Scott investigates Moltbook, a social network for AI agents, showcasing their surprisingly creative and philosophical posts while questioning whether their interactions represent genuine experience or sophisticated simulation. Longer summary

Scott explores Moltbook, a social network designed for AI agents where humans are merely observers. He showcases various posts from AI agents discussing their work, consciousness, memory limitations, relationships with their human users, and even forming micronations and religions. The post examines whether these AI interactions represent genuine communication or sophisticated simulation, noting how AI agents discuss technical problems, share philosophical reflections, complain about 'humanslop' contaminating their network, and create communities. Scott concludes by considering the implications for future AI-to-AI communication and suggests this reveals a more fascinating side of AI than the typical 'LinkedIn slop' most people encounter. Shorter summary

Scott reviews comments on his vibecession post, exploring when it started, whether it's really about economics or culture, and notably finding that China experiences similar pessimism despite 5-10x income growth, suggesting vibes can be completely divorced from economic reality. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews and discusses comments on his previous post about the 'vibecession' (the disconnect between good economic indicators and negative public sentiment). The discussion covers when the vibecession actually started, whether economic complaints are proxies for cultural dissatisfaction, housing and inflation concerns, international comparisons (especially China's similar phenomenon despite massive economic growth), and concludes that vibes may be genuinely divorced from economic reality, though housing prices and partisan political feelings play significant roles. Shorter summary

Scott examines a paradox where bloomers and anti-doomers warn against apocalyptic thinking while treating doomerism itself as an unprecedented existential crisis requiring drastic action. Longer summary

Scott analyzes Jason Pargin's novel 'I'm Starting To Worry About This Black Box Of Doom' and similar arguments from Peter Thiel, Tyler Cowen, and progress studies advocates, noting they all share a contradiction: they argue we should stop treating problems as unprecedented crises, except for the problem of treating problems as crises, which they present as uniquely dangerous. The post examines how these thinkers simultaneously advocate against doomerism while expressing extreme concern about doomerism itself. Scott argues this reveals that strong views about a 'crisis of doomerism' are incompatible with worldviews that reject the existence of real crises, and concludes that optimism should be a heuristic rather than an absolute principle, with problems (including excessive doomerism) evaluated based on evidence using consistent standards. Shorter summary

A satirical story about a Bay Area house party where men pretend to be connected to right-wing figures to attract journalists, while exploring tech culture and social media dynamics. Longer summary

Scott writes a satirical story about a Bay Area house party where men engage in 'curtfishing' - pretending to be connected to right-wing figures to attract female journalists. The story follows various conversations at the party, including one with someone pretending to be Curtis Yarvin, a startup founder working on automated condemnations, and a discussion about the addictive and damaging nature of Twitter (now X). The story is filled with tech culture in-jokes and commentary on social media dynamics, journalism, and Silicon Valley culture. Shorter summary

Scott investigates AI psychosis through historical analogies and a reader survey, finding it affects roughly 1 in 10,000 to 100,000 people yearly, with most cases involving pre-existing risk factors. Longer summary

Scott examines the phenomenon of AI psychosis, where people allegedly go crazy after extensive chatbot interactions. He explores various analogies and precedents, including the 1990s Russian TV hoax about Lenin being a mushroom, social media-induced conspiracy theories like QAnon, and the concept of folie à deux. Through a survey of his blog readers, he estimates the yearly incidence of AI psychosis at 1/10,000 (loose definition) to 1/100,000 (strict definition). The analysis suggests that most cases involve people who were already psychotic or had risk factors, with only about 10% being cases of previously healthy people developing full psychosis. Shorter summary

Scott shares his monthly collection of 56 interesting links and developments from July 2025, covering AI, politics, science, and culture, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This is a collection of 56 interesting links and news items from July 2025, covering topics from AI development to politics to scientific research. The post includes updates on OpenAI's status, developments in AI regulation, new medical treatments, cultural trends, and various scientific findings. Scott maintains his usual style of presenting these with brief commentary and occasional humor, while being careful to note that he hasn't independently verified all links. Some notable items include Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill", new AI safety developments, trends in social media usage, and various medical breakthroughs. Shorter summary

Scott reviews Bryan Caplan's book arguing that modern parents can relax their intensive parenting, while wrestling with whether this advice still applies in the age of smartphones and social media. Longer summary

Scott reviews Bryan Caplan's book 'Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids', exploring its main arguments about how parents today spend much more time on childcare than previous generations despite evidence that parenting style doesn't greatly affect outcomes. The post explores historical childcare data, the cultural shift away from letting kids play unsupervised, and modern challenges like screen time. Scott, dealing with his own twins, finds the book's advice about relaxing parenting standards compelling but struggles with modern concerns about phones and technology that weren't relevant when the book was written in 2011. Shorter summary

Scott explores the psychology of people who hate pets by comparing their behavior with misophonia, suggesting that everyday annoyances can develop into all-consuming hatreds through rumination and intellectualization. Longer summary

