If an advanced AI system is smart & capable enough to exterminate humanity within the next few decades, does that imply it would also be adaptive & resilient enough to successfully colonize the galaxy over the next few million years?

One of the greatest MYTHS in cultural psychology is collectivists (e.g. Asians) don't compete––they are a kumbaya/harmonious/lovey dovey bunch who prioritize interpersonal relationships, unlike those individualistic Americans who are self-serving and competitive. 1

Well, there's a clear tension in play.

First: standardized tests emphatically provide predictive information above and beyond GPAs.

College admissions officials have a problem. They've had the problem for a very long time, every one of them knows the problem, and nobody has a…

Half of all songs that people love were written by musicians between the ages of 25 and 35.

(At least, according to rough-and-ready X poll results; don't take too seriously)

AI industry: 'We all agree it's important for AI systems to be aligned with the values of people'

79% of Americans: 'OK what we would value is strict regulation of the AI industry, even if that slows your progress'

One of the most interesting parts of my new reason Interview with Abigail Shrier concerns the mega-bestseller The Body Keeps the Score (2014), by Bessel van der Kolk, which argues that trauma gets encoded and stored into our physical bodies and can even be passed on…

I’ve never read a thread that so quietly and so honestly examines human nature without pretense or judgement.

Reading this you can’t help but feel many distant ideas and notions come together into a coherent whole.

If you want to learn about the nature of men, I recommend this.

True or false:
Civilization is always just one generation away from barbarism

On the one hand, the work on infant attachment to parents by John Bowlby in the 1950s-1980s was legit, groundbreaking evolutionary psychology.

On the other hand, trendy overuse of 'attachment styles' to explain adult relationship troubles & sex diffs is stupid & cringe.

English Springer Spaniels that have been bred as show dogs are much less trainable than ESS that have been bred for field work after 70 years of genetic isolation. Field ESS were as trainable as Labradors, whereas show ESS were only as trainable as dachshunds. Breeding dogs for…

In light of today's X controversy:
Given that most men generally prefer longer hair on women, when women praise each other for getting their hair cut short, to what degree are they running a female-vs-female competitive psyop/gaslighting/manipulation on each other?

True or false:
Civilization is always just one generation away from barbarism

Blessed to be sheltered in an eons long stable era

In what ways do higher I.Q. people really differ from others, and what's merely a misconception about having a higher I.Q.?

Recently, I asked on social media, 'What negative/bad traits do you think correlate with having a higher I.Q.?'

I was fascinated that I got such a large…

For the eclipse today, wishing all you umbraphiles smooth travels, clear skies, and good company.

In light of today's X controversy:
Given that most men generally prefer longer hair on women, when women praise each other for getting their hair cut short, to what degree are they running a female-vs-female competitive psyop/gaslighting/manipulation on each other?

Recent study, based on large UK Biobank samples, finds that sex can be predicted from brain morphology with close to perfect accuracy, 99.7%.

This is much higher than previous studies I reviewed some time ago, see next.

In late 2021, Hamas held a conference on what they would do after conquering Israel. They discussed water, sewage, currency, and making a directory of property to confiscate. They plan not to let talented Jews leave and make them work for the state.

The ceasefire crowd doesn't…