interesting to think about writers doing “covers” of other writers’ books, essays, etc., the same way musicians do covers of other musicians’ songs. Does anyone know any examples of this?.
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A recent realization: Freedom is a more refined political good than democracy. Don’t get me wrong, democracy is great. But any mob can make a habit of polling itself for consensus. Freedom is the more precious and fragile achievement.
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I’m grateful to this little corner of Twitter for keeping me so informed about COVID-19 over the past month+. Many people here posted about it, retweeted updates, donned hazmat avatars, etc. Thanks to you, I’ve consistently felt ahead of this story.
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I’ve listened to this podcast three times now, and Peter’s model has lodged itself pretty deep in my brain. It was extremely compelling and highly recommended. Problem: I’m a n00b at geopolitics and don’t trust my own judgment. So I’m v. eager to hear informed critiques.
My conversation with @PeterZeihan on the future of geopolitics. We discuss the major forces (resources, trade, demographics, energy/food, wars) that might shape the world for the rest of our lives. Fascinating stuff.
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Hard endorse. I've known Adam for 15 years now, and he's always had high integrity and (above all) excellent judgment. We're still missing a key piece of this.
Have known Adam D’Angelo for many years and although I have not spoken to him in a while, the idea that he went crazy or is being vindictive over some feature overlap or any of the other rumors seems just wrong. It’s best to withhold judgement until more information comes out.
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Live players are in creative communion with reality: processing feedback, learning, and adapting to circumstances. In Samo's definition, they're able to do new things. Dead players are repeating stereotyped behaviors, often cargo-culting what live players have pioneered.
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Crony Beliefs — new Melting Asphalt post on epistemic legitimacy vs. epistemic corruption
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This is really cool: Blind Taste Test Twitter. A Chrome extension by @JakobSchwich that strips your TL of all personally identifying information (handles, avatars) so you can focus entirely on the content. It’s a surreal experience, highly recommended .
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Exceptional. IMO this is the best (clearest eyed) writeup on the SSC/NYT kerfuffle.
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About a year ago I gave up trying to define “left,” “right,” “liberal,” and “conservative.” . The concepts are too nebulous, and people have strong incentives to distort their meanings. There’s no stable “there” there. This has been wonderfully liberating.
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A data point: . Today I thought it’d be interesting to watch “Plandemic.”. Couldn’t find it using Google. Tried many different searches. Every result was an article explaining what was wrong with it. I finally gave up and remembered DuckDuckGo. It was the third hit.
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Heyo Twitter! I’m gonna try posting again, see if the habit sticks.
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Well I'm two and a half years late to the party, but this essay by @meaningness is exceptional:. "Upgrade your cargo cult for the win" HT: Michael Nielsen
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"How are you doing?" has never felt like such a real question.
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Periodic reminder: Freedom of speech isn't just my right to *say* subversive things. Just as important, it's my right to *hear* such things.
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The book officially launches today, and to mark the occasion I give you a listicle: 10 Reasons to Read "The Elephant in the Brain" (cc: @robinhanson)
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I asked @byrneseyeview to riff on the value of books vs. video. Thought this was a really insightful and original(?) take. (Protected account; sharing screenshots with permission.)
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Ads aren’t just noise and visual pollution. They’re also semiotic pollution. Every meaningless brand crowds out a budding -logy or -ism.
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