@mikekramer.bsky.social
Reposted
Being Native American, I am often mistaken for an immigrant. I have received the once over before I can smile and say FU*K YOU!
February 20, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Being Native American, I am often mistaken for an immigrant. I have received the once over before I can smile and say FU*K YOU!
Paul Graham says that writing is thinking. So once people stop writing, because AI does it better, they will stop thinking.
But you can write to figure things out without communicating it.
Then give it to AI to tailor the message to its audience.
You wrote to think. AI wrote to communicate.
But you can write to figure things out without communicating it.
Then give it to AI to tailor the message to its audience.
You wrote to think. AI wrote to communicate.
Writes and Write-Nots
paulgraham.com
January 12, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Paul Graham says that writing is thinking. So once people stop writing, because AI does it better, they will stop thinking.
But you can write to figure things out without communicating it.
Then give it to AI to tailor the message to its audience.
You wrote to think. AI wrote to communicate.
But you can write to figure things out without communicating it.
Then give it to AI to tailor the message to its audience.
You wrote to think. AI wrote to communicate.
Yesterday, "Why it matters" in Axios gave a lower-level fact that answered "What happened?" Today's "Why it matters" gives two higher-level facts that suggest what motivated Trump's demand. Why stick to a rigid format for stories where it doesn't work?
December 22, 2024 at 6:31 PM
Yesterday, "Why it matters" in Axios gave a lower-level fact that answered "What happened?" Today's "Why it matters" gives two higher-level facts that suggest what motivated Trump's demand. Why stick to a rigid format for stories where it doesn't work?
"Why it matters" in Axios, gives lower-level facts. That's not an answer to why? but an answer to what?
Conclusion: Trump found the limits to his power.
Why?
Premise: Trump failed 3 times to get what he wanted.
Premise: Anyone who failed 3 times to get what he wanted found the limits to his power.
Conclusion: Trump found the limits to his power.
Why?
Premise: Trump failed 3 times to get what he wanted.
Premise: Anyone who failed 3 times to get what he wanted found the limits to his power.
December 21, 2024 at 4:12 PM
"Why it matters" in Axios, gives lower-level facts. That's not an answer to why? but an answer to what?
Conclusion: Trump found the limits to his power.
Why?
Premise: Trump failed 3 times to get what he wanted.
Premise: Anyone who failed 3 times to get what he wanted found the limits to his power.
Conclusion: Trump found the limits to his power.
Why?
Premise: Trump failed 3 times to get what he wanted.
Premise: Anyone who failed 3 times to get what he wanted found the limits to his power.
If you want to make it quick and easy for your audience, wouldn't you structure it like this?
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Musk spread false information on X.
𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: The false information killed a spending bill.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁?: Musk wields enormous political power.
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Musk spread false information on X.
𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: The false information killed a spending bill.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁?: Musk wields enormous political power.
December 20, 2024 at 4:24 PM
If you want to make it quick and easy for your audience, wouldn't you structure it like this?
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Musk spread false information on X.
𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: The false information killed a spending bill.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁?: Musk wields enormous political power.
𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Musk spread false information on X.
𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: The false information killed a spending bill.
𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁?: Musk wields enormous political power.
"Knowledge relies . . . in judgements, which you discover and polish in conversation with other people or yourself. Therefore you don't learn the details of your argument until speaking or writing it out in detail and looking back critically at the result."
--Nancy Jensen McCloskey
--Nancy Jensen McCloskey
December 19, 2024 at 5:44 PM
"Knowledge relies . . . in judgements, which you discover and polish in conversation with other people or yourself. Therefore you don't learn the details of your argument until speaking or writing it out in detail and looking back critically at the result."
--Nancy Jensen McCloskey
--Nancy Jensen McCloskey
Reposted
Climate change terminology does not influence willingness to take climate action
Our new paper (N=6,132, across 63 countries) suggests that focusing on subtle terminology in climate messaging is not an effective use of resources.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@kimdoell.bsky.social
Our new paper (N=6,132, across 63 countries) suggests that focusing on subtle terminology in climate messaging is not an effective use of resources.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@kimdoell.bsky.social
November 12, 2024 at 6:39 PM
Climate change terminology does not influence willingness to take climate action
Our new paper (N=6,132, across 63 countries) suggests that focusing on subtle terminology in climate messaging is not an effective use of resources.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@kimdoell.bsky.social
Our new paper (N=6,132, across 63 countries) suggests that focusing on subtle terminology in climate messaging is not an effective use of resources.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@kimdoell.bsky.social
Reposted
Correlation is not causation but sometimes it goes the other way around www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Positive association between Internet use and mental health among adults aged ≥50 years in 23 countries - Nature Human Behaviour
Luo et al. examine data from adults aged ≥50 years across 23 countries and find that Internet use is associated with reduced depressive symptoms, higher life satisfaction and better self-reported heal...
www.nature.com
November 18, 2024 at 7:38 PM
Correlation is not causation but sometimes it goes the other way around www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Harari:
"Clearly , then, information cannot be defined as specific types of material objects. Any object--a star, a shutter, a pigeon--can be information in the right context."