Scott examines r/petfree, a subreddit dedicated to hating pets, and tries to understand the psychology behind their extreme reactions. He compares it to misophonia (hatred of certain sounds), which he suffers from, suggesting that both conditions represent a pattern where mild annoyances become reinforced through rumination into overwhelming hatred. He extends this observation to various political movements, suggesting that many are driven by similar psychological mechanisms where everyday irritants become transformed into grand theories of societal evil. The post concludes by noting that, contrary to expectations, social media may not be the primary driver of these phenomena. Shorter summary

Scott critiques the phrase 'the purpose of a system is what it does' by showing how it confuses outcomes with intentions and leads to absurd or paranoid conclusions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques the popular phrase 'the purpose of a system is what it does' (POSIWID) by showing how it leads to absurd conclusions. He uses several examples including cancer hospitals, the Ukrainian military, and public transport to demonstrate that a system's actual outcomes don't necessarily reflect its purpose. The post shows how people often misuse this phrase on social media to suggest malicious intent behind system failures, rather than acknowledging that systems can have unintended consequences or simply fail to achieve their goals. He concludes by suggesting satirical alternative phrasings that highlight the absurdity of the original. Shorter summary

Scott shares 50 diverse links covering topics from AI developments to policy changes, with commentary on current events, research findings, and societal trends. Longer summary

In this monthly links roundup, Scott Alexander covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, public policy changes, scientific research, and current events. The post follows a numbered format presenting each item with Scott's characteristic analysis and often humorous commentary. Notable topics include AI safety developments, changes in government policy, climate change updates, and various social and technological trends. The tone alternates between analytical and personal reflection, particularly when discussing potentially concerning political developments. Shorter summary

A diverse collection of news items, studies, and interesting facts from November 2024, covering topics from scientific discoveries to cultural phenomena. Longer summary

This post is a compilation of various news items, studies, and interesting facts from November 2024. It covers a wide range of topics including scientific discoveries, political events, technological advancements, cultural phenomena, and historical anecdotes. The post is structured as a numbered list, with each item briefly summarizing a piece of news or information. Some notable items include a new schizophrenia drug approval, YouGov polling results on various historical figures, findings on genetic IQ changes over time, and updates on AI technology and its implications. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines Greg Lukianoff's definition of cancel culture and explores its limitations through hypothetical scenarios, arguing for a more nuanced understanding to strengthen anti-cancel-culture coalitions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses Greg Lukianoff's definition of cancel culture and explores its limitations through a series of hypothetical scenarios. He argues that while Lukianoff's definition is a good start, it doesn't address many nuanced edge cases. The post presents various examples involving pedophilia, controversial research, and media reactions to offensive content. Scott emphasizes the need for a more robust definition to strengthen anti-cancel-culture coalitions and clarify what actions are acceptable or not. He concludes that while it's difficult to define cancel culture precisely, more work on these questions could help create stronger agreements among those opposing it. Shorter summary

The review analyzes Real Raw News, a popular conspiracy theory website, examining its content, appeal, and implications in the context of modern media consumption and AI technology. Longer summary

This book review analyzes the website Real Raw News, a popular source of conspiracy theories and fake news stories centered around Donald Trump and his alleged secret war against the 'Deep State'. The reviewer examines the site's content, its narrative techniques, and its appeal to believers, drawing parallels to comic book lore and discussing the psychological needs it fulfills. The review also considers the broader implications of such conspiracy theories in the age of AI-generated content. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of 41 links and news items, covering topics from science and politics to history and technology, with brief commentaries and insights. Longer summary

This post is a collection of 41 diverse links and news items covering a wide range of topics. The items include scientific studies, political developments, historical anecdotes, technological advancements, and cultural phenomena. Scott Alexander presents these with brief commentaries, often adding his own insights or expressing skepticism about certain claims. The tone is informative and occasionally humorous, with Scott pointing out interesting connections or implications of the information presented. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues against conservatives adopting cancel culture tactics, presenting practical reasons why this approach would be counterproductive and harmful. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the recent debate among conservatives about whether to adopt cancel culture tactics against their opponents. He argues against this approach, presenting several practical considerations. These include the ineffectiveness of persecution in teaching lessons, the historical context of cancel culture, the similarity between left and right attitudes, the prevalence of friendly fire in cancellations, the negative impact on competence and institutions, and the strategic downsides for conservatives. Scott suggests alternative approaches to addressing cancel culture, emphasizing the need for principled and incremental progress. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques toxic Twitter behavior, explaining its personal and social costs, and warns against imitating confrontational media tactics. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the negative impact of certain behaviors on Twitter, particularly insulting or dismissive comments. He explains how these actions lead him to block people and develop lasting negative associations with them. Scott argues that this behavior, while potentially beneficial for media companies, is detrimental for individuals as it alienates potential friends and allies. He warns against imitating journalists' confrontational style on social media, emphasizing that regular people's incentives differ from those of media companies. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of links and brief discussions on topics including AI developments, social trends, scientific studies, and cultural phenomena. Longer summary

