Scott Alexander reviews 'Inadequate Equilibria' by Eliezer Yudkowsky, a book exploring systemic failures, decision-making, and the limits of social consensus.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews Eliezer Yudkowsky's book 'Inadequate Equilibria', which explores why bad situations persist despite pressure to improve them, when to trust social consensus vs. personal reasoning, and the pitfalls of overusing the Outside View in decision-making. The book offers a framework for analyzing systemic failures and inefficiencies, but Scott finds its treatment of the Outside View somewhat disappointing. He recommends reading the book despite its flaws, citing its thought-provoking nature and useful conceptual toolbox.
Shorter summary