A book review of 'The Escape Artist,' which tells the story of Rudolf Vrba's escape from Auschwitz and his failed attempt to stop the Holocaust by warning European Jews, ultimately exploring human denial in the face of unimaginable horrors. Longer summary

This book review examines 'The Escape Artist' by Jonathan Freedland, which tells the true story of Rudolf Vrba (born Walter Rosenberg), one of the few Jews to escape from Auschwitz. The review traces Vrba's journey from volunteering for transport to Auschwitz, through his two years there learning about the systematic murder happening in the gas chambers, to his meticulously planned escape with Fred Wetzler in April 1944. However, the second half of the story reveals a bitter disappointment: despite producing the detailed Vrba-Wetzler Report documenting the Holocaust, Vrba fails in his larger mission to warn European Jews in time, as Jewish councils, Allied governments, and potential victims either don't believe the warnings, suppress them, or refuse to act. The review argues this is an anti-redemptive Holocaust narrative whose true antagonist is human nature's tendency toward denial when confronted with the unthinkable, and concludes with reflections on how this same dynamic continues today. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander presents a series of satirical job interviews at Thiel Capital, where candidates share increasingly absurd unpopular beliefs, highlighting the nature of conspiracy theories and contrarian thinking. Longer summary

This post is a satirical piece featuring a series of fictional job interviews at Thiel Capital. Each interview involves asking candidates to share an unpopular belief they hold. The responses range from absurd conspiracy theories to unconventional interpretations of historical events and scientific concepts. The interviewers' reactions highlight the absurdity of the candidates' beliefs, while also poking fun at the idea of 'based' or controversial opinions in tech and finance circles. The piece uses humor to explore themes of conspiracy theories, contrarian thinking, and the nature of unconventional beliefs. Shorter summary

Scott examines the phenomenon of Hungarian scientific geniuses in the early 20th century, attributing it to a high concentration of high-IQ Ashkenazi Jews in Budapest rather than exceptional education. Longer summary

Scott explores the phenomenon of Hungarian scientific geniuses in the early 20th century, initially attributed to exceptional education. He debunks this theory, showing that many of these geniuses were prodigies before formal schooling. Scott then reveals that all these geniuses were Jewish, linking their success to the high IQ of Ashkenazi Jews as explained by Cochran, Hardy, and Harpending's theory. He notes that Hungary, particularly Budapest, had an unusually high concentration of Jews at that time. The post concludes by discussing the tragic end of this golden age due to the Holocaust, and speculates on whether we've lost something unique from that era of scientific progress. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews Hannah Arendt's 'Eichmann in Jerusalem', exploring key aspects of the Eichmann trial and the Holocaust, and reflecting on their implications. Longer summary

This post reviews Hannah Arendt's book 'Eichmann in Jerusalem', which covers the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Scott Alexander discusses five key aspects from the book: Eichmann's psychological profile, Nazi pre-war plans for Jews, varying responses of occupied nations to Nazi demands, the role of Jewish councils, and why more Germans didn't resist. The review explores the complexities of evil, the importance of resistance, and draws parallels to modern political situations, while being careful not to spoil Arendt's conclusions. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander contrasts two studies with opposite conclusions about stress, highlighting the inconsistency in how we interpret adversity's effects. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses two contradictory studies: one showing fat-shaming leads to weight gain, and another suggesting Holocaust survivors have greater life expectancy. He points out the potential flaws in both studies and the ease with which psychology can explain opposite outcomes. The post highlights how we often switch between contradictory narratives about stress and adversity, using them selectively to support various arguments. Scott emphasizes the importance of critical thinking when interpreting such studies and their implications. Shorter summary