Scott Alexander shows how he won his 2022 bet about AI image generation capabilities, tracking the progress from early failures to complete success in 2025, using this to argue against AI skeptics. Longer summary

Scott Alexander describes the resolution of a bet he made in June 2022 about AI image generation capabilities. The bet claimed that by June 2025, AI would master image compositionality and be able to accurately generate specific complex scenes. The post shows the progression of AI image generation from 2022 to 2025, starting with early failures by DALL-E2, through various partial successes with Google Imagen and DALL-E3, and ending with ChatGPT 4o's complete success in May-June 2025. Scott uses this to argue against critics who claimed AI was just a 'stochastic parrot' that couldn't achieve true understanding, though he acknowledges some remaining limitations with very complex prompts. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a curated list of 41 diverse links and news items, covering topics from linguistics and technology to politics and popular culture, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This post is a collection of 41 diverse links and news items curated by Scott Alexander. The topics range from linguistics, technology, and politics to economics, science, and popular culture. Scott provides brief commentary on each item, often with a touch of humor or skepticism. The post includes updates on current events, interesting scientific findings, cultural trends, and academic debates. It also features some visual content like graphs, images, and embedded tweets. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links and news items from July, covering topics from linguistics and AI to politics and economics. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and news items from July. Topics range from linguistic analysis of Reddit insults, to COVID-19 learning loss, to AI art generation, to political and economic news. Scott also comments on recent scientific studies, technological developments, and cultural phenomena. The tone is informative and occasionally humorous, with Scott providing brief commentary or context for many of the items. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander's links post covers historical oddities, scientific studies, social issues, and tech developments, ranging from pet monkeys to AI progress. Longer summary

This links post covers a wide range of topics, including historical curiosities, scientific studies, social issues, and technology developments. Some notable items include: a discussion of ways things have improved since the 1980s, an analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous effectiveness, insights into national IQ correlations with development, and updates on COVID-19 responses. The post also touches on topics like depression treatment, artificial intelligence progress, and healthcare system comparisons. Shorter summary

A vegetarian and meat-eater collaborate to analyze the impacts of eating meat, concluding that reduced consumption is beneficial but not as clear-cut as some might think. Longer summary

This post is an entry to the 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest, where a vegetarian and a meat-eater investigate the ethical, health, and environmental impacts of eating meat. They explore animal consciousness, factory farming conditions, human happiness set points, health outcomes, environmental effects, and costs of switching diets. They conclude that reducing meat consumption, especially chicken, is beneficial overall, but the case is not as strong as some vegetarians might assume. Shorter summary

A diverse collection of links covering technology, science, economics, politics, and culture, including critiques of studies, interesting scientific findings, and current events. Longer summary

This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles, studies, and news items. It covers a wide range of topics including technology, science, economics, politics, and culture. Some highlights include: a list of places branding themselves as the next Silicon Valley, a study on declining fertility in dogs, critiques of bad scientific studies, an article on antidepressant tapering, data on value drift in effective altruism, and discussions on the Mueller Report's impact on media credibility. The post also includes links to various interesting facts, studies, and developments in fields such as nutrition, drug use, e-cigarettes, and urban development. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links covering topics from architecture to AI, with brief summaries and occasional humorous commentary. Longer summary

This post is a collection of links to various interesting articles and news items. It covers a wide range of topics including architecture, Chinese immigrant history, psychotherapy, AI advancements, genetics, politics, science, and economics. The post includes brief summaries or comments on each link, often with a touch of humor or irony. Some notable items include discussions on the repressive climate in the Bay Area, new studies on autism and transgender links, and economists' opinions on Net Neutrality repeal. Shorter summary

Scott presents a distorted map of Europe as a riddle, challenging readers to reconsider their perceptions and solve the puzzle. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents a distorted map of Europe and challenges readers to figure out why it appears incorrect. He suggests that the problem lies not with the map, but with the viewer's perception. The post is structured as a riddle, with Scott providing hints through links to other works. The answer to the riddle is revealed in a linked image, encouraging readers to engage in problem-solving and to consider how our perceptions can be misleading. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering topics from ancient Roman demographics to modern AI developments, criminal justice issues, and cultural oddities. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting news and articles. Topics include ancient Roman life expectancy data, Chinese censorship expanding to group chats, cruise ship pollution, AI developments like AlphaGo Zero, criminal justice issues around drug rehab work camps and police body cameras, and various other scientific, technological and cultural items. The post maintains a light tone while covering both serious topics like Puerto Rico's ongoing crisis and quirky ones like Viking reenactors and Halloween costumes. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning architecture, science, politics and economics, with commentary on studies about lithium, lead exposure, minimum wage, and free speech. Longer summary

