# Aaron Bergman's tweets, December 2023

Every public tweet, reply, quote tweet and retweet that Aaron Bergman (@AaronBergman18 on X, formerly Twitter) posted in December 2023 and has not deleted: 881 posts, oldest first, times in UTC. Each heading links to the original post on X. When Aaron replies to or quotes someone, their tweet appears as a blockquote with their name; those words are theirs, and everything outside the blockquotes is Aaron's.

This page is one month of [the complete archive of Aaron Bergman's tweets](https://abergman.com/tweets), which updates automatically every few hours. Previous month: [November 2023](https://abergman.com/tweets/2023-11). Next month: [January 2024](https://abergman.com/tweets/2024-01).

## Friday, December 1, 2023

### [Reply to @alistair___s, 03:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730433788205785484) · 1 like

> **Alistair Stewart (@alistair___s):** @SpacedOutMatt @ModerateMarcel @AaronBergman18 This is the single thing I dislike most about the EA community: the self-congratulatory celebration of distancing oneself from suffering / moral harm
>
> Spend two minutes reading about what shrimps actually endure and ask yourself if this meme is still funny https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/nGrmemHzQvBpnXkNX/what-matters-to-shrimps-factors-affecting-shrimp-welfare-in
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAOOOr8XcAAX5Gg.jpg)

The meme is doing the exact opposite? It’s literally about reducing shrimp suffering

### [Reply to @lisatomic5, 04:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730436696636821601) · 298 likes

> **lisatomic (@lisatomic5):** kids play \*with\* technology in a funny way
>
> like mine just made a discord server for their made up onion-worshipping religion and put a bot in there as pastor, they're currently pretending to be little onion cult evangelists and inviting family to the server

Sounds like a cool guy (gender neutral but guessing son)

### [Tweet, 04:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730438448907948153) · 4 likes

Huh https://open.substack.com/pub/astralcodexten/p/links-for-november-2023

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAPAmVGWIAA98d8.jpg)

### [Tweet, 04:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730440289754435838) · 12 likes

I am anti anti Canadian MAID and will defend this position

### [Reply, 04:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730446369184203008) · 1 like

Wait why

### [Reply to @tomchapin, 10:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730539225987043492) · 1 like

> **Thomas H. Chapin IV (@tomchapin):** The non-profit has a stated goal of creating AGI for the benefit and ownership of all of humanity, right?
>
> Letting a for-profit company onto the board is like letting the foxes guard the henhouse.

Yes

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 18:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730648192625021257) · 1 like

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** These are times that ironically make me feel very alone and like I wish I had someone to protect me. So I seek out men and like 50% of the time they’re fucking psychopaths and I’m a dumb whore so I give them way too much info because I have a good feeling about this one! 😍

Some stat like “4% of males are psychopaths but psychopaths make up 40% of the solicitations women receive”

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 18:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730649501495431452) · 3 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAR7jLNW8AAFsEX.jpg)

Dog

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 18:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730652901595291917) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @inesferhumi @pearl_please I don't know about others, but I'm picking up on some subtle chemistry between these two

Ship

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 18:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730656404971602332) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Bc FDA police state

### [Quote tweet, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660493365260649) · 22 likes

I don’t really have an object level take on whether Altman is an adept sociopath, but in light of SBF + maybe Sama I have a theory:

> **Quoting Shakeel (@ShakeelHashim):** "Some of the board’s six members found Altman manipulative and conniving ... “They felt Sam had lied,” a person familiar with the board’s discussions said." 👀

### [Thread, continued, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660495420461065) · 9 likes

Basically our intuitions about scheming/sociopathy/earnestness/manipulation/etc. are designed to balance false positives and false negatives

But evolution was doing this mostly in the context of a few hundred people at most

### [Thread, continued, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660497077203178) · 13 likes

But in the modern world where competent sociopathy gives you lots of status and power and therefore fame among all 8 billion people, +6 standard deviation ability at manipulation will exist in the sample of people we might encounter, but fail to trigger our

### [Thread, continued, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660498771701765) · 14 likes

“This guy seems sketchy” intuition which is calibrated to identify only maybe +3 sd level manipulation (lest we get too many false positives)

### [Thread, continued, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660500512329992) · 27 likes

So all this is to say that among people you know of because they’ve become powerful and successful (rather than just being ur brother’s friend or whatever) you may need to be extra cynical when judging the degree to which these people are manipulative vs earnest

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 18:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730660718649757759) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Ya I guess people who are naturally chronically hypomanic but they aren’t super common

### [Reply to @edardaman, 19:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730663758932890018) · 11 likes

> **Emily Dardaman (@edardaman):** Folks in relationships: Do you like debating politics/philosophy/religion? Does your partner?

Lol wonder what % of the Y/Y should really be Y/N

### [Quote tweet, 19:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730664299918479754) · 38 likes

Y/Y bf N/Y gf

> **Quoting Emily Dardaman (@edardaman):** Folks in relationships: Do you like debating politics/philosophy/religion? Does your partner?

### [Reply to @paulg, 19:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730669289458340302) · 3 likes

> **Paul Graham (@paulg):** 92% of grades in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies classes at Yale are A or A-, vs 55% in Mathematics. The math majors must just not be as smart. (Table via @sfmcguire79.)
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GARTvs4WEAAUjLx.jpg)

Lol if this is basically true in general (say for US t50), it would explain how tightly packed near the top suma/magna/cum laude were for my class

I did econ, math, and philosophy and was like “how tf are 15% of my classmates getting basically perfect grades all the time?”

### [Reply to @a_real_society, 22:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730709482605260911) · 3 likes

> **society (@a_real_society):** The masculine urge to buy $200k worth of cattle

How many does that buy?

### [Quote tweet, 22:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730711488078151796) · 6 likes

“\[Even a total utilitarian\] might nevertheless conclude that some instantiations of suffering cannot be offset or justified by even an arbitrarily large amount of wellbeing.”

> **Quoting hunter\* (@y2khunter):** what opinion will you defend like this?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GANJIlSWYAAMDD4.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 22:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730711490410258523) · 3 likes

https://www.aaronbergman.net/p/my-case-for-suffering-leaning-ethics

### [Thread, continued, 22:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730711493287534676) · 4 likes

Also if anyone says the letters “vnm” ur bloodline will be cursed for all of eternity

### [Reply to @a_real_society, 22:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730711841976766802) · 2 likes

> **society (@a_real_society):** @AaronBergman18 Like 120, so actually I might want $300k worth

Wait a whole cow is only like 2k?! New pet just dropped

### [Reply to @M4IDENL3SS, 22:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730712046503637294) · 2 likes

> **void ☾ (@M4IDENL3SS):** @a_real_society turbo based honestly

Fr

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 22:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730722496247156772) · 2 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** @absurdlymax Is it bad that I like that decor a lot

\*steals ur dog\*

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 22:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730723439437123889) · 2 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** What forecasts would you read if they existed?

P(gf)

### [Reply to @tszzl, 23:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730724937919238157) · 6 likes

> **roon (@tszzl):** what’s the mitigation for finding overwhelming amounts of beauty in everything?

High dose antipsychotics

### [Reply to @EpistemicHope, 23:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730727657942237480) · 1 like

> **Eli Tyre (@EpistemicHope):** @alexeyguzey, do you still endorse this?
>
> Are particularly anti-GW, or particularly pro-other stuff?
>
> (I'm thinking through donations right now.)

FWIW I think GiveWell’s recs are very clearly not the best place to give for reasons described in this post https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/btTeBHKGkmRyD5sFK/open-phil-should-allocate-most-neartermist-funding-to-animal

### [Reply to @psychiel, 23:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730730086712893578) · 2 likes

> **Mariven (@psychiel):** v\*m is often deployed too hastily, but a genuine issue w/ lexicographic utility is with gambles—would you spin a wheel with 3^^^3 slots, all labeled "lifelong bliss for all beings", but a single one \*also\* labeled "you get tortured for a week first"? I can't intuit rejecting this

Honestly idk if I’d spin it (for behavioral econ irrationality reasons) but I endorse not spinning it

Would you accept a week of torture in exchange for living 3^^^3 lives of bliss after?

## Saturday, December 2, 2023

### [Reply, 00:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730749441852784851)

Assuming  you’d answer the same though for the selfishly phrased one, I think (and really, my core claim is) that it such a choice us fundamentally irrational, and to the extent you’d make the choice beforehand it reflects a failure to appreciate how bad suffering can be…

### [Thread, continued, 00:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730749608312094776)

This is the crux though and I know other smart people (eg @freed_dfilan) bite the bullet and have the opposite view

### [Reply, 02:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730783239860543493)

Isn’t \*obviously\* wrong or trivially refuted

### [Reply to @gwern, 03:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730796334494495167) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @gwern is no longer available.)_

\+1

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 16:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730986582688059751) · 9 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @littIeramblings is no longer available.)_

He’s right

### [Reply to @RuxandraTeslo, 16:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730987862089199924) · 1 like

> **Ruxandra Teslo 🧬 (@RuxandraTeslo):** Imagine being a medieval peasant. You wake up in this misty cold, you don’t have heating. You don’t have electricity either so no light after 4pm. How did people even survive
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAWZFX8XsAAgWth.jpg)

Bro they didn’t even have 4pm (like the concept)

### [Quote tweet, 16:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730989396797579324) · 8 likes

Semaglitude + dextroamphetamine combo would go hard

> **Quoting the Rich (@Duderichy):** they fucking did it, they invented the everything drug
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAWuG0lXEAAe73d.jpg)

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 16:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730989530486853999) · 12 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Post Christmas gift ideas for the effective altruist in your life (genuine)

Cash

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 16:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730989925560881225) · 9 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Post Christmas gift ideas for the effective altruist in your life (genuine)

A legitimate prescription pad so u can write in any medication

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 16:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730992604458668060) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** Yeah a lot of ppl seem to think this, maybe I was showing my ignorance here

There’s nothing EA ppl like better than signaling their intellectual openness by siding with like the inventor of factory farming or the people who stole money from GiveDirectly on something

### [Tweet, 17:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730997038358106264) · 44 likes

Ik I’m econ brain poisoned bc my next thought immediately after “huh I kinda have a beard” was “and it’s a plausibly exogenous beard bc I ran out of shaving cream several days ago and never really intended for this to occur!”

### [Thread, continued, 17:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1730997285222260807) · 4 likes

(It’s not a legit beard, just stubble)

## Sunday, December 3, 2023

### [Quote tweet, 00:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731114997642612820) · 10 likes

Thanks to those who sent me screenshots even though they weren't included in v1.0 bc I wanted it to be just EA org rejections 😌

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAYn36oWgAAphSJ.jpg)

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** @ChanaMessinger I’m making a collage of my rejection emails 😌. It’s in progress rn (screenshots very welcome)

### [Reply to @bryan_johnson, 07:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731208164945621242) · 4 likes

> **Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson):** Excited to be an @extropic investor and to build with @beffjezos. After 4.5 billion years, this is our moment.
>
> (quoting @beffjezos: Hey everyone, serious post for a second. As you may have seen, I have unfortunately gotten my identity and stealth startup doxxed by reporters via voice forensics and web sleuthing. As the day has finally come, I thought I’d share more about who I am. I’ve kept my identity…)

Oy vey

### [Tweet, 07:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731209380077379932) · 2 likes

New Tulsa just dropped?

### [Reply to @Noahpinion, 09:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731248082577154150) · 3 likes

> **Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@Noahpinion):** Why do so many ace people work for quant trading firms

How does one even get this information? Like without actually working at a quant firm lol

### [Reply to @rgblong, 09:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731251637073686571) · 6 likes

> **Robert Long (@rgblong):** I love this classic but I just realized - and idk what this says about me - I don’t really know what “life is excruciatingly meaningful” is / means.
>
> Perhaps I do not know that feeling
>
> (quoting @visakanv: this is the heart of philosophy, all else is commentary 🧐)

Idk whether emotionally internalizing this is a good idea, but u are one of a few people (afaik) working on one of the most morally important questions in the universe

### [Reply to @diviacaroline, 10:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731263033005986226) · 2 likes

> **Divia Eden 🔍 (@diviacaroline):** Violet, our fifth and (almost certainly final) baby is finally here! I’m so happy 😍, and it was even my easiest labor yet (not that I would ever call labor easy)!
>
> She got here 20min before our midwife did, and practically slept though her own birth :-)
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_9Q4dpWkAA6tdu.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_9Q4dqW4AAdIMi.jpg)
> (quoting @WilliamAEden: Everyone please welcome Violet Lillian Eden to the world :) She was born at 2:20 AM today right here at home after a fast labor. She is the fifth addition to our family, and also our last 🥲 She came out like the others, 8 lbs 6 oz 20” long and a full head of dark hair! 😍)

Congrats!! 🐥

### [Reply to @alistair___s, 13:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731299819497410762) · 3 likes

> **Alistair Stewart (@alistair___s):** @SpacedOutMatt @AaronBergman18 @ModerateMarcel Okay imagine the same meme but with two dead humans who had previously had similar capacity for realising welfare as shrimp (e.g. had been in a state of partial arousal as per screenshot), whose deaths were eased by an EA intervention - would you be happy making that?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAbOPmFX0AAaNIc.jpg)

This is not worth either of ur time and u guys should simply coexist with different intuitions about the quasi-moral aesthetics of memes

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 20:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731413291732254722) · 6 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** louder for the people in the back
>
> (quoting @ryancareyai: To those who say "we cannot reason statistically about events that have never happened before, so we should not worry about the hypothetical possibility of AI", you also need not worry about a warhead being placed on an ICBM. Or anything new happening generally.)

