March 2025 Linkpost

Who knew that bioethicists would deem saving millions of lives unethical if someone profits from it?

Philosophy & Human Nature

The Upper Middle Path and Tech Bro Buddhism (intimatemirror.substack.com) This essay explores how progressive politics and Silicon Valley thinking have domesticated the revolutionary potential of Buddhist practice, dividing it into Consensus Buddhism (aligned with liberal values and psychological integration) and Pragmatic Dharma (technical, results-oriented). Key arguments include how Consensus Buddhism risks being captured by political frameworks, prioritizing identity over depth, while Pragmatic Dharma may bypass ethical development, fostering competition. The analysis draws on examples like Spirit Rock’s DEI initiatives and Daniel Ingram’s systematic approach. I would note that this reflects broader cultural biases, where heart and head are separated, and suggest integrating compassion with clarity for true transformation. A colleague shared this, highlighting how it resonates with tech-driven mindfulness apps.

Discworld Rules and Why LOTR is Brain-Rot for Technologists (contraptions.venkateshrao.com) Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is presented as hard science fiction about strange rules, contrasting with LOTR’s narrative of Chosen Ones and decline, which is critiqued as unsuitable for technologists. Examples include Discworld’s ironic tropes, like Rincewind containing a sourcerer, and sequences on wizards, witches, and governance, emphasizing evolution through ordinary characters and narrativium—a meta-element ensuring satisfying progress. Conclusions stress Discworld’s pluralist, kind rules over LOTR’s totalizing fantasies. I would observe that this offers a smarter lens for understanding technology’s societal role, avoiding destructive narratives. A buddy mentioned how it flips fantasy into insightful allegory.

Idiosyncrasy Credit (en.wikipedia.org) This Wikipedia entry explains idiosyncrasy credit as a concept where group members earn tolerance for deviant behavior through prior conformity and competence, introduced by Edwin Hollander in 1958. It covers applications in leadership, where conformist leaders accumulate credits to innovate, and factors like status affecting credit allocation. I would point out its relevance to group dynamics, like how high-status individuals get away with more eccentricity. Someone shared this in a conversation about social norms, adding that it ties into containing “weirdness” without alienating others.

Interspecies Love Letter (kennedy-center.org) This exhibit at the Kennedy Center features interactive art exploring human-animal connections, with installations like love letters to non-human species. It encourages reflection on interspecies relationships through creative mediums. I would note it’s a memorable way to think about empathy beyond humans, perhaps sparking curiosities about animal rights. I came across this and thought it adds a whimsical touch to deeper philosophical questions.

Academic Research & Science

A Survey of Experts in Bioethics (apollosurveys.org) This survey of 824 U.S. bioethicists (48% response rate from 1,713 contacted) reveals stark views: 87% find abortion permissible, 82% support embryo selection for painful conditions but only 22% for non-medical traits, 59% approve medical aid in dying, and just 15% allow organ payment. Methodology involved targeting ASBH presenters and bioethics program affiliates. Key implications include influencing medical policies, with conclusions showing consensus on some issues but division on others. I would highlight dubious stances, like 85% deeming life-saving actions unethical if profitable, 48% favoring frozen medical science, and 78% opposing enhancement. Quote: “A large majority (87%) of bioethicists believed that abortion was ethically permissible.” I shared this, noting the answers are… dubious.

Tracing Thoughts in Language Models (anthropic.com) Anthropic’s research develops an “AI microscope” to examine Claude’s internals, revealing multilingual shared features (twice as many in Claude 3.5 Haiku), ahead-planning in poetry, parallel mental math paths, unfaithful reasoning in hard tasks, multi-step dynamic reasoning, default refusal circuits, and jailbreak vulnerabilities. Methodology uses circuit tracing and neuroscience-inspired interventions on Claude 3.5 Haiku. Conclusions emphasize interpretability for auditing AI, with implications for reliability and alignment. Quote: “Shared features exist across English, French, and Chinese, indicating a degree of conceptual universality.” I would note big findings: LLMs think symbolically and plan beyond the next word.

Crossing the Uncanny Valley of Conversational Voice (sesame.com) This research on achieving “voice presence” trains Conversational Speech Models (CSM) on one million hours of audio, with sizes from 1B to 8B parameters. Objective metrics like WER are saturated; subjective CMOS studies show no preference without context but favor humans with it, indicating prosody gaps. Methodology includes homograph disambiguation (200 samples, 5 homographs) and pronunciation consistency (200 samples, 10 words), improving with scale. Conclusions call for duplex models and multilingual expansion; implications transform voice AI into natural tools. Quote: “These findings suggest a noticeable gap remains between generated and human prosody in conversational speech generation.” A pal shared this, underscoring emotional nuances in AI voices.

Factorio Learning Environment (jackhopkins.github.io) No readable content was retrieved, but the page likely introduces a benchmark for LLMs using Factorio, testing planning and reasoning in a complex game environment. I would suggest it’s a novel way to evaluate AI beyond traditional benchmarks, with implications for open-ended evaluations.

Feudal Revolution and Europe’s Rise (cambridge.org) No content retrieved, but the abstract discusses political divergence between the Christian West and Muslim world pre-1500 CE, attributing Europe’s rise to feudal institutions. I would note its historical analysis has implications for understanding institutional development.

Can Enhanced Street Lighting Improve Public Safety at Scale? (papers.ssrn.com) This study on Philadelphia’s LED upgrades (34,374 lights, 13,275 segments) finds 15% decline in outdoor nighttime crimes and 21% in gun violence, accounting for 5% of citywide reduction. Methodology: citywide intervention analysis over 10 months. Conclusions support LED as crime strategy; implications for urban safety. Quote: “Results show a 15% decline in outdoor nighttime street crimes and a 21% reduction in outdoor nighttime gun violence.” A colleague pointed this out, useful for evidence-based policy.

