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15 posts found
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Feb 05, 2026
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Links For February 2026

48 min • 7,419 words • 660 comments • 255 likes • podcast (49 min)
A monthly collection of diverse links covering AI developments and regulation, COVID origins debates, healthcare policy, cultural phenomena, scientific research, and internet curiosities, maintaining Scott's characteristic blend of serious analysis and entertaining observations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander's February 2026 links collection covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, politics, science, culture, and internet phenomena. Major themes include updates on AI capabilities and regulation (with discussions of OpenAI, Anthropic, and various political machinations around AI policy), the ongoing COVID lab leak debate and related prediction markets, healthcare and drug development issues, cultural observations from around the world, and various scientific and academic findings. The post maintains Scott's characteristic style of jumping between serious policy discussions, academic research, internet curiosities, and cultural commentary, with particular attention to AI safety concerns, rationalist community topics, and interesting historical or linguistic oddities. Shorter summary
Aug 19, 2022
acx
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Highlights From The Comments On Subcultures

31 min • 4,672 words • 162 comments • 64 likes • podcast (29 min)
Scott Alexander discusses reader comments on his cyclic theory of subcultures, addressing critiques and expanding on the model's applications and limitations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses various comments on his post about a cyclic theory of subcultures. He addresses critiques and expansions of his model, including the role of loyalists, the importance of unassailable central figures, and how movements transition between phases. Scott also reflects on the current state of rationalism and effective altruism, provides his timeline for the rationalist movement, and explores the concept of status in subcultures. Shorter summary
Aug 10, 2022
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A Cyclic Theory Of Subcultures

15 min • 2,229 words • 317 comments • 322 likes • podcast (18 min)
Scott proposes a four-phase cyclic theory of subculture evolution, explaining their rise and fall without requiring sociopathic takeovers. Longer summary
Scott Alexander proposes a cyclic theory of subcultures, inspired by Peter Turchin's theories of civilizational cycles. He outlines four phases: Precycle, Growth, Involution, and Postcycle. The theory explains how subcultures evolve from initial enthusiasm to fragmentation and eventual stabilization, without requiring the influx of sociopaths that David Chapman's model suggests. Scott argues that the decline in *asabiyyah* (social cohesion) and increased competition for status within the subculture can explain the observed patterns of subculture evolution. Shorter summary
Mar 23, 2021
acx
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Book Review: Antifragile

36 min • 5,496 words • 475 comments • 147 likes • podcast (36 min)
Scott Alexander reviews Nassim Taleb's 'Antifragile', which explores the concept of benefiting from disorder across various domains and critiques modern attempts to reduce volatility. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews Nassim Taleb's book 'Antifragile', which introduces the concept of antifragility - things that gain from disorder and volatility. The book explores this concept through various domains including finance, evolution, exercise, and government policy. Taleb argues that many modern systems and approaches, in trying to reduce volatility, actually increase fragility to large shocks. The review discusses Taleb's critique of academia, his preference for practical knowledge over theory, and his views on the benefits of smaller, decentralized systems. Scott compares Taleb's ideas to other thinkers like James Scott and David Chapman, seeing 'Antifragile' as part of a broader intellectual counterculture questioning conventional approaches to knowledge and governance. Shorter summary
Oct 24, 2019
ssc
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Highlights From The Comments On PNSE

20 min • 3,097 words • 165 comments • podcast (22 min)
Scott Alexander examines skeptical and supportive comments on claims of enlightenment, arguing that evidence for such states is comparable to other accepted mental phenomena. Longer summary
This post discusses the comments on a previous article about Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience (PNSE) or 'enlightenment'. Scott Alexander addresses skepticism towards claims of enlightenment, comparing it to other mental states and discussing the evidence for its existence. He argues that the evidence for enlightenment-like states is as strong as for many other accepted mental phenomena. The post also explores different perspectives on enlightenment, including potential criticisms and alternative explanations, as well as personal accounts from individuals with meditation experience. Shorter summary
Jun 24, 2019
ssc
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More Confounders

13 min • 1,928 words • 166 comments • podcast (15 min)
Scott examines studies linking sleeping pills to increased mortality, highlighting a new study that found no link after adjusting for 300 confounders, potentially challenging the validity of less thorough studies. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses a controversial topic in medical research: the link between sleeping pills and increased mortality. He reviews several studies that found a strong association between sleeping pill use and higher death rates from various causes, even after controlling for confounders. However, he then introduces a new study by Patorno et al. that found no such link for benzodiazepines. The key difference is that this study adjusted for an unprecedented 300 confounders using a new statistical algorithm. Scott suggests that if this study is correct, it could mean that many other medical studies that only control for a handful of confounders might be inadequate. He draws parallels to other fields where dramatically increasing scale or intensity has led to new insights. Shorter summary
Apr 03, 2018
ssc
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Highlights From The Comments On Twelve Rules

