Humans. We’re so limited. So, I’m always thinking about the idea that groups of people have this incredible power to accomplish things far beyond that capabilities of individuals. But communication is hard—words have such low bandwidth, plus there’s all sorts of complex incentives at work.
See also the category specifically on writing.
On asking people to consider stuff that sounds crazy
It’s frustrating to propose an idea and have people dismiss it just because it’s weird. You’ve surely seen people ridicule ideas like worrying about wild animal suffering or computers becoming sentient or comets crashing into the planet. I’ve encountered some of this for claiming aspartame is likely harmless but ultrasonic...
Reflections on a phenomena that's unique to culture-war topics
There's a certain phenomenon I often wonder about, one that only seems to occur with culture war topics. I usually try to avoid culture war, but it's impossible to discuss this phenomenon without an example and I don't see the point of tiptoeing around. So, abortion. For better or for...
We should encourage more public disagreement.
Probably most social norms are like that---even if we disagree with them, they're too entrenched to change. That's why it's important to watch for critical points where norms could go either way. Here's one such case: Say someone wrote something. You think they're wrong, so you write a manifesto arguing...
Five proposed rules to make sure you're using analogies for good
To fix the analogy, you'd need some bizarre scenario where during the party America had lots of fun and created lots of dirty dishes but also, like, discovered new partying methodology and new ways to use dishes so they are easier to wash?
What do we know about how to communicate effectively and find the truth?
Talking about sugar Nick and Maria want to talk about sugar. Does it reduce lifespan? They disagree, but are honest and principled. They want to find the truth and agree on it. How should they talk? Take turns? Try hard to be polite and respectful? Allow interruptions? Search for origins...