2️⃣ THOSE 👥 WHO SAY WE CANNOT REASON 🧐 STATISTICALLY 🔢 ABOUT EVENTS 🔮 THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE 🤷‍♂️ SO WE SHOULD NOT 🙉WORRY ABOUT THE HYPOTHETICAL POSSIBILITY 💭 OF AI', YOU ALSO NEED NOT 🚫 WORRY ABOUT A WARHEAD 💣BEING PLACED ON AN 🚀 OR ANYTHING 🆕 HAPPENING GENERALLY

### [Reply, 20:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731414608093528528) · 1 like

44

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 21:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731432078506397951)

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @AaronBergman18 Thanks Aaron

👍

## Monday, December 4, 2023

### [Reply, 00:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731469069784699122)

Steal one for me plz

### [Reply to @alexeyguzey, 03:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731521697889526263) · 3 likes

> **Alexey Guzey (@alexeyguzey):** EA and e/acc are both singleton ideologies.
>
> They reject the ugliness and complexity of the world, substituting it for a single meme function to maximize.
>
> If you want to the future to be bright and to win, reject singletons & embrace truth.

Gotta be one of the falsest false equivalences I’ve seen

### [Quote tweet, 05:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731541362900692992) · 6 likes

New Tulsa?

> **Quoting Massimo (@Rainmaker1973):** The town of Whittier, Alaska, is known for having nearly the entire population living in a single apartment building.
>
> The building is called Begich Towers, a 14-story apartment complex that houses about 90% of the town's residents (total: 272). This has earned Whittier the nickname of a "town under one roof".
>
> The building, originally constructed as an army barracks, now serves as a cozy condominium featuring a post office, general store, police station, laundromat, health clinic, mayor's office, and a heated indoor pool.
>
> Whittier, Alaska is accessible only by air or through a single-lane tunnel that stretches over two miles through neighboring Maynard Mountain. The town's weather conditions can be harsh during winter, making the Begich Towers a convenient and practical living solution for the residents.
>
> In addition to the Begich Towers, there is a second condo building in the town where the remaining residents live. The town's school and gym are located in a separate structure but are connected to the Begich Towers by a tunnel, allowing for easy access during the winter months.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAboQSxXoAA1aOs.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 05:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731544652304556426) · 8 likes

SBF deja vu, maybe

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAeurw6W0AAZP1l.jpg)

> **Quoting Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus):** Remember how Sam Altman told the US Senate he had no “direct” investment in OpenAI? and how they gushed over his apparent selflessness?
>
> 👉He didn’t mention that (presumably) he had equity in YC which likely has equity in OpenAI.
> And now this:
> 👉“OpenAI Agreed to Buy $51 Million of AI Chips From a Startup Backed by CEO Sam Altman”
>
> \#candor

### [Reply to @davidmanheim, 12:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731653753818763687) · 1 like

> **David Manheim (@davidmanheim):** @AaronBergman18 @alexeyguzey I think it's pointing to something real - that many EAs (unfortunately) have a view that there is a single coherent type of goodness which they need to be maximizing, and they have a sufficiently accurate approximation of that vision of good.

Huge difference between, to put it in familiar terms, utility functions with a single input and those with a single output

Yeah at some level you implicitly do need to compare possible worlds on a single dimension because like you only get to choose one…

### [Reply to @robertwiblin, 12:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731654577496170499) · 9 likes

> **Rob Wiblin (@robertwiblin):** The NYT really phoning it in today LOL.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAfnFhKXQAAJ5u9.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAfnGScXgAAXB75.png)

I wanna be an internet philosopher

### [Reply to @daniellellecco, 13:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731663140792807460) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @daniellellecco is no longer available.)_

“Getting good grades is the easiest thing in the world” - me until abstract algebra

### [Reply to @robertwiblin, 13:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731663757338705920) · 8 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @robertwiblin is no longer available.)_

Great insights for my CEO application 🙏🏼

### [Tweet, 14:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731686797942374720) · 11 likes

If I was a micro professor who had a lesson on Hotelling’s Law (Wikipedia below), I’d be so excited rn

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAgv9jjXAAAY9Te.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAgv9jiWMAAximZ.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 14:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731686801494946282) · 1 like

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotelling%27s_law

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 18:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731744230916145637) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 @danielleboccell My A- in Abstract Algebra 2 still haunts me

Well neither of us got a B

### [Reply to @AaronDorshow, 18:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731745518194200878) · 1 like

> **Aaron Dorshow (@AaronDorshow):** @AaronBergman18 FYI I think I went to the Premium Barber shop and it was pretty good

BREAKING: Arlington, VA beats SF, Berkeley, Oxford, London, Boston, DC, and NYC as most important EA Hub

### [Reply to @gelionexists, 18:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731747134267854869) · 2 likes

> **GE Lion (@gelionexists):** @AaronBergman18 Idk about +6 SD man, it was pretty obvious to anyone who knew the basics of who Sam altman was (stakes in yc).
>
> You don't get that rich working for charity.
>
> If anything this is a -3 SD judgement for the average senator

I wasn’t super precise before - the axis I meant was like “ability to come across as sincere/pro-social” and the population being something like sociopaths (idk the technical meaning of the term)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 18:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731747584803262738) · 3 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 1, 2023:** So all this is to say that among people you know of because they’ve become powerful and successful (rather than just being ur brother’s friend or whatever) you…

To clarify

### [Quote tweet, 18:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1731749901787074733) · 9 likes

Now I’m wondering what determines the equilibrium distance between clusters like this

Like there isn’t one big barbershop cluster in St. Louis to serve all of the US. What is the equal and opposite market force (or is it a non-elegant smorgasbord of factors)?

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** If I was a micro professor who had a lesson on Hotelling’s Law (Wikipedia below), I’d be so excited rn
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAgv9jjXAAAY9Te.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAgv9jiWMAAximZ.jpg)

## Tuesday, December 5, 2023

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 14:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732051881319362712) · 5 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** Does anyone else have a really hard time switching between reading yiddish and hebrew? Any tips? I’m struggling lmao

Yes bc I don’t know either language

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 15:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732058373414158393) · 5 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** Bear
>
> (quoting @BearPosting: )

Bear

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 18:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732105320254595090) · 13 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** What are vegan recipes that you like when you are feeling?
> \- Sad
> \- Lazy
>
> In particular, when I am in my normal "bad vegan" mode, this is when I eat meat, because meat is tasty even when you are sad and lazy.
>
> Tasty, low prep suggestions.

My specialty: crisped rice in almond reduction

1\) put Rice Krispies into concave container (eg bowl)

2\) add almond milk to taste

3\) (optional) garnish with protein powder of choice

## Wednesday, December 6, 2023

### [Reply to @robertwiblin, 06:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732291979889824160) · 8 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @robertwiblin is no longer available.)_

Steve Jobs foregoing modern cancer treatment

### [Reply to @pearl_please, 10:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732348189272150447) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @pearl_please is no longer available.)_

RIP 🪦

(And get well soon)

Also fuck bicycles fr, sinister technology

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 14:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732412048058032615) · 2 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** Trying to make inter-cause cost-effectiveness comparisons like
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAoExQ5XYAA8zng.jpg)

Eh ik it’s a meme but I think this is basically wrong, in the sense that it really doesn’t come down to “how many shrimp equals one human” as anything like the deciding or relevant factor

For one thing the standard set of human focused near term charities…

### [Thread, continued, 14:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732412529580847151) · 3 likes

fundamentally are not evaluated on the basis of suffering reduction (plausibly eg reducing malaria infections does indeed reduce human suffering, but afaik that’s not what ever gets studied

Whereas ea animal charities (rightly IMO) don’t care about deaths per se

### [Thread, continued, 14:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732413657718595842) · 2 likes

But more importantly IMO, the hard part is weighing a bundle of mostly-strong but still extremely qualitative arguments for AI risk and how various interventions might improve things (hedonically, by reducing suffering or increasing wellbeing) vs

### [Thread, continued, 14:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732413965681193427) · 3 likes

like helping a bajillion chickens or a bajillion² shrimp

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 15:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732424177582514652) · 2 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** Okay very fair. Please accept this more accurate meme as compensation for your time
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GArI9STWcAE8cjR.jpg)

Haha haha. YES

### [Reply to @pearl_please, 15:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732426318233604345) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @pearl_please is no longer available.)_

P(u found\* a religion) just skyrocketed

\*as in founder, not discover

### [Reply to @exdiegesis, 16:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732430560222449691) · 2 likes

> **Hope (@exdiegesis):** let me know if you (or maybe @AaronBergman18!?) make/find an app for quickly browsing & converting LW/EAF posts into audio-files. (must be able to pause & rewind via BT headphones, otherwise i lose 90% of listening-value.) even better if can do it w textbook-chapters!

This is a thing!! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nonlinear-library/id1587343144

### [Reply to @AFraserUrq, 22:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732532920915497440) · 2 likes

> **Alastair Fraser-Urquhart (@AFraserUrq):** it’s time
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAsNAttXQAAYUvD.jpg)

To light sheet music on fire?

### [Reply to @HannahPosted, 23:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732549265606508787) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @HannahPosted is no longer available.)_

Tf is a shower curtain liner

### [Reply to @catehall, 23:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732549922115743801) · 3 likes

> **Cate Hall 🔸 (@catehall):** What is the best argument that transformative AI is >10 years away?

Interest rates aren’t insane rn

## Thursday, December 7, 2023

### [Tweet, 00:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732552488396476522) · 1 like

Maybe, but one vibe-matching saying we should not revive is “life isn’t fair” (or anything with a similar meaning)

Like yes, this is trivially true as a description, but it’s ~always used in a normative-ish way (“your complaint is illegitimate”)

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 00:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732556278034043178) · 1 like

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @adamrisom Tbh I feel like I do a bit of image washing by being an EA

Dude u don’t even have an image (in the sense of a non anonymized online presence) lol

### [Reply, 06:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732643512745672799) · 1 like

RIP🪦

### [Quote tweet, 06:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732644182009737347) · 7 likes

Yeah - a low proportion of cases are legit perhaps, but if you’re good at discriminating you wind up reading @TheZvi’s 10^10 word blog posts

> **Quoting exfatloss🥛 (@exfatloss):** Many such cases

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 06:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732644714715713572) · 1 like

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 A good friendly pfp Aaron , u look like a very effective altruist

Lol thank u - my main update here (given several very positive bits of unprompted feedback) is that my intuition about pfp is basically nonexistent and cannot be trusted

### [Reply to @natalia__coelho, 06:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732652282984996890) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @natalia__coelho is no longer available.)_

Sure

\- high relative intelligence (I’m guessing this predicts good discrimination)

\- very high relative scout mindset (/whatever a more neutral academic term would be) both personally and in my peers/community

…

### [Reply to @Noahpinion, 06:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732654754822524937) · 3 likes

> **Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@Noahpinion):** Is this AI-generated, or does Kyle Rittenhouse now actually look like a Big Boy statue?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAr7b5IbcAIvgNT.png)
> (quoting @GaryPetersonUSA: Kyle Rittenhouse joining Tucker Carlson is an even greater present this Christmas season than the gifts brought by the Three Shepherds of Christ.)

Bad to make fun of ppls weight even if conservative

### [Reply to @mattyglesias, 07:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732658619433308471) · 1 like

> **Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias):** The extent to which people just repeat stuff is always underrated
>
> (quoting @IzaTabaro: From which river to which sea? “Only 47% of the students who embrace the slogan were able to name the river & the sea. Some of the alternative answers were the Nile & the Euphrates, the Caribbean, the Dead Sea (which is a lake) & the Atlantic…. There’s no shame in being…)

I personally own all the land from the Potomac river to the Atlantic Sea

### [Quote tweet, 07:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732659233790009439) · 6 likes

Setting aside animal welfare stuff (tbh I don’t have a strong take on honey) I’m very glad internet people do weird shit like this

> **Quoting anabology (@anabology):** If 1 pound of honey per day makes me diabetic, you'll know:
>
> Just ordered a continuous glucose monitor from @agelessrx\_ and bloods from @marekhealth.
>
> Hopefully I'll be able to share CGM data from the 18th thru the 22nd. I'll also share the labs when I receive them (getting blood drawn on the 22nd).
>
> After I get the CGM, I'll do a glucose tolerance test with it and share that as well.
>
> I'm going to be 100% transparent with this. If my HBA1c is 100%, and my insulin is sky high, I won't hide it.
>
> I may be wrong. If I am, I'll stop the diet and reevaluate. Only one way to find out.

### [Reply to @JgaltTweets, 07:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732659641761308865) · 4 likes

> **JgaltTweets (@JgaltTweets):** 1\) what
>
> (quoting @The_Real_Fly: Absurd Claim by Haley: “For every 30 minutes that someone watches TikTok every day, they become 17% more antisemitic, more pro-Hamas.”)

