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Apr 23, 2026

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Links For April 2026

53 min • 8,070 words • 588 comments • 272 likes • podcast (47 min)

Scott Alexander's April 2026 links roundup covers diverse topics including Venn diagram complexity, flag desecration laws, AI developments, political analysis, scientific studies, and various cultural curiosities. Longer summary

This monthly links post compiles interesting articles, studies, and observations from across the internet in April 2026. Major themes include AI progress and policy (including discussions of AI alignment, capabilities, and regulation), political developments (Trump administration actions, election analysis), scientific findings (from evolutionary psychology to medical treatments), and various cultural oddities. Scott provides brief commentary on each link while noting that he hasn't independently verified all claims and that commenters typically find errors in a few links per post. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: prediction markets (85), media criticism (76), links (62), medical research (52), link roundup (35), internet culture (34), AI alignment (32), evolutionary psychology (30), AI progress (15), education policy (12), AI policy (11), political analysis (10), scientific studies (7), cultural commentary (3), religious phenomena (2)

May 07, 2024

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Highlights From The Comments On "The Origin Of Woke"

92 min • 14,255 words • 375 comments • 103 likes • podcast (74 min)

Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to comments on his review of 'The Origins of Woke', covering various aspects of civil rights law, workplace discrimination, and the spread of 'wokeness'. Longer summary

This post highlights various comments on Scott Alexander's review of Richard Hanania's book 'The Origins of Woke'. The comments cover a wide range of topics including personal experiences with workplace discrimination, the origins and spread of 'wokeness', civil rights law in different countries, EEOC lawsuits, and various other related subjects. The post provides a balanced view of different perspectives on these issues, showing both support for and criticism of Hanania's arguments. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: wokeness (9), affirmative action (5), workplace discrimination (5), civil rights law (2), online culture (2)

Dec 01, 2022

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Book Review: First Sixth Of Bobos In Paradise

23 min • 3,511 words • 701 comments • 173 likes • podcast (25 min)

Scott reviews David Brooks' thesis on how a 1950s change in Ivy League admissions policy reshaped American elite culture and society. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews the first sixth of David Brooks' book 'Bobos In Paradise', focusing on Brooks' thesis that a change in Harvard's admissions policy in the 1950s led to the replacement of the old WASP aristocracy with a new meritocratic elite. This shift had far-reaching consequences for American culture, values, and social trends. Scott explores how this theory might explain various phenomena, from changes in architecture to political polarization, and considers its implications for understanding modern elites and social dynamics. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: book review (212), cultural change (10), meritocracy (9), American history (7), social class (6), social change (6), WASP culture (2), David Brooks (2), elite institutions (2), Ivy League admissions (2)

Aug 18, 2021

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Links For August

21 min • 3,111 words • 516 comments • 50 likes • podcast (24 min)

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and commentary on topics ranging from housing policy and employment discrimination to conspiracy theories and vaccine hesitancy, with a mix of analysis, skepticism, and humor. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and commentary on various topics. Scott Alexander covers a wide range of subjects including housing policy, creativity tests, Chinese tech regulation, employment discrimination studies, conspiracy theories, vaccine hesitancy among PhDs, and public health policies. He also shares intriguing images, discusses scientific controversies, and provides commentary on current events and social issues. The post maintains a mix of seriousness and humor throughout, often with a skeptical or analytical perspective on the topics presented. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: effective altruism (97), links (62), conspiracy theories (32), public health (16), China (11), housing policy (9), YIMBY (5), scientific controversy (5), employment discrimination (2)

May 18, 2021

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Highlights From The Comments On Culture Wars

36 min • 5,540 words • 617 comments • 77 likes • podcast (36 min)

Scott Alexander responds to reader comments on his culture wars article, addressing various topics including 4chan history, transgender issues, feminism, dating apps, and internet censorship. Longer summary

This post highlights various comments on Scott's previous article about online culture wars. It covers topics such as the history of 4chan, the role of transgender issues in culture wars, the decline of feminism discourse, the impact of dating apps on social interactions, internet censorship, and the evolution of online movements. Scott responds to these comments, often agreeing with some points while remaining skeptical of others. He also reflects on how his own perspective might be limited by his age and experiences. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: highlights from the comments (67), internet culture (34), culture war (22), feminism (18), online discourse (10), transgender issues (5), dating apps (3), 4chan (2), internet censorship (2)

Jun 05, 2019

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List Of Passages I Highlighted In My Copy Of “The Secret Of Our Success”

52 min • 8,005 words • 167 comments • podcast (59 min)

Scott Alexander shares and comments on excerpts from Joseph Henrich's 'The Secret of Our Success', exploring cultural evolution and its impact on human societies. Longer summary

This post highlights various passages from Joseph Henrich's book 'The Secret of Our Success', covering topics such as cultural evolution, gene-culture coevolution, social norms, and the development of human cognition and technology. Scott Alexander provides commentary and analysis on these excerpts, drawing connections to other ideas and contemporary issues. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: book review (212), evolutionary psychology (30), cultural evolution (23), social norms (19), anthropology (14), technology development (6), cognitive development (4), gene-culture coevolution (2)