This is a links post where Scott Alexander shares various interesting articles and studies from around the internet. It covers a wide range of topics including architecture, science, politics, economics, and social issues. Notable items include a study showing lithium in drinking water may not have significant effects, research about the lead-crime hypothesis, discussions about minimum wage studies in Seattle, and various pieces about free speech and campus politics. Shorter summary

A wide-ranging links post covering recent research, political developments, and interesting findings across various fields, with particular focus on psychology research, political polling, and academic developments. Longer summary

An extensive roundup of links covering various topics in science, politics, and culture. Scott covers recent research on discrimination and peer effects, discusses political developments like Brexit polling and DNC chair elections, highlights interesting academic papers on personality and therapy, and shares various curiosities like tracking a child's first words. The post also covers developments in AI, drug regulation, and campus activism. The tone is analytical and exploratory, often questioning conventional wisdom and examining evidence from multiple angles. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics from Judaism and science to media bias and hate crime hoaxes, with Scott's commentary on each story. Longer summary

This is one of Scott's regular link posts, where he shares interesting articles and studies he's found with brief commentary on each. The links cover a wide range of topics including religious practices, scientific research, healthcare policy, media bias, and social issues. Among the notable items are studies on early school starting age and crime rates, fake hate crime reports after Trump's election, and research on gender differences in medical care. The tone is analytical and sometimes skeptical, with Scott often providing additional context or pointing out methodological issues. Shorter summary

Scott shares various interesting news items and studies spanning history, science, politics, and technology, with commentary on each item's significance or irony. Longer summary

A diverse collection of interesting links and news items covering various topics. The post includes historical curiosities (like Merv being the world's largest city), scientific research (including studies about genetic risk for sugar consumption and school effects), political developments (like Steve Bannon's profile and Trump's microphone issues), technology news (AI partnership between tech giants), and social issues (discrimination studies and immigration effects). The post maintains a light, sometimes humorous tone while discussing serious subjects, often adding ironic observations about how things work. Shorter summary

A link roundup post covering various topics from video games to scientific studies, with Scott's commentary on each news item or piece of research. Longer summary

A collection of interesting links covering diverse topics including scientific studies (Tylenol and ADHD, obesity genetics), current events (self-driving Uber cars, DoJ ending private prisons), cultural observations, and historical curiosities. Scott provides brief commentary on each link, often critiquing methodology of studies or pointing out interesting implications. The post has a lighter tone when discussing oddities like torpedo juice or Desert Bus, but becomes more analytical when examining research claims or policy changes. Shorter summary

Scott examines psychological phenomena attributed to the unconscious mind, noting many have failed to replicate, and suggests a shift away from the power of the unconscious in psychological research. Longer summary

This post explores the concept of 'voodoo death' and its parallels in psychology, suggesting that many psychological phenomena previously attributed to the power of the unconscious mind may be less significant than once thought. Scott examines several examples, including the placebo effect, stereotype threat, self-esteem, and social priming, noting that many of these effects have failed to replicate in recent studies. He proposes a pattern of shifting away from the power of the unconscious in psychological research, while acknowledging the limitations of his analysis. The post concludes by considering the implications for Freudian psychology and suggesting a need to reevaluate our understanding of the unconscious mind. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering science, politics, and culture, with topics ranging from desalinization and medical studies to quirky historical facts and political developments. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post covering various topics from scientific studies to political events. It includes interesting findings about desalinization in Israel, studies about alcohol consumption and poverty, updates on linguistics paper reviews showing gender bias, and various cultural observations. The post also covers some unusual facts about military dogs, Mennonite communities, and state traditions. It maintains a light tone while discussing serious topics, often including Scott's brief commentary or humorous observations alongside the links. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links and studies on various topics, from bad statistics and media coverage to technological progress and scientific discoveries, with commentary from Scott Alexander. Longer summary