Start out as a mildly sympathetic weirdo, 1 day later ur getting drone striked

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAukwwNXcAAZs4L.jpg)

### [Reply to @JgaltTweets, 07:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732660805051510942) · 2 likes

> **JgaltTweets (@JgaltTweets):** @AaronBergman18 See, all they've got to do now is find a way to do it in reverse and they'll finally solve the whole situation

Every 30 minutes on nerdy, community notes-pilled twitter…

### [Reply to @bradneuberg, 07:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732662484216008917) · 3 likes

> **Brad Neuberg (@bradneuberg):** We had to invent AI in order to actually understand ffmpeg options

“Turn this 94 minute video into a sequence of pdfs of each frame and a compressed .mp4 of the audio on a screen filled with red pixels”

Chatgpt: ffmpeg \[600 incomprehensible words\], duh

### [Reply to @sonyasupposedly, 07:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732664244410147323) · 2 likes

> **🌷🐰 sonya serendipitously 🐇🎀 (@sonyasupposedly):** I feel a profound primal connection with my son, the like I've which I've only felt with my own mother as a small child

Oxytocin goes hard fr

### [Tweet, 17:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732821487487201483) · 10 likes

Spotify no longer safe

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAw39W8W4AA8GrM.jpg)

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 18:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732831004996350083) · 5 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** I'm beginning to think it wasn't even a real duck

I’m beginning to think ur not even a real lightbulb

### [Quote tweet, 21:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732876749325599182) · 29 likes

Guy who thinks money would be no object at $100B

> **Quoting rohit (@krishnanrohit):** If money was no object, like you had $100 Billion net worth, what would you be doing?

### [Thread, continued, 21:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732876754153336971) · 4 likes

Hey, SBF was right about the infinite money thing (or at least up to say most of world total wealth)

### [Tweet, 21:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732879493495226688) · 44 likes

I’m beginning to suspect that immediately closing the app and mentally running away bc scared is not an effective way to turn Hinge/Tinder matches into dates

### [Reply to @goodhorsemen, 21:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732881174156976369) · 2 likes

> **Roman 🦅 (@goodhorsemen):** @AaronBergman18 What did SBF say?

“I have use for infinite money” (or maybe it was “infinite dollars”)

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 21:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732882514010574976) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** this is likely correct

Huh

### [Reply to @DaCaveOfWonders, 22:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732885275871744115) · 3 likes

> **Tiger Lava Lamp (@DaCaveOfWonders):** @AaronBergman18 Instead, I would recommend thinking about what feeling you wish to create in your match, then writing a message you think will elicit that feeling, hit send, and immediately throw your phone across the room in fear.

Thanks, lava lamp

### [Quote tweet, 22:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732890835438461096) · 7 likes

Your regular reminder that as an individual donor (lfg) you should be thinking on the margin about where to donate:

“How should the existing distribution change?” or, ~equivalently, “where does a marginal dollar look the absolute best?”

> **Quoting Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** I see two EA-adjacent orgs in this list. Fistula Foundation received $15m and Malaria Consortium received $10m
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAxzzkvW8AAR5Hf.png)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAxzzkuWYAA4_5i.png)

### [Thread, continued, 22:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732890837464351007) · 5 likes

Not:

\- What is my intra-EA aesthetic/vibe/identity?
\- What is a central example of a good/“EA approved” donation?

### [Reply to @GjMcGowan, 22:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732891081874780584) · 4 likes

> **George McGowan (@GjMcGowan):** @AaronBergman18 Let us run your account

“Us” being…?

### [Reply to @reconfigurthing, 22:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732891275005665533) · 1 like

> **Elias Schmied (@reconfigurthing):** Oh gotcha lol, I like the criticism from the other side there

Lol in general any good critiques are roughly from the opposite direction of common/intuitive normie critiques

### [Reply to @GjMcGowan, 22:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732891388792951029) · 6 likes

> **George McGowan (@GjMcGowan):** @AaronBergman18 Each of your mutuals gets to text one lady

Ok deal

### [Tweet, 22:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732892158611337411) · 20 likes

The absolute difference in goodness/$ between eg The Humane League and AMF is bigger than the difference between AMF and the least deserving of Mackenzie Scott’s recipient orgs

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GAx4O4-W4AErE_p.jpg)

### [Reply to @sixers2772, 22:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732895768636162312) · 5 likes

> **Sixers (@sixers2772):** A problem I have with animal welfare is that it has no longtermism component. I think you can make an argument that anything that helps humans, like AMF, has a chance to improve the trajectory of society a little

Yeah tbc I do think prioritization between animal welfare and explicitly  long termist things is hard and plausibly the latter wins

But I’m much more confident in the literal truth of my claim above than if I subbed in LTFF for THL

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 22:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732896026434863418) · 4 likes

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** @AaronBergman18 @GjMcGowan Genius idea George! I'm absolutely down for this

I get to text ur wife (about the painkiller in LMICs thing dw)

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 23:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732899821122355414) · 2 likes

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** @AaronBergman18 @GjMcGowan I can dm you her # but you have to wait until tomorrow to text her

🤝

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732902214744543289) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Buy wifi

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732902443510387084) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

For weird reasons this page exists https://aaronbergman.neocities.org/insomnia

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732902751317770638) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Ya ppl be not buying it as like a protest even if it’s worth the money to them lol

### [Reply to @daniel_271828, 23:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732903499388665912) · 3 likes

> **zzDANIEL_ETH (@daniel_271828):** @AaronBergman18 Wait, this seems obvious if you think Humane League is better than AMF? Presumably whichever is better is more than 2x as good as the other. What are the odds they’d be within a factor of 2 of each other?

Yes I agree! But I know for a fact that people will explicitly endorse this and then donate to AMF anyway

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732903953036095508) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Love it, lfg. Gonna make a thread one per q

### [Thread, continued, 23:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1732904628168036635) · 2 likes

Well I’ll start with all these

## Friday, December 8, 2023

### [Reply to @PradyuPrasad, 13:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733119639536742690) · 1 like

> **Pradyumna 🇸🇬 (@PradyuPrasad):** Domain set up http://PradyuPrasad.com

Nice

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 19:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733205524693319811) · 3 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** Presenting the @absurdlymax starter pack:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA2PKnyWUAAMrbD.jpg)

I think moral realism is true. We should discuss this at some point

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 19:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733206580965859429) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @AaronBergman18 @SpacedOutMatt Maybe @littIeramblings can interview us about this

🔥🔥🔥

### [Reply to @reconfigurthing, 19:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733206807089181054) · 2 likes

> **Elias Schmied (@reconfigurthing):** So the recipe for becoming a kinder person is to suffer for a bit, viscerally realize how nice it is when people are kind to you, and have your brain update on that?

Idk if it is \*the\* recipe, but it’s definitely a recipe

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 19:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733208352245617088) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** I’m down

Ok cool, the title is gonna be “Aaron destroys max with facts and logic”

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 19:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733209191202881938) · 3 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @absurdlymax well, it has 25 views and Aaron also liked it, so you have some plausible deniability

You’ll never know who said what 😱

### [Reply to @___frye, 20:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733218546929315935) · 2 likes

> **frye (@___frye):** tag yourself i’m mexicanized dishes and pepper sauces

I’m ginger ale

### [Reply to @EpistemicHope, 20:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733227200797691993) · 2 likes

> **Eli Tyre (@EpistemicHope):** If you're trying to apply the 2014 Effective Altruist strategy (cost effectiveness analysis to select top charities + donating) at scale, you run into problems of the intractability of complex systems: the difficulty of modeling second order effects that dominate your impacts.

“Expected 2nd+ order effects cancel out bc chaos etc” is thrown around too readily, but it really does seem like a good place to start and in some cases probably basically checks out though

Like it seems to me there are two basic ways of “doing EA” …

### [Thread, continued, 20:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733227970557354235)

1\) account for all crucial considerations and figure out how to move the needle on the actual determinants of long-run general equilibrium

2\) find exceptionally large first order effects that don’t seem to have systematically negative nth order effects

### [Thread, continued, 20:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733228711325868327)

FWIW I think the second strategy points hard in the direction of quite directly reducing hedonic suffering or increasing happiness, which a lot of ~EA approved~ charities definitely don’t do (ie most of the global health ones)

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 20:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733229073004892441) · 5 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Let the rejection process begin 😤

### [Reply to @AndyMasley, 20:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733229436751732783) · 2 likes

> **Andy Masley (@AndyMasley):** Space is expanding equally everywhere but it's not strong enough to overcome the forces holding regular objects together, so it becomes noticeable over incredibly large distances but doesn't affect any specific objects

Sus

## Saturday, December 9, 2023

### [Reply to @LinchZhang, 06:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733367089262371246) · 9 likes

> **Linch (@LinchZhang):** Me: So, have you ever met a dumb EA?
> Friend: Yes. \*pause\*
> Friend: Though they were a graduate student at Harvard, so maybe not that dumb in absolute terms.

Yeah people like to play modest but among in person explicitly EA events, I’d guess the iq distribution is like 2.5 sd above avg

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 06:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733367240764826009) · 3 likes

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** Realistically you could probably arrive at social events a bit later than you do now. You probably won't even be the last person.

🚨🚨🚨infohazard🚨🚨🚨

### [Quote tweet, 06:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733375973460959680) · 4 likes

Based

> **Quoting saul munn (@saulmunn):** i just donated 10% of my income from the last year to @TheHumaneLeague! :D
>
> it's not much, but i'm giving what i can.

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 06:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733376619694235982) · 10 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Secretly learning how not to say “or something” and talk like a normal person to surprise my hypothetical gfs parents

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 06:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733377780539117644) · 2 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** The last time I took an iq test it was 118, I think. I was twelve, so I wonder if it’s changed. I remember my neuropsych saying that mine was a bit unique in that some of the categories were extremely high and others were super low.

[![GIF thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/GA4x5hXXsAAN2jb.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733377780539117644/photo/1) (gif, plays on X)

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 06:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733378162787024946) · 3 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 @StoopMensch HAHA why nawttt

119 at least

### [Reply to @goblinodds, 06:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733379419555651760) · 5 likes

> **𝖜𝖔𝖒𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖈𝖆𝖚𝖘𝖊 (@goblinodds):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3FCcdXYAARCDG.jpg)

Tf is the second row? I only recognize vibecamp (bc it says “vibecamp”) lol

### [Quote tweet, 06:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733380436519170493) · 11 likes

New version = which of these do you basically understand/recognize the associations of

I’m:
\[1, 2, 3, 7\]
\[C\]
\[! # ^ &\]
\[a, b, e\]

For a total postrat score of 12

> **Quoting 𝖜𝖔𝖒𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖈𝖆𝖚𝖘𝖊 (@goblinodds):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3FCcdXYAARCDG.jpg)

### [Reply to @peterwildeford, 07:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733383439540248698) · 3 likes

> **Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀 (@peterwildeford):** I'm announcing my winter vacation reading list https://commoncrawl.org/

Man they make it so hard to just read the friggin internet

Like tf am I supposed to do with these? Where is the forbidden multi-exabyte .txt?

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA43DRKWgAA720J.jpg)

### [Reply to @alitaylor, 07:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733384113917214850) · 2 likes

> **ali (@alitaylor):** people always say “no screens 1 hour before bed” but what do u do for that hour if u have no screens

Stare at wall

### [Reply to @eshear, 07:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733390520041283676) · 7 likes

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** I like each of these bc they each compress a pretty complex counterargument into a single image that avoids getting lost in the details.
> Are there more?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3XPV7XwAAT0Jc.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3XPV3XEAAWEDL.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3XPV2XYAAheUI.jpg)

Maybe these from https://www.cold-takes.com/this-cant-go-on/

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA49fc8XEAAZzAT.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA49fc7WoAA6WPs.jpg)

### [Reply to @LinchZhang, 07:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733391271807369393) · 5 likes

> **Linch (@LinchZhang):** @mealreplacer Such a double standard. Nobody gives me praise for learning English to talk to white girls. 😡😡😡

Good job 👍

### [Reply to @IterIntellectus, 08:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733396484991696921) · 4 likes

> **vittorio (@IterIntellectus):** ok, but what if we also started building downwards?
>
> so much free real estate
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3PP__bUAEAodn.jpg)

It’s a good question!

### [Reply to @young_opsimath, 08:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733396966334148887) · 1 like

> **young_opsimath ⏸️ (@young_opsimath):** Although wrong about moral realism, @absurdlymax is super wholesome!
>
> (quoting @SpacedOutMatt: Presenting the @absurdlymax starter pack:)

🤝

### [Reply to @SelonNerias, 08:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733407348427780399) · 3 likes

> **Selon Nerias (@SelonNerias):** @AaronBergman18 @RafaRuizdeLira Bear

Bear

### [Reply to @bswud, 09:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733416909289238966) · 2 likes

> **Ben Southwood (@bswud):** Here's something I didn't know: in the UK's national crime victimisation survey we cap reported crime at five per 'series' and 96 per victim per year. If you remove this cap, then there is \*much\* more of certain crimes, especially domestic violence.

