Scott argues that Trump supporters and conservative-aligned people who push back on bad administration policies should be supported rather than pressured to publicly denounce Trump, as they're often the only ones who can effectively prevent worse outcomes. Longer summary

Scott argues that Trump administration officials who maintain credibility with the administration while pushing back on bad policies are a valuable resource that should be supported rather than condemned. He explains how the Trump administration ignores liberal criticism but sometimes listens to loyal Republicans and Trump supporters, making these 'thoughtful collaborators' crucial for preventing worse outcomes. The post defends people who work within conservative institutions or refrain from publicly denouncing Trump while privately working to improve policy, arguing that demanding they explicitly condemn the administration would eliminate their effectiveness. Scott addresses concerns about collaboration legitimizing the administration by noting that voters are too uninformed and polarized for policy details to significantly affect political outcomes, making the real-world benefits of good policy more important than theoretical electoral effects. Shorter summary

Scott's monthly roundup of interesting links covering AI policy developments, technology news, cultural observations, and scientific research from December 2025. Longer summary

This is Scott Alexander's monthly collection of links and commentary covering diverse topics. Major themes include AI policy battles (chip sales to China, regulation debates, political campaigns), startup news (Substrate fraud allegations, Tornyol mosquito drones), and scientific updates (COVID origins, Hitler's DNA, lactose intolerance). The post also covers cultural topics like the first millennial saint, Dimes Square commentary, and political polling about ideal Democratic candidates. Scott provides his characteristic mix of straightforward reporting, skeptical analysis, and occasional humor throughout the 53 linked items. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander analyzes the COVID-19 pandemic's progress, predicts future waves, and speculates on its long-term impact and transition to an endemic disease. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the current state and future predictions for the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. He outlines the past waves of infections, predicts future waves due to new virus strains, analyzes vaccine efficacy against these strains, and speculates on how the pandemic might eventually transition to an endemic seasonal illness like the flu. He also touches on potential long-term societal changes and makes several specific predictions about future developments. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques Glen Weyl's anti-technocracy essay, arguing for a more nuanced view of formal mechanisms in decision-making and defending rationalist approaches. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques Glen Weyl's essay 'Why I Am Not A Technocrat', arguing that Weyl's definition of technocracy is incoherent and his examples don't fit his own definition. Scott breaks down the concept of technocracy into several axes, including top-down vs. bottom-up, mechanism vs. judgment, and expert vs. popular opinion. He argues that formal mechanisms can be valuable in preventing bias and corruption, using examples like district creation and college admissions. Scott also defends the rationalist and effective altruism communities against Weyl's criticisms, highlighting their successes in areas like pandemic preparedness. He concludes that while critiques of technocracy are important, it's crucial to avoid oversimplifying the issue and to recognize that sometimes technocratic approaches can be beneficial. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores various COVID-19 topics including lockdown effectiveness, infection rate variations, transmission risks, prediction markets, and ethical considerations of pandemic response. Longer summary

This post covers various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdown effectiveness, heterogeneity in infection rates across countries, transmission risks, prediction markets, and ethical considerations. Scott discusses cell phone data showing limited impact of official lockdowns, explores reasons for varying infection/mortality rates between countries, and highlights the role of speaking/singing in virus transmission. He also examines coronavirus prediction markets, questions the long-term sustainability of lockdowns, and ponders how to quantify the severity of COVID-19 deaths compared to other causes. The post concludes with numerous short updates and links on coronavirus-related topics. Shorter summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links spanning science, history, and current events, with commentary on research methodologies and unexpected findings. Longer summary

A collection of interesting links and studies across various topics. The post covers scientific studies (like ego depletion and male variability), historical curiosities (like Russian Somalia and Project Oilsand), current events (Jeremy Corbyn's election), and various social and political developments. Scott presents each item with brief commentary, often highlighting interesting methodologies or unexpected findings. The post maintains a mix of serious academic content and more lighthearted observations, frequently noting clever research designs or counterintuitive findings. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links spanning scientific research, politics, economics, and culture, with brief commentary from Scott Alexander on each item. Longer summary

This is a links post, where Scott Alexander shares and briefly comments on various interesting articles, studies, and news items. The post covers a wide range of topics including scientific studies about genetics, intelligence, and obesity; political news about Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders; economic research about minimum wage and business practices; and various other topics like climate change and mathematical curiosities. Scott provides short commentary and often connects the links to previous discussions or adds context from his own knowledge. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues for the value of using quantification and made-up statistics in decision-making, even when imperfect, as they often outperform intuition and reveal biases in our thinking. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the value of using made-up statistics and quantification in decision-making, even when the numbers are imperfect. He argues that this approach can often lead to better outcomes than relying solely on intuition or System 1 thinking. The post begins with an anecdote about teaching Bayes' Theorem, then explores how quantification can improve decision-making in various fields, including utilitarianism and medical diagnosis. Scott emphasizes that while these numbers may be imperfect, they often provide more accurate results than gut feelings, which can be severely biased. He concludes by advocating for applying made-up models to various problems as a way to challenge our intuitions and gain new perspectives. Shorter summary