This is one of Scott's regular link posts, presenting a diverse collection of interesting articles, studies, and developments. The topics range from media coverage and politics, through scientific studies and technological progress, to social developments and cultural phenomena. Scott provides commentary on many of the links, often adding context, questioning methodology, or highlighting interesting implications. The post maintains a mix of serious academic content and lighter cultural observations. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines the problem of endless, unproductive arguments in online communities and proposes ways to mitigate them while maintaining healthy discourse. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the problem of interminable arguments in online communities, particularly within rationalist circles. He argues that while it's important to challenge beliefs and seek out counterarguments, this can lead to repetitive, unproductive debates that people feel obligated to engage in. The post explores reasons why people get drawn into these arguments, such as feeling the need to correct misinformation, responding to insults, or defending against attempts to marginalize their views. Scott suggests several ways to mitigate this issue, including blocking trolls, being more tolerant of newbies, recognizing asymmetrical debate burdens, and emphasizing that there's no obligation to defend one's position on demand. He proposes moving discussions to private channels or longer-form content as potential solutions. Shorter summary

Scott shares diverse links ranging from optical illusions and Bitcoin drama to educational research and medical controversies, with commentary on methodology and social implications. Longer summary

A collection of interesting links covering various topics. The post starts with scientific curiosities like the McCullough Effect optical illusion and updates on potential alien megastructures, then moves through educational research, Bitcoin controversies, and employment discrimination. It includes discussions of medical issues in the UK, interesting methodologies in gender research, and immigration policies. The post ends with various studies on economics, psychology, and social issues, including an intriguing study about Vietnam veterans' children's income. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various interesting links spanning history, science, economics, and current events, with topics ranging from ancient Greek snake warfare to modern AI development. Longer summary

A collection of diverse links covering various topics, from historical anecdotes about ancient Greek warfare with snakes to modern developments in CRISPR technology and urban policy. Scott presents interesting findings about bullying interventions, Vitamin D supplementation, and mental health in different societies. The post includes commentary on various current events, including Venezuela's economic situation, drug policy debates, and AI development at OpenAI. The post maintains Scott's characteristic mix of scholarly interest and humor throughout. Shorter summary

A curated collection of interesting links covering academic debates, cultural issues, economics, and scientific discoveries from around the web. Longer summary

This is a links post containing various interesting articles and news items from around the web. The post covers topics ranging from academic debates, cultural issues, economics, and scientific discoveries. Notable items include discussions about political correctness at Oberlin, a replication debate in economics, SpaceX's successful rocket landing, and various historical curiosities like the Roman charioteer Gaius Appuleius Diocles and the Sedan nuclear test mishap. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning topics from CRISPR technology to economic studies, with Scott's commentary on each item. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting articles and studies across multiple domains. Scott shares updates on CRISPR technology, corporate governance issues, demographic claims about Bernie Sanders supporters, studies about gender bias, and various economic research. The post includes both lighter observations (like different views of the White House) and serious academic papers about genetics, intelligence, and economic development. The format is typical of SSC links posts, with brief commentary on each link and occasional humorous asides. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander criticizes mainstream media's recent focus on 'coddled' college students in social justice debates, arguing it overlooks more serious issues and reflects a bias towards elite academic perspectives. Longer summary

Scott Alexander expresses concern about the recent mainstream media criticism of social justice movements. He contrasts the issues raised by small bloggers, which focus on bullying and ideological rigidity, with those raised by major media outlets, which tend to focus on college students being 'coddled'. Alexander argues that this media focus is misplaced, overlooking more serious issues while amplifying relatively minor campus disputes. He suggests this bias stems from the media's overrepresentation of elite academic perspectives. Alexander fears that allowing this narrative to dominate could derail more substantive criticism of social justice movements, and sees it as indicative of a broader problem of academia's outsized influence on media and politics. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links covering science, education, politics and culture, with Scott Alexander's commentary and analysis on each. Longer summary

This is a links post collecting various interesting articles and studies. Notable topics include: an IQ study predicting US gains, a social site called Omnilibrium trying to improve filtering, FDA allowing 23andMe genetic tests at higher prices, evidence about pre-K education having potentially negative effects, and news about polio eradication. The post also covers topics like genetic engineering in China, studies about police reducing crime, and cultural analysis of urban violence. Many links come with Scott's brief commentary or analysis putting them in context. Shorter summary

A collection of links covering economics, science, history and technology, ranging from historical oddities and new research to cultural developments and scientific discoveries. Longer summary

This is a Link Post collecting interesting articles and studies from around the internet. Scott covers topics ranging from historical curiosities (like the Great Stork Derby), economics (labor share trends and Bitcoin), scientific discoveries (genetic mutations in brain development), social science (assimilation rates of immigrants in France), and education (school starting age effects on ADHD). The post includes some bizarre finds like Communist theme parks and radioactive dinnerware, plus updates on genome sequencing costs, right-to-die legislation, and potential alien megastructures. Shorter summary