Lol what

### [Tweet, 10:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733426795335090351) · 4 likes

The normative/descriptive binary seems wrong and unnatural. Descriptive claims can be moral or amoral

Should be normative vs amoral descriptive aka empirical\* vs moral descriptive aka value judgement

### [Thread, continued, 10:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733426796941447544) · 2 likes

\*empirical is the closest word I can think of but isn’t quite right. Making a claim about the result of a math expression would also fall in this category

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 10:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733427119651189105) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** @AaronBergman18 @SelonNerias Bear

Bear

### [Reply to @pachabelcanon, 10:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733431442179317993) · 1 like

> **francis (@pachabelcanon):** broke: choose degree based on interest
> woke: choose degree based on possible earnings
> bespoke: choose degree based on what prisoners are interested in learning from you
>
> (quoting @M_Gouldhawke: Bonanno: Every time I ended up in prison the other prisoners would hear I had a degree in philosophy and ask me to do some lessons. But even though I also had an economics degree they never asked me to do any economics lessons. We should reflect on this oddity.)

Diet-coke: choose degree(s) based on one @80000Hours article

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 10:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733431916118864265) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** @AaronBergman18 I think I get what you're saying but an example would help

You shouldn’t punch him

vs

It would be bad to punch him

vs

If you punch him you’ll get kicked out of Wendy’s

### [Reply to @arabelladevine, 10:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733439815616499891) · 3 likes

> **arabella ※ (@arabelladevine):** general intelligence is a needlessly demeaning meaningless grouping that includes some human capacities and not others.
>
> i get why people think it makes sense, i get that it is Linked to Outcomes, but if you examine it closer it’s a philosophical mistake
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA5mDeAbwAAN7XF.jpg)

Disagree with the philosophical mistake thing but it is way over-moralized and like shouldn’t be demeaning in the way it sometimes currently is

### [Reply to @qwweryo, 10:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733440877396128090) · 4 likes

> **Matt Brooks (@qwweryo):** Someone explain to me why EA (or EA-adjacent) funders aren't jumping at the opportunity to add a few million to Scott's ACX grants?
>
> I see it as great potential to seed ground in fertile lands
>
> https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/apply-for-an-acx-grant-2024

I mean insofar as I personally am an ~EA Funder~ it just seems like not the literal best use of money

### [Reply to @Scantron__, 11:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733443496319594660) · 3 likes

> **Ryan Scanlon (@Scantron__):** It is crazy this video goes viral probably every two weeks, nothing else like it

Never seen it before

### [Reply, 11:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733443886851203310) · 1 like

I don’t think this is normative. You’d have to add in a claim about epistemic correctness being something one ought to seek

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 11:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733448127967805671) · 1 like

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** But I don't think I agree with this. These people probably don't even nearly realize just how painful it would be to undergo such an experience.

Ya ppl be not appreciating suffering fr

### [Reply to @InternetH0F, 11:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733449266075500810)

> **internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F):** this is awesome
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA23aeWWoAALUnT.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA23aoWXYAENgc6.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA23axlWAAA5ZK5.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA23a7eWQAAUw4m.jpg)

Based

### [Reply to @4confusedemoji, 13:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733475019185913991) · 2 likes

> **olivia (@4confusedemoji):** @AaronBergman18 uhh everything but the hummingbird

Officially a postrat

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 13:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733475209141735895) · 2 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 9, 2023:** New version = which of these do you basically understand/recognize the associations of I’m: \[1, 2, 3, 7\] \[C\] \[! # ^ &\] \[a, b, e\] For a total postrat score of 12

Wait also Hereticon, idk how I missed that

13

### [Reply to @ElytraMithra, 13:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733479705276289384) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @ElytraMithra is no longer available.)_

Lmao

### [Quote tweet, 13:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733481871336419334) · 10 likes

Yeah this is a (modest) update for me away from “antisemitism is basically not a real concern for Jews in major American cities”

> **Quoting Jonathan Mannhart 🔎🔸 (@JMannhart):** I also do not like this.
>
> It's just always really hard to estimate from “current vibes on social media“ precisely how bad antisemitism is. But this, as some sort of (likely) correlated marker, does have me worried.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA3ekaiWYAEsnp3.jpg)

### [Reply to @hktsre, 15:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733515986127495463) · 33 likes

> **hek! ⚙️ (@hktsre):** A reminder you can breathe \*Back\* instead of \*Up\* into your nose
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA6qsDyboAAJdU6.jpg)

Woah new inhale just dropped

### [Quote tweet, 16:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733517223598161999) · 34 likes

Incredible decade of progress!

> **Quoting Javi Lopez ⛩️ (@javilopen):** Midjourney evolution!
>
> One year ago                                                Today:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F4QZlZZWMAA461K.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F4QZnSDXkAAun0q.jpg)

### [Reply to @8chabard, 16:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733521954588500162) · 2 likes

> **Lysander, 8 CHA Bard (@8chabard):** hrrmmmm what other chemical? and is it in tea?
>
> i feel like they put so many other things in energy drinks (taurine, b12, w/e) that it'd be weird for them NOT to put the whole shebang in

Coffee has a ton of different compounds that plausibly synergize

But fwiw I actively prefer caffeine to the same dose but in coffee

### [Tweet, 16:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733524022938202589) · 48 likes

Brain waves are PATTERNS OF NEURONS FIRING?!?

I thought they were like their own ethereal, weirder thing. This is way less cool

### [Reply, 16:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733526200931213497) · 1 like

“Should”/“ought”/“must” claims seem to me like their own sui generis thing that can’t easily be put in other terms. Like “you should do X” and “x would be good to do” don’t seem semantically equivalent to me

But maybe I’m the only one who sees it that way, given some replies

### [Reply to @sixers2772, 16:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733526312164192419) · 3 likes

> **Sixers (@sixers2772):** Honestly that kinda sounds more cool to me because it makes more sense

I want weird mystical brain ether shit

### [Reply to @threestationsq, 16:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733529953738674568)

> **threestationsquare (@threestationsq):** I'd expect reducing infant mortality & disease-caused morbidity to have pretty huge effects on hedonic suffering. What sort of interventions are you imagining might have larger ones?

Maybe, but my point was that these aren’t the dimensions on which they’re being explicitly evaluated

### [Reply to @sixers2772, 16:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733531189355401378) · 3 likes

> **Sixers (@sixers2772):** He believes in moral realism?

No, which is the problem

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 17:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733535549640581400) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Lo

### [Reply to @ilex_ulmus, 18:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733550113547522368) · 3 likes

> **Holly ⏸️ Elmore (@ilex_ulmus):** @AaronBergman18 Nah it’s way better!

I want waves of mysterious brainmeal 😡

### [Reply to @Manderljung, 20:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733579732526977045) · 2 likes

> **Markus Anderljung (@Manderljung):** My new fave test of LLMs: The stopping game.
>
> https://chat.openai.com/share/d624441d-68fb-4458-b2ba-c588b33b3a56
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7MwbXWsAAKCsr.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7MyDHWEAAICjL.jpg)

Slight variation. Not expecting it to succeed

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7plEaX0AAjtWF.jpg)

### [Reply to @peterwildeford, 20:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733581842903638173) · 2 likes

> **Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀 (@peterwildeford):** @austinc3301 Why would charity not compound with time? Surely GiveDirectly gives cash which very poor people can thus reinvest at fairly high rates of return.
>
> AMF-style benefits likely provide even more community return per $.

Idk if I’m using these terms technically correctly but multiplier/flow through effects ≠ compounding of the relevant type, which would involve feedback between the recipient community and GD

### [Quote tweet, 20:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733583260335137134) · 15 likes

I mean duh, and in a similar vein I think I could have invented some version of gradient-descent based machine learning (not like full-on modern neural nets but something substantially more advanced than multiple regression)

> **Quoting The Hill (@thehill):** Nearly half of men think they can safely land a plane in an emergency, survey finds https://trib.al/8t4HTx2

### [Reply, 20:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733583952688890141)

I mean this definitely isn’t like a knockdown objection that means GD is misguided or bad, but yeah it matters bc all else equal it would be good for GD to grow!

### [Reply to @focusfronting, 20:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733584569616470291) · 149 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @focusfronting is no longer available.)_

Parnate, ketamine, amphetamines, and blood tests for every biomarker known to man

### [Reply to @focusfronting, 20:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733585199206637921) · 40 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @focusfronting is no longer available.)_

Oh wait this was more of a prescriptive list of things to try. I mean I have done all these things lol but I don’t think the first two helped (the last two did)

### [Reply to @waitmanb, 20:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733589077398593878) · 27 likes

> ** Dr. Waitman W. Beorn (waitmanwbeorn.com on 🟦) (@waitmanb):** Ok but...ketamine?!
>
> Not sure how a horse tranquilizer gives you the get up and go.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16894061

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7yE-NXYAARACl.jpg)

### [Reply to @AlexGodofsky, 20:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733590353935020173) · 6 likes

> **Alex Godofsky (@AlexGodofsky):** communists when they aren't busy complaining that bedtime is capitalist:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7hPK2XoAAZQN6.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA7zPSxWcAE7CfD.jpg)

## Sunday, December 10, 2023

### [Tweet, 02:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733678551675654431) · 9 likes

Great, new potentially transformative, dual use x-risk-y technology just dropped https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/nita-farahany-neurotechnology/

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA9DdFhWAAAIdu3.jpg)

### [Reply to @FrostedSapling, 02:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733678766193254494) · 2 likes

> **Ivan 🔸 (@FrostedSapling):** @austinc3301 I really don’t like the trend of people pathologizing ever little thing online now

Ivan, welcome to the intellectual dark web

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 02:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733680410939277736) · 2 likes

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** Yelling "I'm not perfect" at anyone who asks why I haven't done things I've agreed to do

Fwiw, from the perp’s perspective this looks/feels like making normal commitments during a period of normal/good functioning and then hitting a period of worse health/functioning where these suddenly become and feel 100x harder

### [Thread, continued, 02:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733680862510620932) · 2 likes

Ideally you’d account for this ofc, but that would mean often undershooting and just like living well below your potential

### [Reply to @FrostedSapling, 02:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733681166060818831) · 2 likes

> **Ivan 🔸 (@FrostedSapling):** @AaronBergman18 @austinc3301 Oh I’ve been aware of this for a long time, and it bugs me so much. Hearing health topics in general talked about online usually gets me annoyed

Sounds like u have annoyed-pharmacist syndrome. It’s fatal

### [Tweet, 03:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733692087382540559) · 8 likes

How do I have one checking account with an APR of 0% and one at 5? (transitioning to the latter ofc). Seems like the kind of thing there should be a market price for

Both FDIC insured

### [Reply to @nosilverv, 03:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733692196237303854) · 1 like

> **Guy (@nosilverv):** Not a moment too late
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA9POWFXgAAilHP.jpg)
> (quoting @nickcammarata: shrimp suffering is a real problem and the four people in this world who care about it are heroes to me (the reason it’s a problem is there’s a lot of shrimp and the way to optimize their reproduction speed is basically to torture them, so it’s worse than normal factory farming))

The shrimp definitely care

### [Reply, 03:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733693794241970226) · 4 likes

Depression and adhd, not bp

The wholesome explanation is that they can help jump start a positive behavioral feedback loop (ie amph -> get out of bed -> less depressed)

But also they pretty directly improve hedonic tone and decrease subjective difficulty/burden of…everything

### [Reply to @esotericneolib, 03:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733696889017561411) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @esotericneolib is no longer available.)_

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

### [Reply to @goblinodds, 03:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733697148112277799) · 23 likes

> **𝖜𝖔𝖒𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖆 𝖈𝖆𝖚𝖘𝖊 (@goblinodds):** tl;dr "socks" is the most common answer that isn't specific to nerds, craftsmen, or Manly men, and which is permitted in carry-on baggage

A 10,000 pack of socks (all exactly the same) would go so hard

### [Tweet, 04:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733701454995521793) · 3 likes

Hello twitter. Has anyone figured out whether thyroid reference ranges are good or not?

One high TSH reading but follow up labs in range, plz send takes

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA9YSPhX0AAwBs6.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA9YSPiW4AAtCJi.jpg)

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 22:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733970401892389085) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** god I know I shouldn’t start a podcast but I really really want to someone talk me out of it

Do it 😈😈😈

### [Thread, continued, 22:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733970669723914678) · 4 likes

More seriously, "do it" in the sense of like try it out and see how it goes and if you like it. You don't need to commit to publishing episodes weekly until the end of the world

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 22:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733970849663680729) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** We'll go through the next EA Global checking hands. There's no escape.

We've narrowed it down to the 98% of attendees whose hands basically look like this (white ppl)

### [Reply to @MichaelAlleged, 22:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733974262262681924) · 1 like

> **Michael (Allegedly) (@MichaelAlleged):** not a bad view to wake up to on your 24th birthday
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA_8RZRbQAAGaTd.jpg)

Happy birthday!

### [Reply to @natural_hazard, 22:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733977162728771721) · 15 likes

> **Hazard - in SF (@natural_hazard):** holy SHIT
>
> i just read "there is not antiemetics division"
>
> shits FREAKY
>
> https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/antimemetics-division-hub

Wait is this a post about nausea or not

### [Quote tweet, 22:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733977785507467714) · 4 likes

Kinda insane but I like it

> **Quoting anabology (@anabology):** “ADHD” affords you the unique ability to be obsessed with your top interests regardless of your energy level.
>
> The higher your energy level, the more obsessions you can entertain.
>
> ADHD isn’t a problem. Your thyroid is.
>
> The goal is to be obsessed with your whole life.

