April 2025 Linkpost

Who knew Jesus skipped the resurrection for a quiet life in Japan? Divine retirement goals!

Philosophy & Human Nature

When Must We Kill Them? Evil Has Come to America (nicholasdecker.substack.com)
This essay grapples with the moral dilemma of responding to perceived evil in power, arguing that violence may be justified only after exhausting all non-violent remedies, like protests and legal resistance. Key arguments include targeting the class enabling such power rather than isolated acts, with examples like imprisoning opponents or ignoring courts as triggers for action. Philosophically, it underscores a duty to defend democracy, even at personal cost, framing passive acceptance as complicity. I would note that this echoes the tension in Revenge of the Sith, where lawful structures fail against creeping authoritarianism—it’s a stark reminder that principles sometimes demand hard choices.

The End of the Imperial Papacy Under Francis (nytimes.com)
Exploring how Pope Francis’s leadership style is shifting the Catholic Church toward a more conciliar model, emphasizing consensus over centralized authority. While full details are elusive, the piece highlights examples of synodal approaches and their potential to decentralize power, implying a future where the papacy’s imperial strength wanes for broader inclusivity. A buddy shared this, observing that weakening central doctrine might dilute the Church’s unifying force, much like how Protestantism fragmented without a strong anchor—yet it could breathe new life into a rigid institution.

Joseph Henrich’s Study of WEIRD Societies (economist.com)
A review of “The Weirdest People in the World,” examining how Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies developed unique psychological traits shaped by historical factors like the Catholic Church’s influence on individualism. Though specifics are limited, it touches on how these traits affect global psychology research, often biased toward WEIRD samples. I would highlight the irony that something as mundane as family structures molded modern thinking, akin to how consulting decks build layered arguments—meta-cognition at a societal scale.

Academic Research & Science

China’s Pioneering Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (scmp.com)
China has achieved the world’s first operational thorium nuclear reactor in the Gobi Desert, using molten salt for fuel and cooling to generate 2 MW of thermal power sustainably. The milestone includes adding fresh fuel for long-term stability, developed through integrated system design, though challenges like scaling remain. Implications include revolutionizing clean energy with abundant thorium, potentially powering China for millennia with minimal waste. I would point out how this leapfrogs traditional uranium tech, offering a glimpse into safer nuclear futures—it’s like unlocking a vast, low-waste energy vault hidden in plain sight.

Dataclysm: Men’s Age Preferences in Attraction (businessinsider.com)
Drawing from OkCupid data analyzed in Christian Rudder’s book, this reveals men consistently rate women in their early 20s as most attractive, regardless of their own age, while women prefer age-matched partners. Methodology involved charting user attractions and messaging patterns from a large dataset, showing a gap between stated preferences and actions—men message closer to their age despite attractions. Implications highlight gender differences in dating dynamics, influencing online platforms. A pal mentioned this, musing on how biology clashes with social norms, creating mismatched expectations in the wild world of modern romance.

Eli Lilly’s Oral GLP-1 for Weight Loss (nytimes.com)
Eli Lilly’s orforglipron pill shows promise matching injectable GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic in safety and efficacy for obesity and blood sugar control, with results to be detailed in peer-reviewed journals. While trial specifics are pending, it suggests a shift to convenient oral treatments. A colleague flagged this as huge, noting the side effect profile seems comparable—game-changer for accessibility, turning weekly shots into daily pills without losing punch.

Technology & Society

Google’s Ironwood TPU: Powering AI Inference (blog.google)
Ironwood, Google’s seventh-gen TPU, scales to 9,216 chips per pod with 42.5 Exaflops, 192 GB HBM per chip, and 2x performance per watt over Trillium. Designed for inference in LLMs and reasoning tasks, it integrates with AI Hypercomputer for distributed workloads. Implications: Enables proactive AI at massive scale, accelerating gen AI breakthroughs. I would observe this as a hardware leap for the “thinking” era, where models anticipate needs—feels like sci-fi, but it’s here, outpacing supercomputers by 24x.

Japan’s Ship-Mounted Railgun for Missile Defense (asiatimes.com)
Japan’s railgun, developed since 2016, achieves 2,000 m/s muzzle velocity with up to 120 rounds, tested shipboard in 2023, aiming for maturity by 2026. It disperses tungsten impactors kinetically against hypersonic threats, cheaper than missiles. Strategic edge: Counters saturation attacks amid limited VLS reloads, but integration challenges persist. Someone shared this for its real-life sci-fi vibe, emphasizing cost-effective defense—zap hypersonics like a video game, but with geopolitical stakes.