But today, information technology requires very specific types of material objects found in Taiwan and the Netherlands.
"Clearly , then, information cannot be defined as specific types of material objects. Any object--a star, a shutter, a pigeon--can be information in the right context."
But today, information technology requires very specific types of material objects found in Taiwan and the Netherlands.
Harari opens Nexus with radical idealism:
"Information is increasingly seen by many philosophers and biologists, and even by some physicists, as the most basic building block of reality, more elementary than matter and energy."
But the difference between clay tablets and newspapers is material.
Clay tablets make kingdoms.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
September 27, 2024 at 12:06 AM
Harari:
"Clearly , then, information cannot be defined as specific types of material objects. Any object--a star, a shutter, a pigeon--can be information in the right context."
But today, information technology requires very specific types of material objects found in Taiwan and the Netherlands.
"Clearly , then, information cannot be defined as specific types of material objects. Any object--a star, a shutter, a pigeon--can be information in the right context."
But today, information technology requires very specific types of material objects found in Taiwan and the Netherlands.
Harari opens Nexus with radical idealism:
"Information is increasingly seen by many philosophers and biologists, and even by some physicists, as the most basic building block of reality, more elementary than matter and energy."
But the difference between clay tablets and newspapers is material.
Clay tablets make kingdoms.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
September 26, 2024 at 12:54 AM
Harari opens Nexus with radical idealism:
"Information is increasingly seen by many philosophers and biologists, and even by some physicists, as the most basic building block of reality, more elementary than matter and energy."
But the difference between clay tablets and newspapers is material.
Clay tablets make kingdoms.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
September 25, 2024 at 2:03 AM
Clay tablets make kingdoms.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
Newspapers make democracies.
Social media make dictatorships.
When Yuval Noah Harari's not condemning others for being Marxists, he sounds like a vulgar technological deterministic Marxist.
This is from Yuval Noah Harari's latest book 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘴.
So, the arrow represents "is a weapon for the achievement of".
I don't think I've ever seen an arrow used that way before.
So, the arrow represents "is a weapon for the achievement of".
I don't think I've ever seen an arrow used that way before.
September 24, 2024 at 12:49 AM
This is from Yuval Noah Harari's latest book 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘴.
So, the arrow represents "is a weapon for the achievement of".
I don't think I've ever seen an arrow used that way before.
So, the arrow represents "is a weapon for the achievement of".
I don't think I've ever seen an arrow used that way before.
A lot of social-science-inspired people seemed to put a lot of faith in standardized tests. I wonder why no one is touting the IQ scores of each new upgrade of LLM.
September 22, 2024 at 11:49 PM
A lot of social-science-inspired people seemed to put a lot of faith in standardized tests. I wonder why no one is touting the IQ scores of each new upgrade of LLM.
1. Are humans powerless in the face of the food environment in contemporary, developed economies?
2. Are humans powerless in the face of the information environment in contemporary, developed economies?
Is the answer to both of these questions explained by a common mechanism?
2. Are humans powerless in the face of the information environment in contemporary, developed economies?
Is the answer to both of these questions explained by a common mechanism?
September 22, 2024 at 12:18 AM
1. Are humans powerless in the face of the food environment in contemporary, developed economies?
2. Are humans powerless in the face of the information environment in contemporary, developed economies?
Is the answer to both of these questions explained by a common mechanism?
2. Are humans powerless in the face of the information environment in contemporary, developed economies?
Is the answer to both of these questions explained by a common mechanism?
Yuval Noah Harari sees AI as an existential threat preying on human gullibility.
Hugo Mercier has a sanguine view of AI, since he thinks we're not at all gullible.
Two different perspectives.
But they both see human institutions as the salvation because the trustworthy ones sort fiction from fact.
Hugo Mercier has a sanguine view of AI, since he thinks we're not at all gullible.