### [Reply to @natural_hazard, 22:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733981613866820085) · 13 likes

> **Hazard - in SF (@natural_hazard):** huh? No, nausea is t mentioned anywhere

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBBXFpVX0AAh2T7.jpg)

### [Reply to @fermatslibrary, 23:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733986487111237921) · 2 likes

> **Fermat's Library (@fermatslibrary):** There is no simple, exact formula for the perimeter of an ellipse. The formula presented below uses an elliptic integral, which cannot be expressed in terms of elementary functions.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GA_fNlMWgAAaQTN.jpg)

STOP DOING MATH

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733990144779149554) · 4 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 9, 2023:** Bear

Bear

### [Quote tweet, 23:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733993727171928434) · 10 likes

Correct position 😤

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBBiGr3WsAACiyr.jpg)

> **Quoting Someone:**

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1733994016453120034) · 4 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Nooooo everything has to be distinctly  connected to exactly one other thing nooo

## Monday, December 11, 2023

### [Tweet, 04:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734070544591380537) · 25 likes

Normal case where u like capitalize the start of sentences and proper nouns is the best and easiest to read

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBCn9_9WEAAh6Ci.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 04:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734070778792919474) · 2 likes

Return

> **Quoting mattparlmer 🪐 🌷 (@mattparlmer):** America should return to its traditional policy of open borders

### [Reply, 04:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734072277916876879) · 1 like

0/3 lol

### [Reply, 05:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734078892460102025) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to is no longer available.)_

Haha open borders go brr

### [Reply to @notkavi, 05:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734090321078649329) · 1 like

> **urbanstats dot org 🌉🚱 (@notkavi):** Learning today that Twitter users assume everyone measures their caffeine intake in milligrams, best thing I have to clarify to literally everyone I talk to in real life when I'm discussing caffeine

Lmao many such cases

### [Reply to @dieworkwear, 06:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734095167454326988) · 1 like

> **derek guy (@dieworkwear):** Let's talk about this because you may get invited to a party this holiday season that calls for "cocktail attire." What is cocktail attire? And how can you do it well? 🧵
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBBj0V1agAA9O6X.png)

U dress as a cocktail duh

### [Reply to @cremieuxrecueil, 06:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734096280215785610)

> **Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil):** Losing my sense of smell has not been a fun experience. So much of what's pleasant in everyday life is down to smell, and you don't appreciate that well enough until it's gone.
>
> I really hope I'm able to smell again soon.

:( gl

### [Reply to @JonHaidt, 06:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734099137711222825) · 2 likes

> **Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt):** Here's a great summary of the case for making all K-12 schools phone-free. Like me, the author could not find any serious arguments, laid out in writing, for the other side.
>
> Phones in hands and pockets interfere with just about every goal of education
> https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/should-schools-ban-cellphones

I mean the argument for the other side is just the first order reason people like to use their phones: it’s more entertaining and pleasant than the alternative, in the moment

It’s so obvious it almost reads as satire but I think it’s easy to forget

### [Reply to @nickcammarata, 07:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734115041832468865) · 3 likes

> **Nick (@nickcammarata):** thing i'm often confused by: like 80% of my long term meditator friends report becoming sensitive to tons of foods
>
> does meditation cause weird food issues or is our food just kind of poisonous to everyone and meditation makes them sensitive enough to feel it
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBDMr_KagAARSL1.jpg)

Huh, this is super interesting. Sounds like induced “visceral hypersensitivity” which is the term you’ll probably want to look for if you do more research

### [Reply to @theojaffee, 07:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734116232985518459) · 6 likes

> **Theo Jaffee (@theojaffee):** Can an effective altruist explain to me why I should care about the well being of a child halfway across the globe that I’ve never met as much as I should care about the well being of my family and friends

In terms of emotional intensity? No none of us (afaik) think that

### [Reply to @danielbrottman, 07:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734118299619725805) · 1 like

> **daniel brottman 🪷 (@danielbrottman):** gm you ever think about how big the sun is? 🌞

Shits big fr

### [Reply to @br___ian, 18:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734283783191318698) · 3 likes

> **bri (@br___ian):** How are you eating the National Institute of Standards and Technology peanut butter?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBFji2uaoAAx2Ps.jpg)

Wait why is it for sale? It should go to the Smithsonian 😡

## Tuesday, December 12, 2023

### [Reply to @ryancbriggs, 00:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734364124665225477) · 3 likes

> **Ryan Briggs (@ryancbriggs):** My kid (7) wants me to teach him some basic data analysis in R. Anyone have ideas for good csv files that might hold his interest? Or can anyone point me to Minecraft-related csv files (recipes?)?

Haha YES

### [Reply, 00:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734373924375236738) · 5 likes

Unfollowing him for this. Wrong pipe

### [Reply to @inerati, 00:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734374263338000677) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

Indigenous IBMs still go by Watsono or watsona

### [Reply to @ilex_ulmus, 00:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734376169737179146) · 5 likes

> **Holly ⏸️ Elmore (@ilex_ulmus):** I try to savor my spice collection through the eyes of a medieval European peasant. I feel every time I open the drawer ☺️
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBG8kXJaoAAdhhy.jpg)

At thanksgiving with my extended family there were like 4 different pies + ice cream on the table and said like “this would have been unimaginable wealth for humans throughout almost all history”

They smiled and nodded but hey one step at a time

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 00:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734376338532737049) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @trevposts They're just jealous of your drip

Haters gonna stay less than

### [Reply, 05:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734447143086121030) · 1 like

I mean yeah they probably can

### [Reply to @volodarik, 05:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734448043364057460) · 3 likes

> **Aleksandr Volodarsky (@volodarik):** This must be one wild group chat
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBGIHuMWIAAMopI.jpg)

Can u guys add me?

Thx,
Aaron

### [Reply to @creatine_cycle, 05:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734452986644996128) · 1 like

> **atlas (@creatine_cycle):** Logged onto linkedin the other day just to reply "based" to a friend's work accomplishment only to be accused of making right-wing dog whistles in the comments section

Oy vey

### [Reply, 06:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734456895526592590) · 1 like

Huh?

### [Quote tweet, 07:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734482602818457866) · 4 likes

New Tulsa just dropped but we all have to share one apartment

> **Quoting Rohin Dhar (@rohindhar):** You can currently rent it for $8950 a month
>
> https://www.apartments.com/1520-taylor-st-san-francisco-ca-unit-602/2ds49y8/
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBIDfEEaYAAa_h7.jpg)

### [Reply, 08:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734484033415909472) · 1 like

They’re right, abstract algebra doesn’t matter

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBIgCOIWkAATRgf.jpg)

### [Reply, 08:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734485238619709475)

Lol, that team cringe lost a soldier

### [Reply to @robertwiblin, 15:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734598963406225652) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @robertwiblin is no longer available.)_

“Broadly…describe your mood and/or how you have felt in the past week” (instead of “how do u feel at this moment?”) 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

### [Reply to @catehall, 15:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734602317184262542) · 26 likes

> **Cate Hall 🔸 (@catehall):** I'd like to better understand people's positions on doxing. An example from @TheZvi that's representative of what I've seen: "Do not dox people even if that person is advocating for policies you believe are likely to kill you, kill everyone you love and wipe out all Earth-originating value in the universe in the name of their thermodynamic God."
>
> I don't understand this position. I'd rather live in a world where people can say things anonymously, for the most part. I'd also like to live in a world where people can't advocate on a vast scale for replacement of humans by machines while avoiding any accountability. Why does this issue inspire absolutism in reasonable people, rather than a circumstance-specific analysis, like defamation under the law?
>
> FWIW I have been doxed in a situation that caused quite a lot of harm, sustained over several years, so I don't think I'm confused about the consequences.

I basically agree with Zvi. There are a whole host of arguments for liberalism that confront the “what about really bad positions” question.

To me the main point is that there is no view from nowhere - the e/accs could say the same thing about EA and doxxing an anon ea account…

### [Reply to @goingawoll, 16:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734604307520188647) · 2 likes

> **Amos Wollen 🦐🪰✴️ (@goingawoll):** This is a Greek goddess who apparently had the same name as my late chicken, Hestia.
>
> It does feel derivative.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBJf4q5WEAEHYKG.jpg)

Blessed tweet

### [Reply to @PeterSinger, 16:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734610839460807126) · 5 likes

> **Peter Singer (@PeterSinger):** On Wednesday, I gave my last lecture at @Princeton  University. I've had a wonderfully stimulating and rewarding time here, but now I'm looking forward to something new.
>
> I want to thank my students and colleagues for their engagement and support over the years. We've tackled difficult and important topics in ethics and philosophy, and I value all the insights you have provided. You have challenged and inspired me. I'm grateful for all the arguments, discussions, and learning opportunities. Thanks to everyone at Princeton for being part of my story.
>
> Looking ahead, I'm excited to continue my work in ethics and advocacy through my writing and public speaking. I've just accepted an invitation to spend at least four weeks next year as a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore and look forward to being there in April.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBIydXKaIAA2GKL.jpg)

🐐

### [Quote tweet, 16:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734611679865098256) · 2 likes

Seems bad

> **Quoting Elad Simchayoff (@Elad_Si):** “an unusual volume of complaints from the public” the campaign was terminated with immediate effect (full message pictured).
> It turns out that the company received thousands of complaints, Including personal threats to its staff. Moreover, business owners who’s shops are >
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBJx2XhXYAA543N.jpg)

### [Reply to @daniellellecco, 16:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734613052501458982) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @daniellellecco is no longer available.)_

We could…graph them

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 19:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734659122925113574) · 4 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** Bears
>
> (quoting @BearPosting: )

BEAveR

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 19:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734662547456905604) · 3 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** @AaronBergman18 @SelonNerias Idk but I'd call him Pepito
>
> https://x.com/jun3buggy/status/1734309506031718904?t=u16KisWI6qj3IScdwILzMA&s=19

🚨🚨🚨DOG FRAUD🚨🚨🚨

### [Reply to @TetraspaceWest, 22:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734697911424852006) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @TetraspaceWest is no longer available.)_

Lmao

### [Reply, 22:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734706452063830425) · 1 like

0 state solution

### [Reply to @arabelladevine, 23:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734712635256434703) · 2 likes

> **arabella ※ (@arabelladevine):** if you take away the cold sensation from the flavour of mint, is there actually any true flavour (scent or taste) behind it? just a mild leafy flavour?

Relevant

### [Quote tweet, 23:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734721064293249315) · 17 likes

Relatedly: the one defensible true Bayesian prior? The one you actually think. Yes, you have an implicit best guess probability

However it got into your brain, that’s where you’re starting from

> **Quoting Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️ (@ESYudkowsky):** There is exactly one defensible reason to believe any thing:  "That thing is probably actually true."

## Wednesday, December 13, 2023

### [Quote tweet, 01:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734741622040977596) · 5 likes

If you’re following me and you’re not Will MacAskill, it is almost certainly worth your time to vote (5 mins, affecting $35k or more in a way I don’t fully understand but seems legit because CEA is good at shit like this)

> **Quoting EA Forum Posts (@EAForumPosts):** There are only 3 days left to vote in our Donation Election. If you have a Forum account and would like to influence (currently) $35k of donations now is your moment. And if you have a Bank account and would like to donate now is also your moment, you can get a cute drawing 👀
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBLijzgbEAAWavb.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 01:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734741623907463301) · 2 likes

As it turns out (new info to me as of 2 mins ago) pre-voting (putting a little heart next to some of the charities) is NOT ACTUAL VOTING

So click on this link and follow the instructions (unless ofc u have something better to do with your time) https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/voting-portal

### [Reply to @focusfronting, 01:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734744532720226600) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @focusfronting is no longer available.)_

https://www.reddit.com/r/suicidebywords/

### [Reply to @prisonrodeo, 03:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734779153927254476) · 4 likes

> **C. Zorn (@prisonrodeo):** A student of mine needs to convert about 100K addresses in a CSV to lat-lon. Any ideas for how to do that automagically, and for free?

Must be a way to exploit the fact that google maps automatically adds lat+lon upon searching for a location by address. You'll see it in the address bar in the vid

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1734778245470363648/pu/img/7fFuE1834AjzayPl.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734779153927254476/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Thread, continued, 03:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734779818338631775) · 1 like

100k is a lot though. Looking at dozens of hours if it takes seconds to load. I have done things like this before though lol (like web scraping that requires pages to fully load, running in chunks of 8ish hours every night)

### [Reply to @ESYudkowsky, 04:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734789496518975605) · 6 likes

> **Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️ (@ESYudkowsky):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBMl_7CaQAAdeUV.jpg)

This is the most normal one IMO

### [Reply to @eigenrobot, 06:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734818530959258072) · 10 likes

> **eigenrobot (@eigenrobot):** do you endorse the notion of falsifiability

Don’t make me tap the sign

### [Reply to @panchromaticity, 06:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734820200212512949) · 3 likes

> **Xenia 🔍💎 (@panchromaticity):** okay but surely the elephant shrew should be the largest kind of shrew
>
> (quoting @yrs______: )

It’s a “tiny elephant” shrew, so i guess it should be about avg?

