December 2023 Linkpost

Who knew becoming a dad could turn even the most rational mind into a mushy philosopher – or at least make you rethink your stance on sleep deprivation?

Philosophy & Human Nature

Integrating the Shadow Self (scottjeffrey.com)
This guide delves into Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow as the repressed aspects of personality, including both negative and positive traits. Through practical exercises like observing emotional reactions and inner dialogue, it outlines methods for achieving psychological integration, with benefits such as improved relationships and greater creativity. I would observe that this resonates with how we often project our disowned traits onto others, much like in heated debates where irritation reveals our own flaws – “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves,” as Jung put it.

The Philosophical Journey of Fatherhood (astralcodexten.com)
Scott Alexander reflects on the profound odds and challenges of conception, pregnancy with twins, and the uncertainties of raising children in a complex world, blending personal anecdotes with statistical insights on names and survival rates. Drawing from a survey of 1,518 readers, it finds people happiest with moderately popular names, while emphasizing parenthood’s role in advancing human progress. I would remark that this captures the surreal lottery of life – with 300 million sperm per ejaculation mirroring the U.S. population, each holding untapped potential, yet the real adventure begins post-birth, as “You’ll live to see a million things that man was never meant to see.”

Mapping Class and Taste in Two Dimensions (dynomight.net)
Inspired by Pierre Bourdieu, this piece models class as a 2D space of cultural and economic capital, explaining contradictions in U.S. political affiliations where education leans Democratic but income leans Republican. Using General Social Survey data from 2016-2022, it shows tastes and occupations vary by position in this space, with political views curving from left-leaning low-capital to right-leaning high-capital areas. I would point out that this framework cleverly untangles why a journalist and a franchise owner might both be “high class” yet worlds apart – “There’s no answer, because there is no further fact to discover.”

Academic Research & Science

AI-Driven Discovery of New Antibiotics (nature.com)
Using explainable deep learning on chemical substructures, researchers screened 39,312 compounds and predicted activities for 12,076,365 more, identifying a new class effective against MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococci with low cytotoxicity. Tested on 283 compounds, this class showed efficacy in mouse models, reducing bacterial titers without rapid resistance. I would highlight the urgency this addresses: “The discovery of novel structural classes of antibiotics is urgently needed to address the ongoing antibiotic resistance crisis,” with models providing insights into substructures for selective activity.

Metabolic Myths and Constrained Energy Expenditure (thepsmiths.com)
Reviewing Herman Pontzer’s book, it reveals that hunter-gatherers like the Hadza burn similar calories (about 2,000 daily) to sedentary Westerners despite high activity, due to the body compensating by reducing energy on inflammation and stress. Studies like the Midwest Exercise Trial (sedentary overweight adults over 16 months) show minimal weight loss from exercise alone, emphasizing diet’s role. I would note this flips the script on fitness: “Physically active people don’t seem to expend more energy,” suggesting exercise reallocates energy to health benefits rather than burning extra calories.

Technology & Society

Humans as Interfaces in an Automated World (putanumonit.com)
Jacob Falkovich argues future jobs will involve humans mediating between algorithms and customers who prefer human interaction, based on a personal airport fiasco where agents interfaced with airline systems. This “inside-the-API” role persists in frustrating scenarios like travel, where people want someone to blame. I would add that this echoes how markets segment: “The market keeps providing ever more algorithmic services for me, and ever more human touches for those who want them.”

Bright Light Therapy for Winter Blues (meaningness.com)
David Chapman advocates for industrial-strength lighting (e.g., 25,000+ lux) to combat seasonal affective disorder, far beyond typical 10,000 lux lamps which deliver much less at realistic distances. Personal experience shows mood and productivity boosts, though a 2022 study found no significant BROAD therapy results due to flaws. I would suggest this is a game-changer for dim winters: “It’s possible now to light a whole room like that… It feels cheerful and uplifting and comforting and energizing—like walking into the sun at the beginning of your vacation.”

AI’s Hallucinate Takes Word of the Year (cam.ac.uk)
Cambridge Dictionary updated “hallucinate” to include AI generating false info, reflecting 2023’s AI boom with tools like ChatGPT. With 2.3 billion pageviews annually, it added 6,000+ terms, noting hallucinations’ real-world impacts like legal errors. I would observe this shift anthropomorphizes AI: “The widespread use of the term ‘hallucinate’… provides a fascinating snapshot of how we’re thinking about and anthropomorphising AI,” urging critical thinking as “the more original you ask them to be, the likelier they are to go astray.”

Economics & Development

Misinterpreting Argentina’s New President (devon.postach.io)
Devon critiques U.S. media for labeling Javier Milei a populist akin to Trump, arguing he’s anti-populist by opposing Peronist money-printing that funds patronage but fuels inflation. Milei’s dollarization push aims to curb this cycle. A colleague shared this, and I would concur it’s a lens distortion: “The American press loves to call Milei a ‘populist’, which couldn’t be more incorrect… He’s much more like Milton Friedman than Trump.”

Optimizing Philanthropy Through Evidence (forum.effectivealtruism.org)
Open Philanthropy allocates $300 million over three years to GiveWell’s cost-effective interventions, like $67.5 million for vitamin A supplementation (~$2/child/year) averting deaths at ~$5,000 each. With GiveWell’s non-Open funding at $421 million in 2024, this supports scalable health programs. I would emphasize the rigor: grants target 2000x+ cost-effectiveness, saving tens of thousands of lives through data-driven choices.

Reference & Curiosities

The Ideologue Behind Modern Islamism (en.wikipedia.org)
This entry on Sayyid Qutb details his life as an Egyptian theorist who authored 24 books, including Milestones, influencing Jihadists with concepts like Jahiliyyah and Sharia revival. Executed in 1966, his anti-Western views shaped al-Qaeda. A buddy mentioned this, and I would reflect on his critique: “The American is primitive in his artistic taste… ‘Jazz’ music is his music of choice,” illustrating his cultural disdain.

Politics & Current Events (2023)

Youth and Holocaust Denial (economist.com)
A poll finds one in five young Americans views the Holocaust as a myth, alarming amid rising denial. Pew’s follow-up notes opt-in polls may inflate bogus answers among youth. Someone shared this, and I would stress the concern: “Young respondents in opt-in online polls… were far more likely to say the Holocaust was a myth,” signaling potential misinformation.

Rising Mycoplasma Pneumonia Cases (cnn.com)
Increases in children’s pneumonia from Mycoplasma pneumoniae hit China, Europe, and Ohio (142 cases since August), expected every 1-3 years post-pandemic lows. European data shows a fourfold rise. I would note the mild nature: “The burden of disease is usually in the private pediatrician’s office… with a cough that won’t go away,” treatable with azithromycin.