Oct 08, 2018

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Links 10/18: +1 Insiteful

15 min • 2,207 words • 570 comments

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links and news items, covering topics from historical anecdotes to recent scientific studies and cultural trends. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and news items from various fields. It covers topics such as historical anecdotes, scientific studies, political developments, technological innovations, and cultural trends. The author, Scott Alexander, provides brief summaries and sometimes adds his own commentary or humorous observations. The post touches on subjects like cryptocurrency, open access scientific publishing, genetic research, social media effects on polarization, and artificial intelligence developments. It also includes updates on ongoing stories and mysteries, such as the illness affecting US diplomats and the discovery of ancient skeletons in Tibet. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: politics (89), science (85), technology (63), culture (45), social media (42), link roundup (35), cryptocurrency (30), artificial intelligence (23), genetic research (5)

Jun 13, 2018

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Links 6/18: Linkonberry Jam

20 min • 3,048 words • 814 comments

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links on topics ranging from science and politics to economics and culture, with brief commentary on many items. 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 scientific discoveries, political events, economic trends, technological advancements, and cultural phenomena. Scott Alexander provides brief commentary on many of the links, often adding context or his own thoughts. The tone is informative and occasionally humorous, with a focus on sharing intriguing information across diverse fields. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: study critique (268), economics (103), politics (89), science (85), psychology (69), technology (63), healthcare (56), culture (45), link roundup (35)

Apr 05, 2018

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Links 4/18: Siter Plate

15 min • 2,179 words • 638 comments

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links and news items, covering topics from ancient history to modern politics and technology, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and news items on various topics. It covers a wide range of subjects including ancient Sumerian debates, conspiracy theories, academic research, political developments, AI safety, and social issues. The post presents these items in a concise format, often with brief commentary or analysis from Scott. Some notable items include studies on divorce laws and domestic violence, controversial research on firearms and naloxone, updates on AI safety research, and discussions of recent political events in Italy and South Africa. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: politics (89), AI safety (69), link roundup (35), conspiracy theories (32), current events (28), academic research (14), social issues (14), ancient history (4)

Aug 31, 2017

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Links 8/17: Exsitement

14 min • 2,162 words • 243 comments

A collection of interesting links covering science, technology, culture, and economics, including updates on DNA malware, AI gaming, prison censorship, and various scientific studies. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post covering various interesting news and studies. Topics include DNA-encoded malware, AI in gaming, prison book bans, studies on therapy effectiveness, global inequality trends, and various scientific and cultural curiosities. The post follows Scott's typical link roundup format, providing brief commentary and context for each item, often with a mix of serious analysis and humorous observations. He covers both academic research and popular culture, maintaining his characteristic balance of intellectual rigor and accessibility. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: study critique (268), AI (110), science (85), technology (63), internet culture (34), therapy (9), inequality (8), prison system (6)

Jun 14, 2017

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Links 6/17: Silinks Is Golden

18 min • 2,776 words • 6 comments

A collection of interesting links covering a wide range of topics, from scientific studies and historical facts to current events and amusing anecdotes. Longer summary

This is one of Scott's regular link posts, collecting various interesting articles, studies, and facts that caught his attention. The topics range widely from scientific research (like PTSD in Roman soldiers and genetic studies) to historical curiosities (like Byzantine titles and the history of cell phones). He also comments on current events like Silicon Valley critiques and political developments. Some links are serious academic studies, while others are more lighthearted like the rules around shooting Bigfoot. Throughout the post, Scott adds brief commentary and context to help readers understand the significance of each link. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: study critique (268), education (90), science (85), links roundup (28), Trump (22), Silicon Valley (12), IQ research (6)

Mar 30, 2017

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Links 3/17: Relinkquishment

16 min • 2,417 words • 752 comments

A links post featuring various news stories, research findings, and interesting facts, from Jewish pirates to ancient Roman artifacts to the fallout of various Trump-related controversies. Longer summary

This is a links post covering diverse topics in news and research. Stories include historical facts (like Jewish pirates in the Caribbean), scientific research (BDNF and sunlight correlation, Leek & Jager's paper on scientific findings), current events (Trump's FDA pick, immigration numbers, anti-Semitic incidents), technological developments (Uber self-driving cars, electric planes), and various social and political topics. The post follows Scott's typical links format, offering brief commentary and often humorous observations on each link. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: study critique (268), media criticism (76), scientific research (64), links (62), current events (28), Trump (22), immigration (21), technology development (6)

Dec 08, 2015

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Links 12/15: Ma’oz Tz-URL

19 min • 2,827 words • 785 comments

A collection of interesting links covering recent research, controversies, and developments across various fields including science, economics, politics and sociology, with Scott's brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post covering various topics and recent research findings. Scott shares interesting links about economics, science, politics, and sociology. The post includes studies on racial bias in policing, diet soda effects, mass shootings statistics, refugee integration in Sweden, and various other topics. He also discusses controversial topics like cultural appropriation and gun control debates, while maintaining a balanced and analytical perspective. The format follows Scott's typical style of providing brief commentary and context for each link shared. Shorter summary

Recurring tags: study critique (268), science (85), bad science (30), research (16), education costs (7), gun control (5), police practices (4), racial bias (3), cultural appropriation (3)