### [Reply to @Austen, 06:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734821274864509047)

_(The tweet being replied to by @Austen is no longer available.)_

Do you generally watch cable news like this?

### [Reply to @inerati, 06:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734824057516773619) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

Lfg

### [Reply to @luke_metro, 06:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734824647881879594) · 2 likes

> **Luke Metro (@luke_metro):** Sad but true
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBLu06VaMAAcSyh.jpg)

What’s this little guy

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBNV0vZW4AA6bzP.jpg)

### [Reply to @AStrasser116, 07:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734840542612082939) · 3 likes

> **Alex Strasser (@AStrasser116):** Cliches that need to die:
>
> 1\. "X has a history" (and therefore there is no fact of the matter)
>
> 2\. "People disagree about X" (and therefore X is unjustified)
>
> 3\. "Not all X" (in response to a general rule of thumb or about statistical averages)
>
> What else am I missing?

This is sorta a pet peeve and not necessarily wrong/unproductive, but “I could say X” or “you might think X” as opposed to just saying what you think is true

IME it leads to generating like faux-steelman arguments that no actual human endorses

### [Tweet, 08:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734847459648516169) · 23 likes

I feel like we could use another Snowmaggedon like in 2010

We fucking RAGED when we heard school was cancelled for the entire week

### [Reply to @Mjreard, 09:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734861524559151596) · 5 likes

> **Matt Reardon (@Mjreard):** @AaronBergman18 Aaron you're not in school anymore.

Might be able to slide into a masters program just in time

### [Reply to @waitbutwhy, 11:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734905984257024007) · 2 likes

> **Tim Urban (@waitbutwhy):** Cozier. It’s moved things inside.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBNTFiRXYAEfuoo.jpg)

Men only want one thing

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 12:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734909961904250925) · 3 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** "I'm telling you this for prayer"
>
> Christians ask people to pray for things. But sometimes they ask on behalf of others. Mum tells me this used to be a massive gossip mill.
>
> "I'm telling you this for prayer, but Susan's daughter just had a baby out of wedlock"

Ooh nice a new goss elicitation mechanism

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 14:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1734951201404281151) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Ya fr we got lucky it’s like the third most interesting thing in the world (the first two are the sleeping beauty problem and obesity)

### [Reply to @YosarianTwo, 18:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735001269045989681) · 2 likes

> **Yosarian2 (@YosarianTwo):** I don't even know what a "non-falsifiable belief" would mean
>
> Seems like a contradiction in terms

I have non falsifiable beliefs:

\- some form of moral realism is true
\- qualia exist
\- falsifiability is overrated

### [Quote tweet, 18:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735003705961791490) · 17 likes

In the time honored tradition of EAs disagreeing with stuff, I’m gonna go ahead and say that you should NOT donate to the election fund because like just donate to where you think the money should go 😊

> **Quoting Frances Lorenz (@frances__lorenz):** IF YOU DONATE I CAN DRAW YOU A BAD PICTURE LIKE THIS ONE, SHE'S EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE AND AGENTIC
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBPy_DCaYAAUygL.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 18:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735003708071551418) · 4 likes

Like it seems strictly worse this way unless you’re REALLY optimistic that people with different values and/or different empirical beliefs are operating on the same acausal trade wavelength, somehow

### [Thread, continued, 18:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735003709229171040) · 2 likes

You SHOULD vote though, duh

### [Reply to @stephenclare_, 19:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735012911511212515) · 21 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @stephenclare_ is no longer available.)_

I’m anti this take. You should be able to defend yourself without the defense per se being considered evidence of guilt

### [Reply to @UriBram, 19:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735015716766593313) · 3 likes

> **Uri Bram 🔍 (@UriBram):** is there a term for the opposite of imposter syndrome, where you believe you're really great and your current position doesn't reflect your true merits?

Delusions of grandeur

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 19:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735025990840025535) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Wait no this feels like a 10^52 straws on the camels back type thing. Ur hereby banned from adding this to ur brain to do list

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 19:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735026709970162062) · 12 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 13, 2023:** I’m anti this take. You should be able to defend yourself without the defense per se being considered evidence of guilt

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBQNmLmX0AAdt1b.jpg)

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 21:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735055113679425990) · 1 like

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 Me or the weather

Weather

### [Reply to @sixers2772, 23:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735074113503277068) · 1 like

> **Sixers (@sixers2772):** I find vitamin E warming/energizing. My midday temp is usually ~98.2, but measured 99 with vitamin E. This is consistent with how I feel as well

Huh, I did not know this was a (even hypothesized) thing

### [Reply to @VivaldiVril, 23:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735074895413805223) · 2 likes

> **BaroqueMan (@VivaldiVril):** post a picture of what you want for Christmas, no matter how unrealistic or unlikely it is to happen. no comments, just a pic
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBQr-rwXAAErL-a.png)

I agree this looks like a nice shirt

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBQ5bCOXgAAP-PR.jpg)

### [Reply to @mattparlmer, 23:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735076522082406448) · 21 likes

> **mattparlmer 🪐 🌷 (@mattparlmer):** We cannot allow a nuclear cargo carrier gap
>
> (quoting @PDChina: A Chinese shipyard on Tuesday revealed the design of the world's first and largest nuclear-powered 24,000 TEU container ship, Global Times reported.)

Lol at the motto on the side being 110% optimized for western media coverage

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 23:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735079220169130348) · 20 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** I’m enjoying the fact that my post has spawned this whole convo and the further I scroll the less I have any idea what either of you are talking about
>
> I’m glad my silly meming is leading to healthy debate, wld love to participate but I don’t understand probabilities 😂

Same energy

### [Reply to @Empty_America, 23:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735083652642455882) · 2 likes

> **VB Knives (@Empty_America):** Most of the Zoomers I know in real life are doing well, many see to be considerably ahead of where Gen X was at the same age.
>
> Online also, some of the younger seeming accounts are high energy.
>
> I suspect the worst blackpillers are older than you would think, might be 30+.

\*airplane meme\*

## Thursday, December 14, 2023

### [Reply to @benleo_econ, 03:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735138829013553209) · 2 likes

> **Ben Grodeck🔸 (@benleo_econ):** @QualyThe How do we know that Qualy isn't Bill Gates?!

One is a light bulb, and the other is a human being 😊

### [Tweet, 04:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735154022519034150) · 5 likes

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSBYzSWkAAMAni.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSBYzQXIAAsw7f.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 04:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735162686701273209) · 76 likes

This meme goes so hard and I unironically support the guy in pink

Kantian ethics is dumb af and afaict nobody actually endorses it

> **Quoting philosophy memes 🔗 (@philosophymeme0):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBNraVgWwAAqOxA.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 05:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735162954318757968) · 4 likes

Citing my sources 😤

### [Tweet, 05:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735169052765556958) · 6 likes

Anyone figured out the best age to be epistemically? Like I’m guessing you’re still on the upward slope in terms of getting things right at 25, and down at 65

Probably like 40ish?

### [Tweet, 05:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735169617880928725) · 115 likes

There is simply no way to detect algorithmically if this is a bot

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSPkkKXEAAJmVt.jpg)

### [Reply, 05:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735170309941063843) · 2 likes

> **Peter🧅📈 (@PeterJAngel):** @AaronBergman18 I want to know what happened to the text
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBSQB9FaMAAPWce.jpg)

It’s beach time 👍

### [Reply, 17:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735355036492820785) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to is no longer available.)_

😢

### [Reply, 17:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735355314847780906) · 8 likes

> **J (@julestrainman):** Good mornin, there is currently a cow wreaking havoc on the NEC in Newark
>
> [video attached](https://x.com/julestrainman/status/1735332318980575285/video/1)

The cow
He destroyed his cage
Yes
YES
The cow is out

### [Reply, 17:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735355400919171292) · 3 likes

> **J (@julestrainman):**
>
> (quoting @AmtrakNECAlerts: As of 10:40 am ET, All services operating in the Newark (NWK) area may experience lengthy delays due to debris blocking the tracks. Updates to follow as more information becomes available.)

He’s not debris 😡😡😡

### [Reply, 17:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735356021118275840) · 2 likes

> **Lilly (@lillybilly299):** The thing about boys is sometimes they'll say stuff while their monkey brain is activated and then have zero memory or attachment to anything they said

Not sure if I’m built different, have no self awareness, or just don’t get it lol

### [Reply, 17:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735357119786795193) · 2 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** STOP ITTTTT
>
> I WANT TO GET OFF THIS TRAIN RIDE
>
> (quoting @GoogleDeepMind: Introducing FunSearch in @Nature: a method using large language models to search for new solutions in mathematics & computer science. 🔍 It pairs the creativity of an LLM with an automated evaluator to guard against hallucinations and incorrect ideas. 🧵 https://dpmd.ai/x-funsearch)

If I’m gonna get paperclipped I at least want the perp to not have “fun” in its name

### [Reply, 17:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735357338729484522) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** Fat Rat
>
> (quoting @Nerdy_Addict: There is a loose bull on the tracks at Newarks Penn Station as authorities try to catch it. All tracks delayed)

Perro grande

### [Reply, 18:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735362990197669911) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** @AaronBergman18 Oso

Oso pequeño

### [Reply, 18:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735364188300599417) · 2 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** I'm confused, do Americans just snack on the string cheese itself? alone??
>
> (quoting @Aella_Girl: nooooo my doctor told me to lay off the string cheese)

Some ppl have friends to eat string cheese with but yeah, the social fabric is really falling apart

### [Reply, 18:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735366024445194721) · 2 likes

> **sanje horah 🇵🇸🇺🇦 — PNEUMATICS ONLY (@sanjehorah):** what do normal people think about if not lacan

I do not know who that is

### [Reply, 18:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735366833039904919) · 2 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @AaronBergman18 @tomascodes this is how you get the internet to explode
>
> maybe this is a good thing tho

All I know is that BROWSE(url) opens the url in my default browser

Probably this is thanks to one of the 50ish packages I always load but idk

### [Reply, 18:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735367308644651079) · 2 likes

> **rue🌿 (@Ruesavatar):** The cut of this dress is actually stunning omfg.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBU8PQdW0AA-0iT.jpg)

🗡️

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBVDXqUXkAA9D-E.jpg)

### [Reply, 18:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735369052292268463) · 3 likes

> **Michael Nielsen (@michael_nielsen):** Judged from the perspective of the year 2000, which science fiction author do you think was \*most\* right about the next 50 years?

@ESYudkowsky

### [Reply, 19:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735384888713338978) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to is no longer available.)_

The downstream effects of the ADA

### [Reply, 19:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735386971566977256) · 5 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** I agree with you, and I think another problem is just that this doesn't seem to be a true rejection anyway:
>
> (quoting @austinc3301: @ElmoTheHomie @gcolbourn @beffjezos @littIeramblings In my view, this whole line of argumentation is simply not your true rejection (https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/TGux5Fhcd7GmTfNGC/is-that-your-true-rejection). You're giving us arguments that you think are strong and going to…)

Idk what the context is I just wanna propose that all discussions of any kind take place in this very thread, as a reply to Sarah’s tweet

### [Reply to @panchromaticity, 19:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735387401042723021) · 1 like

> **Xenia 🔍💎 (@panchromaticity):** traps \_\_\_\_ gay and that's \_\_\_\_

Trapezius muscles? As in mouse trap?

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 20:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735391405181153784) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** omg no pls do u know how many notifications I’m getting

What do u think about the cow

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 21:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735409359197507778) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Where do I buy

### [Tweet, 21:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735412363237507144) · 6 likes

What is a blooming onion??

### [Quote tweet, 21:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735412796907724817) · 16 likes

This is 80% evidential decision theory but in woo terminology

> **Quoting Someone:**

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 21:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735413218342768923) · 4 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** British guy who doesn’t know what onions are:
>
> (quoting @AaronBergman18: What is a blooming onion??)

Hey I’m not British don’t insult me like that

### [Tweet, 21:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735413480801620348) · 1 like

Ok

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBVtXOXXAAAAS-X.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 21:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735414455427637308) · 2 likes

Fascinating

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBVuP4fXsAAB2Tm.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 21:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735414803701919759) · 2 likes

I think I understand now

[![GIF thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/GBVuj8dXMAAwt5E.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735414803701919759/photo/1) (gif, plays on X)

### [Reply to @TetraspaceWest, 21:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735416002282733835) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @TetraspaceWest is no longer available.)_

Superhuman: ability to directly compare time and money

## Friday, December 15, 2023

### [Reply to @pachabelcanon, 02:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735480732682682402)

> **francis (@pachabelcanon):** @AaronBergman18 "Nobody endorses it" is hell of a lot crazy given how important it is to both the analytic and the continental traditions

Find me someone who says they think kantianism is true

### [Reply to @pachabelcanon, 02:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735485877898416244) · 1 like

> **francis (@pachabelcanon):** @AaronBergman18 Yeah I consider thinking of philosophy in terms of propositions a category error
>
> wdym about illusionism about consciousness as literally false?