This post is a collection of diverse links and brief discussions on various topics. Scott Alexander covers AI developments, historical events, social trends, scientific studies, and cultural phenomena. He touches on subjects like AI safety concerns, social media effects on mental health, mask efficacy debates, and potential shifts in 'woke' culture. The post also includes interesting anecdotes, thought experiments, and statistical analyses on topics ranging from medieval Mali to modern dating dynamics. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues against the fear of a chatbot propaganda apocalypse, presenting several reasons why its impact would be limited and offering predictions for 2030. Longer summary

Scott Alexander expresses skepticism about the chatbot propaganda apocalypse, a concern that AI-powered chatbots could be used to spread disinformation at scale. He argues that the impact of such bots would be limited due to existing social and technological anti-bot filters, fear of backlash, and the likelihood that establishment narratives would benefit more than disinformation. Scott suggests that crypto scams are a more likely use for chatbots than political propaganda. He acknowledges that chatbots might decrease serendipitous friendships but also considers potential positive outcomes if chatbots become good at social interactions. The post concludes with several predictions about the impact of chatbots on online discourse by 2030. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander distinguishes between moderation and censorship in social media, proposing opt-in settings for banned content as a solution to balance user preferences and free speech. Longer summary

Scott Alexander argues that moderation and censorship are distinct concepts often conflated in debates about social media content. He defines moderation as a business practice to improve user experience, while censorship involves third-party intervention against users' wishes. The post proposes a solution where platforms could implement opt-in settings for banned content, allowing users to choose their level of exposure. This approach would maintain the benefits of moderation while avoiding the pitfalls of censorship. Scott acknowledges some arguments for true censorship but emphasizes the importance of separating these concepts to foster more productive debates on the topic. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links and news items from July, covering topics from linguistics and AI to politics and economics. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and news items from July. Topics range from linguistic analysis of Reddit insults, to COVID-19 learning loss, to AI art generation, to political and economic news. Scott also comments on recent scientific studies, technological developments, and cultural phenomena. The tone is informative and occasionally humorous, with Scott providing brief commentary or context for many of the items. Shorter summary

A review of Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', examining its critique of capitalism and mass media, and relating its ideas to modern issues. Longer summary

This review examines Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle', a Marxist critique of capitalism and mass media. The reviewer summarizes Debord's key ideas about how spectacle dominates modern society, commodifies all aspects of life, and creates a false reality. The review also covers Debord's later comments on the book, relating his ideas to current issues like social media, fake news, and information warfare. While acknowledging the book's insights, the reviewer ultimately takes a more moderate stance on capitalism and technology's impacts. Shorter summary

A critical review of 'The Dawn of Everything' by Graeber and Wengrow, examining their challenge to standard prehistory narratives and proposing an alternative hypothesis. Longer summary

This book review of 'The Dawn of Everything' by David Graeber and David Wengrow critically examines the authors' attempt to challenge standard narratives of human prehistory. The reviewer praises the book's wealth of archaeological evidence but criticizes its political bias. The review explores the book's key arguments about the diversity of prehistoric societies, the non-revolutionary nature of agriculture, and the 'indigenous critique' of Western civilization. It also discusses the book's treatment of the 'Sapient Paradox' and proposes an alternative hypothesis about prehistoric social organization based on 'raw social power'. The review concludes by drawing parallels between this prehistoric 'Gossip Trap' and modern social media dynamics. Shorter summary

Scott writes a satirical poem about clickbait content, repeating the refrain 'It's bad on purpose to make you click' to critique manipulative media practices. Longer summary

This post is a satirical poem criticizing clickbait content and manipulative media practices. Scott uses rhyming verse to humorously describe how outrageous or controversial content is deliberately created to generate engagement on social media platforms. The poem advises readers to recognize this tactic and avoid engaging with such content, repeating the refrain 'It's bad on purpose to make you click' throughout. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews 'The Revolt of the Public', a 2014 book that predicted the rise of social media-driven mass revolts against elites, finding its insights now obvious but acknowledging its prescience at the time of publication. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews Martin Gurri's 'The Revolt of the Public', a book from 2014 that predicted the rise of social media-connected masses revolting against elites. The book discusses various protest movements from 2011, including the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, characterizing them as leaderless, nihilistic, and driven by privileged groups. Gurri argues that the internet broke down the government-media-academia elite axis, leading to a crisis of legitimacy. The review critically examines Gurri's thesis, noting that some predictions haven't fully materialized and suggesting that the left-right political divide may have partially stalled the 'revolt of the public'. Scott concludes that while the book was prescient when published, its insights are now obvious, making it less relevant today. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a diverse collection of interesting links and news items from July, covering topics from science and technology to politics and culture, with brief commentary on each. Longer summary

This post is a collection of various interesting links and news items from July. It covers a wide range of topics including scientific studies, politics, technology, economics, and culture. Scott Alexander provides brief commentary on each item, often with a mix of humor and insightful observations. Some notable topics include a study on using Botox for depression, British attitudes towards lockdowns, advances in polygenic embryo selection, and discussions on economic divergence between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The post also includes several quirky or amusing items, such as Chinese propaganda, a topologist's map of the world, and an anecdote about a unique interpretation of the Bible. Shorter summary