What is this?
I am offering to act as a “mentor”, to you, in case that seems like something you’d find useful.
How will it work?
We will meet three times for 30 minutes. During those sessions, I’ll try to help you do whatever it is you’re trying to do. Then I’ll sit back and congratulate myself on everything you do for the rest of your life.
Why are you doing this?
It’s an experiment. I have a theory that there isn’t enough mentoring in the world, and that creating more mentoring might be an efficient step towards filling the universe with bliss-maximizing Dyson spheres. So I’ve decided to try this and see what happens.
What topics are allowed?
In principle, any topic. But I’ll probably be able to help you more if I have some kind of expertise or interest in whatever you’re trying to do. It could be anything related to statistics, science, AI, self-improvement, blogging, academia, writing, rationalism, (effective) altruism, air quality, the welfare of animals, or anything I’ve ever written about. Or it could be something else entirely. To encourage you to think broadly, I will try to pick at least one person with a topic not on the previous list.
Who is eligible?
Anyone. In particular, anyone at any age or career stage. But also the other kinds of anyone.
What will it cost?
Nothing.
Is there an application?
I have no idea how many people will be interested, but when scarce resources are given away, demand often exceeds supply. So there is an application, which is here: I basically just ask (1) what you want to do, and (2) how you hope I can help you.
How many people will you pick?
Three. If lots of people apply, I might try to recruit some other mentors. Or I might be lazy and disorganized and not do that.
How will you pick?
I will pick primarily based on how much I think I can help you and secondarily based on how much what you’re trying to do will advance the general welfare of the universe. I stress that the primary axis is primary! If you make a strong argument that I can help you become very rich or succeed in dating (unlikely) then I’ll pick you over some do-gooder that I can help slightly less.
What makes you great that you can mentor other people?
Nothing. Honestly, I could give you several reasons that I’m less than ideal as a mentor! But I suspect that mentoring is valuable enough (and undersupplied enough) that even less-than-ideal people like me can still be helpful.
How will we meet?
We will meet by video call using Signal.
Will you share any details about me without my permission?
I might write about the results of this experiment in general, reflecting on how it went, giving tips for other people who might try something similar, etc. The whole point of doing this is to experiment and understand if it works, after all. If you want me to share some details about you, I might. But I am very sensitive to privacy and I will not share anything (even broad details) without running it past you first and I’m extremely likely to agree to remove any information you ask me to remove, even if you’re being ridiculous.
Is this a good opportunity to interview you or try to get you to go on a podcast, etc.?
No. I will attack you.