Slate’s Bare-Bones Electric Truck (theverge.com)
Slate’s $20,000 EV truck (post-incentives) offers 150-240 mile range, no paint/stereo/touchscreen, with customizable panels and DIY focus. Targets minimalists, sold direct with safety features. Implications: Lowers EV barriers via simplified manufacturing, potentially disrupting with affordability. A buddy called it based, highlighting the no-frills appeal—like a blank canvas for personalization, stripping away bloat for pure utility.

Forecasting AI’s Path to 2026 (alignmentforum.org)
Daniel Kokotajlo’s detailed guess on AI from 2022-2026 predicts rapid scaling in capabilities, with societal shifts like widespread adoption and ethical debates. Though full forecast elusive, it reasons through tech trends toward transformative impacts. I would connect this to feeling the AGI vibe—intuitions on math and features aligning for breakthroughs, even if timelines feel audacious.

Economics & Development

China’s Automation Edge in Global Trade (nytimes.com)
China leads in factory automation, with more robots per 10,000 workers than most nations (except South Korea/Singapore), driven by AI investments and government push. This sustains low export prices amid tariffs, aiding car manufacturing dominance as labor ages. Implications: Tariffs may not curb China’s mass production edge. I would emphasize the vibe shift—factories more robotic than the West, keeping costs down like an unstoppable efficiency machine.

Trump’s Tariffs and China’s Innovation Response (nytimes.com)
Thomas Friedman critiques Trump’s tariff escalation, noting China’s countermeasures via AI-driven tech like Huawei’s semiconductors and 100,000 EV chargers in 2024 (vs. U.S.’s 214). Data: China’s 3.5M STEM grads yearly match U.S. total degrees. Implications: U.S. risks falling behind as China innovates independence. I would note Beijing’s message—we’re too big to tariff down—echoing how restrictions spurred self-reliance.

The Realities of Early Retirement: A Personal Update (livingafi.com)
A candid account of FIRE since 2015 on $950K nest egg/$30K spend: Joyful travel in 2016-17 gave way to social disconnection, partner’s unhappiness leading to 2019 breakup, EDS diagnosis adding costs, prompting work return for income/isolation relief. Lessons: Adapt for life changes, prioritize relationships/health. Advice: Build contingencies, seek purpose beyond finances. I would reflect on how Reddit’s FIRE crowd mirrors broader pitfalls—lean plans crack under personal storms, but fat FIRE cushions the blows.

Reference & Curiosities

The Legend of Jesus Christ’s Grave in Japan (smithsonianmag.com)
In Shingo, Japan claims Jesus escaped crucifixion (brother died instead), lived to 106 as a farmer with family. “Evidence” includes lost scrolls, local traditions like Hebrew-like dialect, but lacks credibility—Yayoi era had no writing. Cultural draw: 20,000 visitors yearly, blending eclectic spirituality with tourism. I would chuckle at the spongy folk religion—Christmas with KFC, now Jesus as a long-nosed goblin? Memorable for its wild syncretism.

Bernd das Brot: Germany’s Depressed Bread Puppet Icon (en.wikipedia.org)
Bernd, a gloomy loaf puppet on KiKA since 2000, embodies pessimism from a bakery ad flop and lost love. Created by Krappweis/Cöster, popularized via late-night loops attracting adults. Impact: Grimme-Preis for “bad mood rights,” music hits, games, statue theft highlighting fandom. A friend dropped this oddity, noting its self-mocking resonance—bread as funny? Captures German humor’s dry crumb.

Politics & Current Events (2025)

Christian Immigrants Facing Deportation After Backing Trump (npr.org)
Majority Catholic/evangelical immigrants supported Trump, but his mass deportations threaten 10M Christians (80% vulnerable), per bishops’ report using FWD.us/Pew data—1 in 5 U.S. Catholics affected. Pushback: Lawsuits, vigils urging faith-based rethink. Implications: Church decline, policy clashes. A pal called it weird—voting for safety, now at risk? Highlights ironic tensions in immigration as a moral issue.

Executive Order on Restoring Meritocracy (whitehouse.gov)
Trump’s order eliminates disparate-impact liability, revoking regs presuming discrimination from outcome differences, directing agencies to deprioritize enforcement/review cases. Key: Amend Title VI/VII, preempt state laws, promote non-degree hiring. Implications: Shifts to colorblind merit, reducing group-based claims. I would say this restores opportunity focus—ditching outcome mandates for true equality, though it stirs debates on protection vs. individualism.