How to explore Scott Alexander's work and his 1500+ blog posts? This unaffiliated fan website lets you sort and search through the whole codex. Enjoy!

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Jun 14, 2021
acx

Contra Smith On Jewish Selective Immigration

28 min • 3,898 words • 702 comments • 197 likes • podcast (29 min)
Scott Alexander argues that Jewish overachievement is real and deserves continued study, countering Noah Smith's attempt to downplay its significance. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to Noah Smith's article questioning whether Jews are really disproportionately successful. Scott argues that Jewish success is real and not fully explained by selective immigration or other factors Noah proposed. He examines historical evidence on Jewish immigration, compares Jewish achievement to urbanization rates, and discusses data on Jewish success in various fields. Scott concludes that Jewish overachievement remains an interesting and important phenomenon to study, potentially offering insights into genetics or cultural factors that could be broadly beneficial if understood. Shorter summary
Feb 25, 2019
ssc

Wage Stagnation: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

46 min • 6,438 words • 288 comments • podcast (53 min)
Scott analyzes wage stagnation since 1973, examining various explanations and concluding that while wages have risen 40-50%, there is still significant decoupling from productivity due to multiple factors. Longer summary
This post analyzes the apparent wage stagnation and decoupling from productivity since 1973. Scott examines various explanations, including measurement issues, demographic changes, inflation calculations, increasing inequality, and policy changes. He concludes that wages have actually risen about 40-50% since 1973, but there is still a significant 50% decoupling from productivity. The main factors are increasing wage inequality (40%), inflation miscalculations (35%), and labor vs. capital inequality (15%). Scott breaks down potential causes and their relative importance, while noting several remaining questions and uncertainties. Shorter summary
Dec 06, 2017
ssc

Response To Comments: The Tax Bill Is Still Very Bad

7 min • 932 words • 340 comments • podcast (8 min)
Scott Alexander defends his criticism of the GOP tax bill, arguing that even if taxes should be lowered, there are more effective ways to cut taxes that would directly benefit the poor and middle class. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to criticism of his previous article on the GOP tax bill, reaffirming his position that the bill is a poor approach to tax cuts. He argues that even if one believes taxes should be lower, there are better ways to implement tax cuts. Scott suggests that halving income taxes for the bottom 80% of earners would be a more effective alternative. He critiques the argument that corporate tax cuts boost economic growth, citing economist opinions, CEO statements, and historical trends. The post emphasizes that direct tax cuts or welfare programs for the poor and middle class would be more beneficial than the proposed corporate tax cuts. Shorter summary
May 11, 2013
ssc

Raikoth: Symbolic Beads

10 min • 1,300 words • 45 comments
Scott Alexander describes a fictional society's use of symbolic bead necklaces to redirect status games towards charitable giving. Longer summary
This post describes a fictional society called Raikoth and its innovative approach to redirecting status games towards charitable giving. The society uses a system of symbolic beads worn as necklaces to convey personal information and social protocols. The most significant part of this system involves government-issued beads that indicate income levels and charitable donations. This setup encourages wealthy individuals to donate to charity to maintain their status, effectively turning charitable giving into the primary status game in the society. The post explores how this system might work and its potential effects on social behavior and wealth signaling. Shorter summary