Two different perspectives.
But they both see human institutions as the salvation because the trustworthy ones sort fiction from fact.
September 20, 2024 at 1:29 AM
Yuval Noah Harari sees AI as an existential threat preying on human gullibility.
Hugo Mercier has a sanguine view of AI, since he thinks we're not at all gullible.
Two different perspectives.
But they both see human institutions as the salvation because the trustworthy ones sort fiction from fact.
Hugo Mercier has a sanguine view of AI, since he thinks we're not at all gullible.
Two different perspectives.
But they both see human institutions as the salvation because the trustworthy ones sort fiction from fact.
Why does the US have so much gun violence? Is it the result of a culture that celebrates violent video games or a legal structure that makes it easy for almost anyone to get their hands on powerful, deadly, weapons?
September 19, 2024 at 1:45 AM
Why does the US have so much gun violence? Is it the result of a culture that celebrates violent video games or a legal structure that makes it easy for almost anyone to get their hands on powerful, deadly, weapons?
Assertions of the cultural hegemony of science haven't aged so well. Today skepticism with regard to science might be at an all-time high, at least from my provincial US perspective.
Barzun decried the cultural imperialism of science, its dominance of the cultural forms of the law, the arts, religion, and philosophy.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
Culture is the independent variable for Barzun.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
September 17, 2024 at 1:12 AM
Assertions of the cultural hegemony of science haven't aged so well. Today skepticism with regard to science might be at an all-time high, at least from my provincial US perspective.
Barzun decried the cultural imperialism of science, its dominance of the cultural forms of the law, the arts, religion, and philosophy.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
Culture is the independent variable for Barzun.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Barzun claims that scientific-technological culture determines social structure (276). I think he got it backwards.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
September 16, 2024 at 2:21 AM
Barzun decried the cultural imperialism of science, its dominance of the cultural forms of the law, the arts, religion, and philosophy.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
However, when one country had military bases across the globe to dominate it, he remained mum.
And for good reasons. Culture trumps everything.
Culture is the independent variable for Barzun.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Barzun claims that scientific-technological culture determines social structure (276). I think he got it backwards.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
September 14, 2024 at 11:03 PM
Culture is the independent variable for Barzun.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Thus, he minimizes social structure's influence, viewing it as a dependent variable.
Barzun claims that scientific-technological culture determines social structure (276). I think he got it backwards.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
September 14, 2024 at 12:53 AM
Barzun claims that scientific-technological culture determines social structure (276). I think he got it backwards.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
Of course, it's never that simple. They both affect each other. But it does matter which one weighs more heavily.
I agree with Barzun that modern humans are discontented with their lives.
Ben Franklin famously wrote that Europeans who lived among the Native Americans never wanted to return to the White-dominated settlements. Indigenous people who lived among the Europeans never wanted to remain with them.
Ben Franklin famously wrote that Europeans who lived among the Native Americans never wanted to return to the White-dominated settlements. Indigenous people who lived among the Europeans never wanted to remain with them.
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
September 12, 2024 at 4:17 PM
I agree with Barzun that modern humans are discontented with their lives.
Ben Franklin famously wrote that Europeans who lived among the Native Americans never wanted to return to the White-dominated settlements. Indigenous people who lived among the Europeans never wanted to remain with them.
Ben Franklin famously wrote that Europeans who lived among the Native Americans never wanted to return to the White-dominated settlements. Indigenous people who lived among the Europeans never wanted to remain with them.
Barzun mistitled his book. He should have called it 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
September 11, 2024 at 4:48 PM
Barzun mistitled his book. He should have called it 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
September 10, 2024 at 1:40 PM
I finished Barzun's 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
I agree that modern humans are discontent, but I don't find his reasoning convincing. However, before I can critique it I want to present it in its strongest form.
You can just transmit information.
Or you can transmit information and emotion.
Or you can transmit information and emotion.
RIP James Earl Jones
He was one of the first celebrities on Sesame Street. Here he is reciting the alphabet & making it sound as if he’s just created it.
His performance of the letter I is unforgettable.
youtu.be/FJ6WwC174Yc?fe…
He was one of the first celebrities on Sesame Street. Here he is reciting the alphabet & making it sound as if he’s just created it.
His performance of the letter I is unforgettable.
youtu.be/FJ6WwC174Yc?fe…
September 10, 2024 at 12:49 AM
You can just transmit information.
Or you can transmit information and emotion.
Or you can transmit information and emotion.