link.dump.12.19.2025
Rituals, electricity, and crazy wolves
Why AGI Will Not Happen is an interesting read. I think it’s a surprisingly reductive and arrogant take. ‘I understand enough about the world to know this stuff is impossible.’ Nevertheless, it makes some interesting cases and I really liked the dichotomy of US-approach vs. China-approach.
A very interesting read on the importance of rituals and how to design them yourself. A new lens to look at the world I think, and as I analyzed my own life I see the appeals to rituals every day.
Could the limiter of AI actually not be datacenter architecture but simply be a lack of energy? It’s incredible to think of AI as a forcing-function for energy infrastructure and this piece makes a good argument for exactly that. Godspeed.
While I thought this US mass killings drop to 20-year low was informative, I also found the arguments it makes to be quite weak. I am reminded of The Black Swan and Taleb’s assertion that we try to put everything into little quantitative boxes. I am unconvinced of anything based on something that doesn’t even rise to the level of “trend” yet in my mind.
Thick desires vs. Thin desires. An interesting quick read that I pretty much love.
I am incredibly ambivalent about Australia banning social media for kids. Sure, social media sucks and kids are susceptible to it. But at the same time shouldn’t we be teaching kids how to handle the world rather than keeping it away from them? Or maybe teaching them about thick desires like the point directly above this one?
Amazon has created an AI expert assistant that can answer questions about the book you’re reading. And some authors are angry I guess? I’ve had dialogs with AI about books and content of books for a long time. I’m not sure why this is a problem other than some folks are just Big Mad about AI.
An interesting write-up on Postpartum Testosterone Decline in men after their child is born. Completely unknown medical thing to me, which seems like something more folks should know about.
Mercury poisoned wolves because they changed to eating sea otters. Humans are fucking weird to our planet.
The death of the mass market paperback. Honestly fine with this as hardbacks and prettier “trade paperbacks” are fine with me. If I want portability or cheapness I will do an ebook “rental” of the content.
Did you know that we saw dams in half to keep them from collapsing? Neat!
People are the new oil. I really appreciate this framing because, like everything always, the question is really “what is scarce?” I actually think people and energy share this space.
India as the economic powerhouse in the near future by Noahpinion. I really like Noah’s way of breaking this stuff down.
Cussing makes you stronger. Obviously.