Genuine subjective, private qualia that constitute phenomenal consciousness exist. See @keithfrankish for the opposite argument (which I find plausible fwiw, not like meaningless or mistaken about terms)

### [Quote tweet, 02:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735491569401110533) · 3 likes

Huh, yeah

I bet this could get fixed with a built in result checking thing, a bit like how code interpreter tries again after encountering errors, given that it can accurately count its own inaccurate generations (each apple pic generated as a request for 6)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBW0YlbW0AAWhie.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBW0YlVXYAAadfc.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBW0YlWX0AA-Gfu.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBW0YlUW8AAkA3x.jpg)

> **Quoting David Schneider-Joseph 🔍 (@TheDavidSJ):** On the other hand, "six apples" is a challenge still.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBWeiQWW8AAEMVT.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBWeiQXWEAA_mZU.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBWeiQaWIAACiNx.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBWeiQXWEAEKWpe.jpg)

### [Reply to @izzyz, 03:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735495245968630203) · 2 likes

> **izzy (@izzyz):** let's make an apocalypse bingo card
>
> my first suggestion is a pinto bean shortage
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBWnMr2bgAAQrXU.jpg)

World human population <1B

### [Reply to @izzyz, 03:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735496654021710015) · 2 likes

> **izzy (@izzyz):** @AaronBergman18
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBW4Io9akAAMlCy.jpg)

I’m 100% sure I’ve met a guy with an offline Wikipedia. I considered it and have an offline copy of UpToDate (only like 2-3gb I think)

### [Thread, continued, 03:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735496922977234980) · 2 likes

I also have a >20gb pdf of survival relevant info cc @JesseTayRiver

### [Reply to @YosarianTwo, 03:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735497982043111594) · 2 likes

> **Yosarian2 (@YosarianTwo):** @Cererean At least dogs have had evolutionary time to adapt to it
>
> Poor sharks have no defense

😢

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 03:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735502859637055737) · 1 like

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** @izzyz @AaronBergman18 Definitely useful! I think there are also overlooked opportunities to refine existing guides such that the most applicable skills are extremely well detailed. Bad scenarios aren't the best time to read and experiment. Bushcraft does this well.

Ya but I can’t acquire bushcraft skill by clicking download on smth

(am Eagle Scout and have spent months in total camping tho so call me Mr Bushcraft 😎)

### [Reply to @Coopachabra, 03:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735505023218458792) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @Coopachabra is no longer available.)_

As a Jew I’ve only heard the former lol

### [Reply to @AlexGodofsky, 03:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735505937773760899) · 2 likes

> **Alex Godofsky (@AlexGodofsky):** The main goal of progressive education policy today is simply: we should not let the smartest kids go to better schools or take more advanced classes.
>
> This isn't even an exaggeration, these are their biggest policy planks.
>
> https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2023/12/12/23999129/brandon-johnsons-board-of-ed-looks-to-move-away-from-school-choice-toward-neighborhood-schools

Not a \*complete\* causal connection but my two years in a magnet program were the happiest two years of my life

### [Reply to @EzraJNewman, 04:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735516636382138627) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @EzraJNewman is no longer available.)_

37, for 37^(99^99)

I am superintelligent

### [Reply, 04:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735521772760437131) · 10 likes

Eating cheese once every 10 years to celebrate being vegan, if that’s what you wanna do, is totally fine

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBXP2lCXkAA3ytX.jpg)

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 04:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735522726117322869) · 1 like

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @Simon_El_Gato\_\_ I think minorities having dedicated spaces to gather is fundamentally different from imposed racial segregation

Yeah in principle but there’s exactly one non-terrible schilling point of a social norm and it’s “don’t do anything like this”

### [Reply to @panchromaticity, 05:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735538612517638499) · 3 likes

> **Xenia 🔍💎 (@panchromaticity):** @ElytraMithra @opheliamoding I'm pretty sure it's very difficult to tell apart the sexes of many kinds of turtles

How do u guys have cached takes on this question lmao? Like I have never seen this discussed

### [Reply to @panchromaticity, 05:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735539222436630567) · 2 likes

> **Xenia 🔍💎 (@panchromaticity):** @AaronBergman18 @ElytraMithra @opheliamoding I saw a video about turtles that mentioned it

Duh

### [Reply to @trevposts, 06:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735546824444789089) · 1 like

> **Trevor Levin (@trevposts):** Wait what is this second Newark?

I regret to report I am rescinding my tweet and have no idea

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 14:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735662710069567894) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** yes it is Sarah’s own hangover speaking

lol

### [Reply to @RichDecibels, 14:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735663154095370330) · 1 like

> **Richard D. Bartlett (@RichDecibels):** psychedelic assisted therapy but with pickles instead of psychedelics. who is working on this?

What

### [Reply to @notanastronomer, 14:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735663529640788079) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @notanastronomer is no longer available.)_

Haha haha. YES

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZQyDpX0AA5pUS.jpg)

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 14:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735668771711295644) · 1 like

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** My blog be like:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBXyhf7XMAEaFbX.jpg)

I like the chutzpah

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 14:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735671142281543863) · 3 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** will pay at least £10 to anyone willing to provide me with fully-formed opinions on every consequential issue than I can then pass off as my own

Ok deal name a topic

### [Reply to @stevekrouse, 14:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735674307374694820) · 8 likes

> **Steve Krouse (@stevekrouse):** holy shit someone's STARTING THEIR CAR FROM A VAL
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZWqmaXMAAzK-9.jpg)

I’m sure there’s no way this could go wrong

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 15:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735676259286290482) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** tbc this was an offer of £10 to generate a take on literally every issue ever so not actually a serious proposition

Darn

I can do £.01 per thing tho

### [Reply to @lastpositivist, 15:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735679955055337930) · 36 likes

> **Liam Bright (@lastpositivist):** Oh yeah and
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBYi-Y5W8AAJ6Px.png)

That night be starry af

### [Reply to @cammakingminds, 15:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735685825143173373) · 1 like

> **Lucid™ (@cammakingminds):** Orbital mechanics pornography. Fund this immediately.

Is the idea that Lyra literally bounces off (the atmosphere of?) the pink thing or does a gravity assist thing?

### [Reply to @DanielDiMartino, 15:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735688237278962048) · 3 likes

> **Daniel Di Martino (@DanielDiMartino):** Less than a week into office, Argentinian President Javier Milei is about to sign a 300-page long "emergency executive order" with a list of business regulations that are repealed.
>
> The first page reads very simply:
>
> REPEAL
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZPwhMXMAEJOaJ.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZPwslXgAACJAU.jpg)

Sideburns go hard

### [Reply to @prerat, 16:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735698973589966864) · 5 likes

> **prerat (@prerat):** what is your favorite dinosaur?
>
> (quoting @RespectfulMemes: )

Chicken

### [Reply to @ElytraMithra, 16:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735700881100673036) · 12 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @ElytraMithra is no longer available.)_

### [Reply to @ElytraMithra, 16:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735702046760649052) · 5 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @ElytraMithra is no longer available.)_

For the curious https://journalofcontroversialideas.org/article/1/1/132/htm

### [Reply to @krishnanrohit, 16:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735703995300114777) · 4 likes

> **rohit (@krishnanrohit):** This realisation came about when I was trying to explain the manoeuvre to get to Mars to my son, and realised that if you hadn't grokked orbital mechanics there's basically sounds like witchcraft

I haven’t grokked orbital mechanics. Does the slung object take energy from the planet/sun?

At least in the animation it looks like the gravity boost speeds the thing up; where does this energy come from?

Cc @SpacedOutMatt @AndyMasley

### [Reply to @krishnanrohit, 16:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735705252161052936) · 3 likes

> **rohit (@krishnanrohit):** From the orbital motion, its a momentum transfer

So if it’s a planet, it slows down relative to the sun. If it’s the sun that does the slinging, does it lose mass or heat or slow down relative to something else?

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 17:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735707753472008667) · 1 like

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** FWIW I’ve gone through the exercise of writing gravity assist planning code and designing/simulating an earth-Venus-earth-earth-Jupiter-Neptune mission and sometimes I still don’t feel like I grok gravity assists

Based

I’m assuming the code was in R

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 17:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735708087783203286) · 2 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** Matlab T_T

Darn

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 17:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735709145532072452) · 1 like

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** Yeah the whole “relative to the planet, your velocity vector rotates but doesn’t change in magnitude” is just kinda wild

Sus

### [Reply to @leah_pierson, 17:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735709695543799819) · 2 likes

> **Leah Pierson (@leah_pierson):** went on a post-PhD/post-retirement backpacking trip with my dad ❤️
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZMSb6XkAADG5N.jpg)

Based

### [Reply, 17:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735711531617169814) · 2 likes

No, starting from a human brain and making changes from there is very different from building a new type of brain from scratch

### [Reply to @Trail_Cams, 17:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735716609409355801) · 1 like

> **trailcam (@Trail_Cams):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBZ661-XIAATaSb.jpg)

😢

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 21:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735778532280660433) · 16 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Bro they matched! Did she change her mind on her guys named Stephen policy recently lol

### [Reply to @nickcammarata, 21:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735779107621744998) · 12 likes

> **Nick (@nickcammarata):** pick an animal from the animal kingdom at random and it probably spends half its time lounging and staring at grass or water or sky, but you think ideal health is spending every waking minute of the day being productive

Wait do we know this for a fact for different species?

### [Quote tweet, 22:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735786536157757915) · 5 likes

People be like “phew, the models can only get 100 million to 10 billion times bigger across one dimension”

> **Quoting Yo Shavit (@yonashav):** Deep Learning is Hitting a Wall
>
> (in 10 ooms)

### [Reply to @focusfronting, 22:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735786718970744996) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @focusfronting is no longer available.)_

Ghosts

### [Tweet, 22:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735792756151263271) · 13 likes

I’m starting to get the appeal now that I live within walking distance of one

Go for Rice Krispies, might fuck around and come home with a 65 inch tv and mysterious kitchen contraption

### [Reply, 22:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735794684729983430) · 1 like

This is very specific

### [Reply to @BecomingCritter, 23:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735802133373497813) · 3 likes

> **critter (@BecomingCritter):** sometimes I don't even look at the menu I just ask the server for advice

Boomer behavior

### [Reply to @robertwrighter, 23:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735803288963219855) · 2 likes

> **Robert Wright (@robertwrighter):** Thanks to @MaxAbrahms for coming on my podcast and having a candid and at times contentious but always respectful conversation about a difficult   subject. You can watch here or listen via the Nonzero Podcast feed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTwoZSRcl9M

Best kind of conversation fr

## Saturday, December 16, 2023

### [Reply to @animalologist, 04:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735874572459597832) · 3 likes

> **taco belle (@animalologist):** Damn, I kinda miss some of these dudes I met yesterday. Men in DC are always so kind to me. They take it for granted that I deserve to be gassed up so they’re not shy about doing it. I got more sincere compliments last night than I have in months, felt better than I have in weeks
>
> (quoting @animalologist: Last night was so wholesome though, I read tarot for a couple of my friends and like 6 dudes I’d just met who definitely did not believe in any woo shit before. In their own words they were lining up to have me drag them)

DC ARC REPRESENT

THERE ARE AT LEAST LIKE 10 OF US

### [Tweet, 04:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735875367619948544) · 8 likes

It seems insane to me make long and expensive travel plans to see the solar eclipse. Like it’s cool but not that cool

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBcRchFXAAA09aC.jpg)

### [Reply, 04:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735880487736836556) · 1 like

Bad take from an otherwise smart account

Sure maybe there is a grain of evidence here. But there are huge, substantial differences that make drawing such a straight line quite plainly nonsensical

### [Reply to @PeterJAngel, 04:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735884468127228390) · 2 likes

> **Peter🧅📈 (@PeterJAngel):** @TetraspaceWest proactive state suppression of men between the ages of like 15 and 35

I don’t like this idea

### [Reply to @TetraspaceWest, 04:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735885126423220384) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @TetraspaceWest is no longer available.)_

Follow the tobacco playbook (until/except for the vaping suppression part). Tax, don’t ban, enforce age laws, public health campaign.

Meanwhile legalize+regulate in a alcohol-ish manner psychedelics, amphetamines, and mdma

### [Reply to @PradyuPrasad, 05:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735894759388901602) · 2 likes

> **Pradyumna 🇸🇬 (@PradyuPrasad):** people don't realise that bangers make followers but nerdposts make friends

[![GIF thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/GBcjFNoXgAAUUH_.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735894759388901602/photo/1) (gif, plays on X)

### [Tweet, 05:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735897166218932396) · 11 likes

Kinda surprised Facebook’s dating feature isn’t more of a thing

Seeing you have 3 random mutual friends with someone can be substantial, helpful social context of the type that I think used to more commonly foster relationships

### [Reply to @inesferhumi, 05:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735897343520624798) · 1 like

> **Inés (@inesferhumi):** @an_observer\_\_ Yeah a microblog at minimum

U mean a twitter ?