41 min • 6,219 words • 148 comments • podcast (42 min)
Scott Alexander reflects on reader comments about his review of Jordan Peterson's '12 Rules for Life', discussing interpretations of Peterson's philosophy and its impacts. Longer summary
This post summarizes and reflects on various comments made in response to Scott Alexander's review of Jordan Peterson's book '12 Rules for Life'. The comments cover a range of topics including Peterson's philosophical approach, his views on meaning and suffering, his impact on readers, and comparisons to other thinkers like C.S. Lewis. Scott provides his own thoughts on these interpretations, discussing ideas around the nature of meaning, the role of inspiration vs truth, and the merits of Peterson's approach to self-improvement and politics. He also considers how Peterson's ideas might be viewed from different philosophical perspectives. Shorter summary
Nov 02, 2017
ssc
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Non-Expert Explanation

14 min • 2,152 words • 194 comments • podcast (16 min)
Scott Alexander explores the difficulties of learning and explaining complex ideas, advocating for diverse approaches and collaborative learning despite internet criticism. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the challenges of understanding and communicating complex ideas, drawing parallels between learning social skills and grasping difficult concepts. He argues that for complex knowledge, multiple perspectives and approaches are often necessary, as different formulations may resonate better with different individuals. The post emphasizes the importance of community-based learning, questioning, and practical application in truly understanding complex ideas. Scott also critiques the internet's hostility towards this learning process, where attempts to understand or explain ideas are often mocked as 'reinventing the wheel' or showcased as examples of stupidity. He concludes that while authoritative lectures work for simple facts, collaborative truth-seeking is crucial for more complex subjects, despite the risks of criticism or accusations of arrogance. Shorter summary
Jul 28, 2016
ssc
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Links 7/16: Grad, Div, and URL

8 min • 1,210 words • 933 comments
A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. It covers a wide range of topics including drug policy changes around suboxone, scientific studies about intelligence and inflammation, historical oddities like Japanese WWII plans, educational research, and current events. The post includes both serious academic content (like studies on behavioral therapy and economic effects of aging) and lighter items (like Pokemon Go at Holocaust museums). Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often connecting them to his previous writing or ongoing themes. Shorter summary
Jul 07, 2016
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Links 7/16: Peter Linklage

13 min • 1,933 words • 814 comments
A collection of interesting links covering various topics from scientific studies, social issues, and current events, including problems with brain imaging studies, AI safety developments, and surprising research findings. Longer summary
This is one of Scott's regular link posts where he shares and briefly comments on interesting articles and studies he's found. The post covers diverse topics including medical research critique (particularly brain imaging and psychiatric studies), current events (like the Chinese government's actions against Buddhist monks), and technological developments in AI safety. Scott adds his characteristic analytical commentary to many of the links, pointing out surprising implications or potential flaws in the studies. The format is casual but informative, with Scott often expressing personal opinions or humorous observations about the material he's sharing. Shorter summary
May 09, 2016
ssc
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Links 5/16: Linko de Mayo

28 min • 4,206 words • 315 comments
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
Apr 04, 2016
ssc
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The Ideology Is Not The Movement

50 min • 7,647 words • 687 comments • podcast (47 min)
Scott Alexander examines tribalism, arguing that ideologies often serve as 'rallying flags' for tribes rather than defining their core identity. Longer summary
Scott Alexander explores the concept of tribalism, arguing that ideologies and beliefs often serve as 'rallying flags' for tribes rather than being the core of what defines them. He examines various examples including religious sects, disability communities, and online subcultures to illustrate how tribes form, develop, and sometimes dissolve. The post suggests that understanding groups as tribes with historical context rather than purely ideological entities can provide insight into many social phenomena and conflicts. Shorter summary
Nov 11, 2015
ssc
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Links 11/15: Alinkxander Hamilton

14 min • 2,120 words • 800 comments
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
Sep 12, 2014
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What The Hell, Hegel?

18 min • 2,776 words • 152 comments
Scott Alexander examines the rise and fall of Hegel's philosophical influence, contrasting his 19th-century dominance with modern dismissals, and considers the implications for philosophy and Hegel's lasting impact on modern thought. Longer summary
This post explores the phenomenon of Hegel's philosophy, its historical dominance, and subsequent fall from grace. Scott Alexander discusses how Hegel was incredibly influential throughout the 19th century, dominating philosophical thought in Germany, England, and America. However, modern opinions of Hegel are often dismissive, with many philosophers and thinkers criticizing his work as obscure and nonsensical. The post then reflects on what this dramatic shift in perception might mean for philosophy and intellectual progress. It concludes by considering how Hegelian ideas might still influence modern thought, particularly in concepts of human progress and New Age philosophies. Shorter summary
Aug 06, 2013
ssc
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On first looking into Chapman’s “Pop Bayesianism”

14 min • 2,110 words • 137 comments
Scott Alexander defends Bayesianism as a valuable epistemology, contrasting it with absolutist and nihilistic approaches, and argues for its usefulness in complex reasoning. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to David Chapman's criticism of 'Bayesianism' as a philosophy. He argues that Bayesianism is a genuine and valuable epistemology, contrasting it with two other approaches: Aristotelianism (which deals in absolutes) and Anton-Wilsonism (which advocates not believing anything). Scott posits that Bayesianism, or 'Epistemology X', is a synthesis of these, allowing for degrees of belief and updating based on evidence. He defends this view by sharing personal experiences and observations, arguing that while people may not always think in probabilities, having a coherent philosophical foundation like Bayesianism is valuable when dealing with complex issues outside one's comfort zone. Shorter summary
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