Scott Alexander discusses reader comments on his post about dating preferences, covering various perspectives and addressing critiques of 'dating docs'. Longer summary

Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to comments on his previous post about dating preferences and 'dating docs'. He covers various perspectives, including those against dating docs, concerns about status signaling, insights from traditional cultures like Orthodox Judaism, research on dating preferences, experiences of people in unusual relationships, reactions to sample dating profiles, and areas where he changed his mind. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander argues that describable dating preferences are valuable, despite studies suggesting otherwise, by pointing out flaws in research and emphasizing real-world evidence. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques studies suggesting that describable preferences are useless in dating, arguing that common sense and empirical evidence show otherwise. He points out flaws in these studies, such as pre-sorted populations and brief evaluation periods, and suggests that while initial attraction might be random, similar interests and personalities likely lead to lasting relationships. Scott also discusses the value of dating profiles and 'dating docs' in conveying subjective preferences that can't be easily quantified in psychological exams. He concludes that for people who believe they can use describable preferences effectively, these tools remain valuable despite average trends in the general population. Shorter summary

Scott explores various technological and market-based approaches to dating and relationships, including prediction markets, matching sites, and cryptocurrency concepts. Longer summary

This post discusses various algorithmic and financial approaches to romance, focusing on prediction markets and other creative solutions. Scott examines Aella's date recommendation market, matching checkbox sites, the Luna cryptocurrency dating site concept, and Peter Thiel's insights on social startups. He also reviews some current prediction markets related to dating and relationships. The post concludes with short links about an arranged marriage project and AI chatbot romance. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores why users of a simple dating site often fail to indicate interest online but agree to dates in person, suggesting that the difficulty of asking someone out serves as a valuable signal. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the unexpected behavior of users on a dating site called Reciprocity, where people can indicate interest in their Facebook friends anonymously. He notes that many users, including himself, would agree to date someone in person but not check their name on the site. Scott theorizes that this counterintuitive behavior might be because asking someone out in person is a stronger signal of interest due to its inherent awkwardness and difficulty. He compares this to systems where bureaucracy or pain serves as an active ingredient, sending a stronger signal than a simple checkbox. The post concludes by cautioning against assuming we can easily improve complex social systems. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews Luna, a blockchain-based dating platform, discussing its novel features and expressing cautious optimism about its potential, while questioning the necessity of blockchain for its functions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews Luna, a blockchain-based dating platform. He discusses its novel features like using cryptocurrency to allocate user attention, incentive alignment for successful matches, and machine learning for better matchmaking. While intrigued by some aspects, he questions the necessity of blockchain technology for the platform. The post explores the potential benefits and pitfalls of such a system, comparing it to existing dating sites and discussing its economic model. Scott expresses hope that Luna isn't a scam, seeing it as potentially representing the best of Silicon Valley innovation if genuine. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander shares his new OKCupid profile, which consists solely of a link to his blog, creating a meta-joke about online dating and self-promotion. Longer summary

Scott Alexander humorously shares his new OKCupid dating profile, which is entirely blank except for a link to his blog. He suggests readers view the actual profile before accusing him of narcissism or opportunism for mentioning it in his blog post. The brevity and self-referential nature of both the profile and the blog post create a meta-joke about online dating and self-promotion. Shorter summary

Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links and brief commentary on topics ranging from unusual video games to genetic research and political oddities. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting links and brief commentary on various topics. It covers a range of subjects including unusual video games, disease threat research, medical concerns about Tylenol use during pregnancy, questionable online dating sites, car-free cities, the relationship between intelligence and longevity, augmented reality games, historical enigmas, genetic editing techniques, political oddities, social mobility research, and unusual election tactics. The tone is informative and sometimes humorous, with Scott providing his thoughts and observations on each item. Shorter summary