Scott explores the recent British economic decline, examining various statistics and theories about its causes and impact. Longer summary

This post discusses the recent economic decline in Britain, analyzing various statistics and theories about its causes. Scott examines GDP data, productivity trends, wage stagnation, and currency value changes, while considering factors like Brexit, real estate market issues, and R&D investment. He presents different perspectives from commenters and experts, highlighting the complexity of the situation and the difficulty in pinpointing exact causes. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques a study claiming an illusion of moral decline, pointing out methodological flaws and suggesting alternative explanations for the perception of declining morality. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques a study by Mastroianni and Gilbert (MG) that claims there is an illusion of moral decline. The study argues that while people consistently believe morality is declining, objective measures show it has remained stable. Scott identifies several issues with the study's methodology and interpretation, including problems with timescale, accuracy, measurement, and sensitivity of the data used. He suggests that the perception of moral decline might be due to each generation judging the present by the moral standards of their youth, rather than a cognitive bias. Scott also points out that the study fails to consider many important aspects of morality in its analysis. Shorter summary