June 2021 Linkpost

In a universe where UFOs might be watching us without saying hi, at least the bugs we’re debating about eating aren’t plotting galactic domination—yet.

Philosophy & Human Nature

Load-Bearing Things in Mental Architecture (thingofthings.wordpress.com)
This post dives into scrupulosity, framing “load-bearing things” as essential, often overlooked elements like sleep or private space that support mental health—losing them can lead to breakdowns misattributed to philosophical woes. I would note that this resonates with how we sometimes blame big ideas for everyday fatigue, like pondering the universe’s heat death when really, it’s just a messy house or lack of naps holding us back.

The Moat of Low Status Surrounding Pursuits (sashachapin.substack.com)
The essay describes the “Moat of Low Status” as a barrier of shame, rejection, and discomfort around any worthwhile pursuit, from jiu-jitsu to writing, requiring endurance to cross. I would observe that this explains why starting something cool often feels awful at first, but pushing through—like dealing with constant failure in practice—builds resilience, even if the moat’s “mind-control water” whispers to quit.

Moral Dilemmas of Eating Insects (astralcodexten.substack.com)
This piece examines the ethics of insect consumption, weighing if bugs have moral value given debates on their pain perception, and compares farming scales to animal welfare. I would point out that even a slim chance of insect sentience makes factory-farming trillions of them troubling, much like preferring one cow over 100 chickens—it’s a slippery slope that ties into broader altruism without forcing bugs on the menu.

Making Sense of UFOs as Advanced Aliens (overcomingbias.com)
The blog argues UFOs could plausibly be advanced aliens enforcing cosmic rules against visible changes, explaining their elusive behavior as status emulation to encourage voluntary compliance. I would note this challenges dismissing UFOs as paranormal, fitting scientific theories of life while pondering why they’d lurk—perhaps to avoid offending us with their answers, like silent gods at the top of our ladder.

Academic Research & Science

Variations in Mental Imagery: Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia (nytimes.com)
The article reviews studies on aphantasia (lack of mental imagery) and hyperphantasia (vivid imagery), estimating millions affected, with research probing brain wiring changes linking visual centers. I would highlight how M.X.’s case post-heart surgery revealed retained memories without images, implying these are intriguing variations—not disorders—with potential for therapies like magnetic pulses to enhance imagery.

Attractiveness and Earnings Disparities by Race (journals.uchicago.edu)
This paper examines how perceived attractiveness stratifies earnings, finding disparities along attractiveness rival or exceed the black-white race gap, especially among African Americans. I would emphasize the abstract’s focus on educational, marital, and earnings links, suggesting attractiveness as a social axis with profound, often overlooked implications for inequality.

SARS-CoV-2 Evolution Under Antibody Pressure (biorxiv.org)
The preprint details in vitro experiments where SARS-CoV-2 evolved mutations (F140 deletion, E484K substitution, 11-amino-acid insertion) to escape high-neutralizing convalescent plasma over 80 days, using Vero E6 cells and CPE assays. With a sample of 20 plasmas showing reduced neutralization (up to 256-fold drop), I would stress implications for vaccines targeting universal epitopes, as similar variants emerged in the UK and South Africa, highlighting potential immune escape risks.

Technology & Society

Quality Ceiling in Talent Selection (lesswrong.com)
The essay argues selection processes hit a “quality ceiling” for hard problems like engineering manticores, where even top talent (e.g., 99th percentile IQ) fails without enough people, using a probabilistic framework for success rates. I would connect this to hiring, noting that for tasks needing 1-in-100 skill, a team of 10 from a 10,000-applicant pool might suffice, but scaling to 1-in-1,000,000 requires millions—practical for rethinking team sizes and broader talent pools.

Household Preparedness for Disasters (jefftk.com)
This post estimates under 5% of people are prepared for a two-week disaster, recommending 15 gallons of water per person and rotating non-perishables, citing examples like Hurricane Katrina and Venezuela’s crisis. I would add that while a 2% lifetime chance justifies low-cost prep, social norms and overreliance on forecasts hinder action—implying we should normalize basics like medication stockpiles for resilience.

Economics & Development

Critiquing the Anti-Bigness Ideology (mattbruenig.com)
Bruenig critiques anti-bigness as a flawed alternative to capitalism and socialism, drawing from Jefferson’s yeoman farmers and Rawls’s property-owning democracy, arguing it can’t avoid large organizations or state micromanagement. I would observe that dispersing production to small proprietors sounds freeing but ignores modern tech dependencies, implying reliance on collectives contradicts its anti-domination ethos.

Reference & Curiosities

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study Overview (en.wikipedia.org)
This reference details the 40-year unethical study on 600 African American men (399 with syphilis), withholding treatment like penicillin post-1947, leading to 128 deaths and infections in families. I would note its racial biases and ethical breaches spurred the Belmont Report and IRBs, with lasting mistrust reducing black life expectancy by 1.4 years per a 2016 study—implications for informed consent endure.

Politics & Current Events (2021)

America’s Four Competing Narratives (theatlantic.com)
Packer outlines Free America (libertarian freedom), Smart America (meritocratic diversity), Real America (nationalist tradition), and Just America (equity against oppression), with data like income gaps hardening class divides. I would say these fracture unity, as “They rise from a single society… but their tendency is also to divide us,” implying reconciliation needs shared citizenship amid resentment.

The Productivity of Secret Congress (slowboring.com)
This piece argues low-salience issues enable bipartisan laws like the $175 billion Water Infrastructure Act, while high-profile ones polarize, citing studies showing presidential involvement exacerbates divides. I would highlight implications for reform: avoid “wins” framing, as “No Republican congressman is going to be primaried for voting for the low-salience Endless Frontiers Act.”

Perceptions of France’s Decline (unherd.com)
Houellebecq examines fears of French collapse via the Generals’ Letter, noting self-flagellation and a 1.8 fertility rate amid broader Western “suicide” from progress. I would remark that 45% believing in civil war shows national bravado, implying demographic and immigration debates signal deeper modernity crises.