Scott Alexander uses the Jewish legend of the Chamber of Guf as a metaphor for subconscious thoughts, exploring its implications for behavior, OCD, and self-defeating thoughts.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the concept of the Chamber of Guf, a Jewish legend about a pit of proto-souls, and uses it as a metaphor for subconscious thoughts. He explores how this relates to behavior selection in the brain, the effects of dopamine on thought patterns, and various forms of OCD. The post delves into how anxiety can affect thought selection, leading to conditions like Gay OCD, and suggests that similar processes might be behind self-defeating thoughts. Scott also touches on how meditation might allow direct access to this subconscious realm of thoughts.
Shorter summary