A diverse collection of links and studies covering education, race, healthcare, and various other topics, with Scott's commentary and analysis on each item. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post containing various news stories, studies, and interesting findings from different fields. The post covers topics ranging from education and healthcare to genetics and AI safety. Scott discusses several studies about racial achievement gaps, education outcomes, and healthcare system comparisons. He also shares interesting findings about animals, medical coding systems, and various social and economic issues. The post maintains a light tone while discussing serious topics, often adding humorous asides or personal observations. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines how issues become politicized along tribal lines, preventing rational discussion and leading to counterproductive behaviors. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses how various issues become politicized and tied to tribal narratives, using examples like the Ebola quarantine debate, the Rotherham scandal, and climate change. He argues that when issues become referendums on tribal identity, it prevents rational discussion and leads to counterproductive behaviors. He suggests that framing issues in ways that respect out-group narratives could help, but notes this rarely happens due to media incentives. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents an interactive concept map of the rationalist community, inspired by previous community maps and showcasing various websites and adjacent communities. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents a concept map of the rationalist community, inspired by previous maps like Julia's Map of Bay Area Memespace and xkcd's map of the Internet. The interactive map showcases various websites, blogs, and communities within and adjacent to the rationalist sphere. It includes links to these sites, with the size of each 'city' proportional to the site's Alexa rank or number of followers. The map also features external communities that have significant interaction with the rationalist community. Scott acknowledges that some omissions may be due to forgetfulness rather than intentional exclusion, and notes that for larger platforms like Twitter or Tumblr, only a selection of representatives could be included. Shorter summary

This post systematically rebuts common Reactionary political beliefs on topics like societal decline, traditional governance, progress, and social issues through data analysis and historical examples. Longer summary

This post is an extensive rebuttal to common beliefs held by the Reactionary political movement. It systematically addresses and counters Reactionary claims about societal decline, traditional monarchies, the origins and nature of progress, corporate governance models, and modern views on race and gender. The author analyzes data and historical examples to argue against Reactionary positions, while acknowledging some valid critiques and interesting ideas within the movement. The post ends by listing various rebuttals and responses to the FAQ itself from Reactionary bloggers. Shorter summary

A collection of interesting links from around the web with Scott's commentary, covering topics from international politics to scientific research to cultural curiosities. Longer summary

This is a link roundup post sharing various interesting articles and news items from around the web. The links cover a wide range of topics including international politics, scientific research, cultural observations, and historical events. Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often with a mix of humor and critical analysis. The post includes content about children's possessions worldwide, Egyptian politics, happiness rankings, creative interpretations of Star Wars, medical research transparency, and various other eclectic topics. Shorter summary

Scott responds to authors of a Victorian intelligence paper, remaining skeptical of their findings and addressing critiques of his original post on IQ change speeds. Longer summary

Scott Alexander responds to the authors of a paper on Victorian intelligence who replied to his earlier critique. He remains skeptical of their findings, arguing that the Victorian sample was still more elite than modern comparisons, even when broken down by occupation. Scott also addresses a point from his original critique about the speed of IQ changes, acknowledging some validity to commenters' objections but explaining his reasoning. He concludes by suggesting that concerns about dysgenic effects on IQ may be overblown given the likely timeframe for genetic engineering or transfer to nonbiological life. Shorter summary