Scott Alexander investigates the reasons behind the extreme poverty in California's Central Valley, comparing it to Mississippi and analyzing various contributing factors. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores the economic decline of California's Central Valley, comparing it to Mississippi in terms of poverty. He investigates various factors contributing to the region's struggles, including agricultural practices, immigration patterns, mechanization, and environmental issues. The post analyzes historical data, local perspectives, and economic indicators to understand when and why the Central Valley's situation deteriorated, concluding that while the causes are complex and not fully clear, the region's poverty is a stark contrast to California's overall wealth. Shorter summary

Scott summarizes and responds to comments on his technological unemployment article, covering various debates, critiques, and potential explanations for observed trends. Longer summary

This post summarizes comments on Scott's previous article about technological unemployment. It covers various perspectives on the topic, including debates about the pace of technological change, the impact of women entering the workforce, the role of disability benefits, issues with data interpretation, historical comparisons, and potential future scenarios. Scott also addresses some critiques of his original analysis and acknowledges areas where further research is needed. Shorter summary

The post argues against the idea that the Griggs vs. Duke Power Co. case is responsible for credentialism in employment, presenting evidence that the issue is more complex and widespread. Longer summary

This post challenges the common belief that the Griggs vs. Duke Power Co. Supreme Court case is responsible for the rise of credentialism in employment. The author presents several arguments against this notion: 1) The Griggs decision applies equally to college degrees and IQ tests, yet degrees are still widely used. 2) Other countries without similar laws face similar credentialism issues. 3) It's legal and possible for employers to ask for SAT scores (which approximate IQ tests), but this practice hasn't caught on. 4) Fields with standardized tests (like medicine) still heavily rely on credentials. The author concludes that the roots of credentialism likely lie deeper than this single court decision. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines 'dualization' in various fields, comparing its effects to non-dualized professions and exploring its causes and broader implications in society. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the concept of 'dualization' in various fields, comparing academia and drug gangs to illustrate how some professions separate into binary classifications of winners and losers. He contrasts this with non-dualized fields like computer programming, where success is more of a continuous spectrum. The post explores the drawbacks of dualized fields, including higher risk for individuals, potential for oppression, and increased politicization. Scott then examines what causes dualization, considering factors like licensing, regulation, and the concept of privilege. He extends this analysis to other areas like minimum wage and urban growth, questioning if there are ways to provide privileges with minimal dualization. Shorter summary