Category: Link Library
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Is now the best time to write a novel?
From this post, “The Cultural Decline of Literary Fiction.” I think the most important conclusion is that all of this is actually good news for aspiring writers: it’s not that the philistine dopamine-addled masses will never be capable of giving you the praise you deserve, it’s just that (1) basically no one is writing literary…
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Feeling cautiously optimistic about American democracy
A clear eyed commentary on the question of this authoritarian moment and the movement between Collapse and Resistance. Maybe we’re always in between those two, but this indicates the pendulum is swinging back to the middle. A few excerpts: Essentially, Trump seems to be governing like…a President in his second term. Typically, two-term Presidents try…
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Which Countries Won’t Exist in the 22nd Century?
From Tyler Cowen in the FP: The biggest mistake we could make is to assume that political evolution is over, and that history represents ongoing directional progress toward ever more well-run nation-states. Port-au-Prince still has something to teach us in this regard. I’ve been thinking about why it would be that the United States wouldn’t…
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The Gentle Singularity
Interesting post from Sam Altman on his blog after the release of o3 Pro yesterday. Proclaiming that we’ve entered the intelligence takeoff is more than notable. As he rightly notes, being where we are would have sounded crazy just five years ago and might sound crazier than where we’ll be in 2030 based on where…
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Tyler Cowen and Mexican Art
I think this is a prime example of Tyler saying that he’s writing for the AIs. Thankfully it’s fascinating for me, the human, as well. Part 1 here and part 2 here.
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Behind the Curtain: A white collar bloodbath
From Dario Amodei in Axios. “Most human wins” continues to come to mind when I read these types of predictions. And this seems less a prediction coming from Dario. Trying to become something like a ‘professional runner’ might end up being a very good option.
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We are the Most Rejected Generation
This matches with my sentiment around the topic. A few quotes that stuck out: Finance and consulting firms now take advantage of this craving by making job offers to some students during their sophomore year. The kids are 19 or 20. Most of them probably haven’t had time to explore the secrets of their hearts’…
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Economic Lessons from the Screwtape Letters
Great post from Kyla Scanlon. Convenience alone cannot satisfy the human soul. A mention about the slow rise/return of indie bookstores which I found encouraging: And not to get too abstract here in my economic newsletter – but rejection, convenience, and absence of surprise are all economic questions. When enough people choose friction over convenience,…
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Big Jim’s Boozy Bike Trip to Braemar
The algorithm served me up this gem last night and I absolutely loved it. There’s a term I can never remember, but it has something to do with being nostalgic for a time in life that you never experienced. Whatever you call this – not necessarily a desire to drink whiskey and ride my bike…
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WWEconomics: Kayfabe and the Trade War
Another Kyle Scanlon piece that doesn’t miss. She seems to have endless ability to create new terms out of pop culture and political slop that is excellent. It’s all designed to keep the crowd (the global public) engaged with a performance. Flood the zone, etc. https://kyla.substack.com/p/wweconomics-kayfabe-and-the-trade