Scott explores various technological and market-based approaches to dating and relationships, including prediction markets, matching sites, and cryptocurrency concepts. Longer summary

This post discusses various algorithmic and financial approaches to romance, focusing on prediction markets and other creative solutions. Scott examines Aella's date recommendation market, matching checkbox sites, the Luna cryptocurrency dating site concept, and Peter Thiel's insights on social startups. He also reviews some current prediction markets related to dating and relationships. The post concludes with short links about an arranged marriage project and AI chatbot romance. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores why users of a simple dating site often fail to indicate interest online but agree to dates in person, suggesting that the difficulty of asking someone out serves as a valuable signal. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the unexpected behavior of users on a dating site called Reciprocity, where people can indicate interest in their Facebook friends anonymously. He notes that many users, including himself, would agree to date someone in person but not check their name on the site. Scott theorizes that this counterintuitive behavior might be because asking someone out in person is a stronger signal of interest due to its inherent awkwardness and difficulty. He compares this to systems where bureaucracy or pain serves as an active ingredient, sending a stronger signal than a simple checkbox. The post concludes by cautioning against assuming we can easily improve complex social systems. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a collection of interesting links and studies on various topics, including scientific research, cultural observations, and current events, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This post is a collection of links to various articles and studies, with brief commentary on each. The links cover diverse topics from science, anthropology, politics, and society, including findings about placebo effects in psychiatry, Mormon cultural origins, and college rankings. The format is informal, with Scott providing personal observations and sometimes humorous asides about each link. The post includes both academic studies and news articles, often focusing on unexpected or counterintuitive findings. Shorter summary