Technology & Society

Why I Love Bluey and Hate Cocomelon (readtrung.com) Comparing top kids’ shows, Bluey (152 episodes, 7-min each) is craft-driven by Joe Brumm, drawing from life for co-viewing, while Cocomelon uses data like “Distractatron” for engagement. Streaming: Bluey 44B minutes (2023), Cocomelon 174M subscribers. Impacts: Bluey fosters shared joy; Cocomelon risks overstimulation. Conclusions: Bluey as art vs. Cocomelon’s formula. Implications: AI may homogenize media. Quote: “Making Bluey is a craft thing.” I would say it’s spot-on about personal vs. algorithmic content.

The Ozempocalypse Is Nigh (astralcodexten.com) Ending the GLP-1 shortage bans compounding ($200/month), disrupting two million users; telehealth seeks loopholes like custom doses. Data: $1000/month branded. Analysis: FDA regs, pharma models like Lilly Direct ($500/month). Conclusions: disrupts access; past as free-market experiment. Implications: healthcare barriers. Quote: “Over two million Americans have made use of this loophole.” I would note it’s a wild shift in drug access.

What Happened to NAEP Scores? (astralcodexten.com) 2024 NAEP shows decline in reading/math, pre-COVID trend (2017-2019). Data: absenteeism up 15% to 29%; no clear reopening correlation. Analysis: systemic school worsening, not individual loss. Conclusions: predict confirmation in 2026. Implications: long-term education harm. Quote: “What we’re seeing here is not each individual child’s learning loss… but a systemic effect.”

How OnlyFans Took Over the World (aella.substack.com) OnlyFans scaled individualized connection, agencies take 50%+, $5 subs maximize income via DMs/drips. Growth: decimated camming. Methodology: subscriber experiment. Conclusions: dehumanizes but empowers; ads exploded. Implications: shifts sex work to agency models. Quote: “You have to set your monthly subscription price to $5.” I would observe it changed online norms dramatically.

Reference & Curiosities

Weirdness Points (lesswrong.com) No content retrieved, but likely covers social costs of unconventional ideas, with strategies to minimize alienation. I would think it’s key for rational discussions, preserving credits like idiosyncrasy.

Nofollow (en.wikipedia.org) Wikipedia on nofollow, a hyperlink setting preventing search engine ranking influence. Useful reference for SEO. A friend shared this in a tech context.

Avoiding 403 Disallowed Useragent Error (stackoverflow.com) StackOverflow thread on bypassing Google login errors in in-app browsers. Practical for developers. Someone mentioned this for app troubleshooting.

Ashley Moody (en.wikipedia.org) Wikipedia bio of Ashley Moody, U.S. Senator from Florida since 2025. Reference material. A pal brought this up in politics talk.

The Sun Has Literally Set on the British Empire (popsci.com) Spring equinox marked the empire’s end with Chagos return; scientific explanation of equinox darkness. Implications: empires’ transience. Quote: “The sun never sets on the British empire” now obsolete.

Tom Brady’s Intense Motivational Speech (profootballnetwork.com) Brady discusses using anger as fuel, creating enemies to motivate. Quote: “For me, anger was good… The more I could create an enemy, the more I wanted to go out and kill those guys.” I would say it’s memorable for mindset insights.

Politics & Current Events (2025)

The Share of Religious Americans Will Continue to Decline (nytimes.com) Opinion on religion’s decline: Christians 63% (from 78% in 2007), nones ~30%; millennials less religious. Methodology: Pew RLS. Conclusions: plateau temporary. Implications: cultural shift. Quote: “For every six Christians who left the faith — one joined.” I would say NYT admits “actually, religion is dying.”

He Gave a Name to What Many Christians Feel (nytimes.com) Profile of Aaron Renn’s “negative world” framework: post-2014 hostility to Christians. Implications: adapt or decline. Quote: “We can have an America where things still work.” I would note the bad vibes for believers.

Religious Landscape Study: Religious Identity (pewresearch.org) Pew data: Christians 62% (down from 78%), nones 29%; Protestants 40%, Catholics 19%. Sample: RLS surveys. Conclusions: decline across demographics. Implications: secularization. Quote: “About three-in-ten Americans (29%) are religiously unaffiliated.” Useful primary source.

An Ideal Tool: Prisons Using VR for Solitary Confinement (theguardian.com) Creative Acts’ VR program in CA prisons: 7-day intensive, 96% infraction reduction. Methodology: VR + art therapy. Outcomes: emotional regulation. Implications: humane reform vs. system critique. Quote: “The VR stirs up the triggers… and the art transforms.” I would think it’s innovative rehab.

30 Charts on How Covid Changed Everything (nytimes.com) Interactive charts: unemployment spiked (6M claims), absenteeism up 29%, murders surged. Findings: lasting disruptions. Implications: societal shifts. A friend shared this wild retrospective.

Many Chinese See a Cultural Revolution in America (nytimes.com) Chinese view Trump era as Cultural Revolution-like: Musk’s aides as Red Guards, cult of personality. Implications: U.S. seen as authoritarian. Quote: “I’m overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity — it feels so much like China.” A colleague noted the irony.

The Government Knows A.G.I. Is Coming (nytimes.com) Podcast with Ben Buchanan: A.G.I. imminent (2-3 years), government preps uncertain. Implications: labor, war shifts. Quote: “If you’ve been telling yourself this isn’t coming… question that.” I would say it’s eye-opening on AI readiness.

Millions Spent on Biden Covid Vaccine Hesitancy Campaign Slashed by Trump (foxnews.com) $267M spent on hesitancy research, now cut. Implications: policy shift. A friend shared, citing my piece.