### [Reply to @PradyuPrasad, 05:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735897929569755249) · 9 likes

> **Pradyumna 🇸🇬 (@PradyuPrasad):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBckfJrb0AAKAXU.jpg)

lol for introverts though I think having latent “friendships” like this is actually substantially good - like the knowledge that you could talk to someone if you actually wanted to

### [Tweet, 05:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735902083423842305) · 15 likes

I have a social event in 17 hours nobody bother me

### [Reply to @soundrotator, 05:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735902180119306687) · 1 like

> **Reb (@soundrotator):** today I locked eyes w a beaver. he sang to me and scratched his ear like a dog

Based

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 08:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735947396566204645) · 4 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** embarrassed to admit this but I’ve only just bothered to google what a Dyson sphere is

Disgraceful

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 09:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735948722247287031) · 3 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** A little disappointed that it doesn’t have anything to do with vacuum cleaners, turns out that was a different guy named Dyson

Have to admit I did not know that

### [Reply to @acidshill, 09:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1735949422347862409) · 1 like

> **shill 🔍 (@acidshill):** OP was tragically deleted, but fortunately saved in the internet archive
>
> ah, now that's what i call twitter!
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBdC0JAaYAAy99V.jpg)

Wait the argument was \*against\* riding horses?

Doesn’t make a ton of sense IMO

### [Reply to @mbateman, 18:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736088451043274867) · 4 likes

> **Matt Bateman (@mbateman):** 3yo: It’s raining outside
>
> @Gena_I_Gorlin: ? I don’t see any rain
>
> 3yo: The Empire State Building is not the Empire State Building
>
> Gena:
>
> 3yo:
>
> Gena: Are you telling jokes?
>
> 3yo: Yes
>
> Gena: Do you think that jokes are just saying something false?
>
> 3yo: Yes

Damn she really went with the P≠P

### [Reply to @vividvoid, 18:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736091308664529251) · 2 likes

> **Vivid Void (@vividvoid):** What unpopular technology opinion will have you like this
>
> [video attached](https://x.com/VividVoid_/status/1735921148007964881/video/1)

Plausibly the whole of technological development has been bad actually bc factory farming >> human wellbeing gains

### [Reply to @spqr_sulla, 18:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736093775343050890) · 34 likes

> **Sulla (@spqr_sulla):** Giving teenage girls life-like baby dolls ('infant simulators') to care for doubles the teenage pregnancy rate (n=2834) https://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/2023/01/the-infant-simulator-fiasco/

Calling bullshit (or really just publication bias or p hacking)

Totally believe the direction of the effect, but the magnitude is implausible. No way this causally \*doubles\* teen pregnancy

### [Reply to @TetraspaceWest, 19:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736109726335717635) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @TetraspaceWest is no longer available.)_

At least tag the beings ur proposing to change the dna of @QualyThe

### [Reply to @billyhumblebrag, 19:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736111848439624150) · 6 likes

> **billy (@billyhumblebrag):** I am begging everyone stop quoting this result it is nonsense
>
> (quoting @cremieuxrecueil: What happens when you assign groups of people to - Exercise without steroids - Exercise with steroids - Not exercise without steroids - Not exercise with steroids The guys who take steroids and don't exercise gain more muscle than the guys who exercise without steroids!)

Wait this is super intuitive to me I’d bet hard on it reproducing reliably across specific protocols etc

### [Reply to @a_real_society, 20:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736116917037941190) · 2 likes

> **society (@a_real_society):** AI gf this AI gf that, why don't you get A gf on twitter dot com

I’m trying

### [Reply to @selentelechia, 20:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736118751383126264) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @selentelechia is no longer available.)_

Based

### [Reply to @billyhumblebrag, 20:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736119824978244051) · 4 likes

> **billy (@billyhumblebrag):** @AaronBergman18 You mean specifically "steroids + sedentary" beats "placebo + exercise"?

Yes, in terms of increasing lean muscle mass.

Maybe not in every conceivable respect

### [Reply to @daniel_271828, 20:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736120435740119490) · 3 likes

> **zzDANIEL_ETH (@daniel_271828):** \[person who spends 4 hours per day tweeting\] “I hate writing”

Omg it’s me (kinda, I don’t hate writing but seriously do it much quicker while tweeting vs trying to write anything more formal, even a blog post, bc it feels low stakes or smth)

### [Reply to @SillyGoose_Guy, 20:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736120604909080630) · 2 likes

> **Silly Goose Guy (@SillyGoose_Guy):** Do y’all get STI tests every time you sleep with a new person? Ideally before and after?

Technically yes

### [Reply to @billyhumblebrag, 20:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736121515542778327) · 2 likes

> **billy (@billyhumblebrag):** @AaronBergman18 I could see it over 10 weeks in completely untrained populations maybe being a real result that holds up. Not outside of that

Depends on dosing obviously, but I would definitely bet $1000 on say doubling natural total testosterone level via TRT and stopping standard full body 3x/week lifting to result in net positive avg muscle mass change in t=1 year

Idk enough about other steroids to be as specific

### [Reply to @StefanFSchubert, 21:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736134046990651448) · 11 likes

> **Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** Topwit meme >> Midwit meme
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBf6d21XEAAHIIl.jpg)

This is maybe a rare case where you get another guy past IQ 145 (assuming the shown y axis isn’t supposed to be taken literally)

Pretty sure Paul Christiano does not exclusively own index funds

## Sunday, December 17, 2023

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 04:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736240419749380579) · 4 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** Have any of you been successful with working while flying?
>
> Every time I end up just watching tv shows, reading fanfics or trying to sleep (always unsuccessful)

The London -> DC flight from EAG in 2022 was one of my most productive chunks of 8ish hours ever lol

N=1 but I happened to be sitting in one of the economy rows where no one was in front of me which probably helped. I think these only exist on big planes used for long flights

### [Reply to @izzyz, 14:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736397273255354507) · 2 likes

> **izzy (@izzyz):** documentary about ai x-risk?

I mean if it poofed into existence and was good, sure, but as a project competing for basically openphil money no way

### [Tweet, 16:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736428448443158911) · 28 likes

Lived in/near DC my entire life…Turns out there’s a secret island (ok not secret but I hadn’t heard about it till yesterday)? With a huge statue of Teddy Roosevelt? And a weird brutalist Stonehenge vibe?

Ok cool

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBkIdtEWkAACXly.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBkIdtEWQAQaTRo.jpg)

### [Reply, 17:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736433428206105026)

If u think I should delete the tweet, could u rephrase in normie terms

### [Reply to @prerat, 20:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736479746651828394) · 7 likes

> **prerat (@prerat):** what are the most based plants?
>
> im thinking of starting a based plant diet, where you only eat plants that are based

Cocoa, mint, potatoes, strawberries, coffee/coffee beans, not a plant but various kinds of mushrooms like cordyceps and lions mane if you’re flexible, seaweed, ginger, olives (incl oil), avocado

### [Quote tweet, 20:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736481907162939857) · 9 likes

This is making the rounds…what exactly is sad/otherwise bad about it? It’s says “powered by ChatGPT” right there!

> **Quoting Victoria (@VictoriqueM):** This is both funny as fuck and sad as fuck
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBjzlGWWIAAjLhJ.jpg)

### [Tweet, 21:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736497768862990412) · 4 likes

Wait what’s the answer to “shouldn’t their policy cover the rest of the damages…”?

Not nearly as bad an outcome but smth similar when I was 17 - backed into another car in a busy parking lot at night (totally my fault tbc)

### [Thread, continued, 21:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736497770666623321) · 4 likes

I remember thinking like “oh it’s a small dent on the bumper, probably gonna be like $100 right? Maybe I can just run to an ATM rn, give the lady some cash, and not get insurance involved”

It was $4k 💀

### [Reply to @michaelzilske, 21:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736501116030836747) · 2 likes

> **Michael Zilske (@michaelzilske):** @AaronBergman18 I wonder what the economics of this are, like are there incentives to make cars so that minor dents become more and more expensive to repair

Haha yeah I was just thinking “at the limit, a person could put some expensive piece of art or jewelry or whatever on their bumper and it seems pretty clear to me that you shouldn’t be on the hook for millions of dollars if you tap them”

## Monday, December 18, 2023

### [Quote tweet, 01:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736566301563224463) · 8 likes

For real though we’re about to see a bunch of court rulings on things like this

> **Quoting Chris Bakke (@ChrisJBakke):** I just bought a 2024 Chevy Tahoe for $1.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBlnv2gaMAA9e4N.png)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBlnwdTbYAAewjn.png)

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 01:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736566516798173395) · 3 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** I’ll have one (1) free day while on Berkeley tomorrow, in case anyone wants to meet 👀

Ya I wanna meet but unfortunately I’m on the other side of the country 😕

### [Tweet, 02:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736573467858756020) · 4 likes

There’s definitely a niche for a yt/tiktok/whatever channel reviewing food being sold on FB marketplace and Craigslist

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBmMXWNWwAEnH37.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBmMXWNWwAAx7--.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBmMXWNWcAA-V3v.jpg)

### [Reply to @bengrossbg, 02:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736576322279788679) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @bengrossbg is no longer available.)_

Fr. The mantle is too hot. The oceans are too watery and dark and cold

### [Reply, 03:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736592741805568412) · 7 likes

I had pretty (<95th percentile tho, probably) overprotective parents and could do most of these things without any adult assistance by 16. I didn’t have a blog but nothing was stopping me afaik, and did have a sorta bank account (E\*trade lol) although that required parents help

### [Reply, 03:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736594785643659564) · 8 likes

Metro, walk, drivers license some time that year (and access to family car)

Had money from both being very privileged (grandparents would give me like $50 each birthday) and shoveling snow and being a camp counselor (and winning $400 in a march madness pool once lol)

### [Reply, 03:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736595190641512506) · 1 like

Lfg (for my purposes, vs code is literally just that + like 2 keyboard shortcuts I use + built in terminal)

### [Reply, 03:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736596351159288061) · 2 likes

Yeah for sure a lot of these were gatekept in some sense. Definitely think children should have more legal and de facto rights at least in the US

### [Quote tweet, 04:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736600860598132954) · 41 likes

One of the first bad community notes I’ve seen

Yes they are tombs, and they’d be tombs if they were .1% as large. Why did the other 99.9% get built?

> **Quoting vegastar (@vegastarr):** Time to settle this - what were they built for?!
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBXSGX-asAASM-T.jpg)

### [Reply, 04:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736601835857686694) · 2 likes

Ok thx

### [Reply to @ronawang, 04:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736609121414058018) · 2 likes

> **Rona Wang (@ronawang):** received an A in this absurdly difficult class, can we get a W in the chat

W

### [Reply, 05:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736625675283366336) · 1 like

Eh maybe, even if it was intended as a woo thing I read it as “why spend all your slave labor and wheat (or whatever) on apparently nonfunctional skyscraper tombs?”

### [Reply to @christineist, 06:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736628627389792401) · 12 likes

> **christine (@christineist):** interesting to observe a class divide between dating apps— my blue collar friends avoid hinge, white collar friends avoid tinder

What color collar uses manifold dot love

### [Reply to @ESYudkowsky, 06:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736634238722519084) · 1 like

> **Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️ (@ESYudkowsky):** This will not age well.

I think what he means by this is “AI, as the greatest minds, are going to accelerate algorithmic progress”

### [Reply to @Austen, 06:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736639834251251784) · 6 likes

> **Austen Allred (@Austen):** Stats don’t lie: 1460 SAT as a white (or Asian) male isn’t high enough for the top 10 schools unless you have some ridiculous exception or legacy status

1560+ doesn’t get you in either https://www.aaronbergman.net/p/most-ivy-smart-students-arent-at

### [Thread, continued, 06:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736640103295201409) · 2 likes

The tldr

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBnI-ByXIAAN8B3.jpg)

### [Tweet, 07:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736646890857325038) · 40 likes

Very spoiled brat thing to say but I do not want to go on this (free for me) family beach vacation

I don’t like the beach (especially sand), warm weather, humidity, or travel in general

In terms of my myopic short term happiness only, I would pay not to go

### [Thread, continued, 07:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736646894099599543) · 21 likes

I do like my family (most of the time) and airplane takeoffs, but the interaction effect \`family\*travel\` comes out negative

I’m neutral on the matter of fish and coral

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 07:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736647177420546277) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @RafaRuizdeLira Some things should be legalized while others should be illegalized

Illegal: sand

Legal: drugs (by default)

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 07:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736647721400889755) · 5 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 A classic delimma for those of the autistic persuasion. God speed soldier!!!!

🫡🫡🫡 if I don’t tweet again it’s probably bc I forgot my passport after being told 10 times to bring it, a capital offense

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 07:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736649546883641403) · 5 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @AaronBergman18 Download a bunch of 80k eps

Ya

### [Reply to @QuintinPope5, 08:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736659502269632561) · 4 likes

> **Quintin Pope (@QuintinPope5):** This is false. The burden would still be on the world's leading astrophysicists to support their claim with evidence.

There have been at least hundreds of thousands and probably millions of words written on the matter

You don’t get to have empirical demonstrations of existential risks. You get theoretical and related empirical evidence

### [Reply to @JMannhart, 10:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736691591052431555) · 10 likes

> **Jonathan Mannhart 🔎 (@JMannhart):** @AaronBergman18 Why are the other tombs only .1% as large. That is the real question. Why are all the other tombs \*small\*?

Why aren’t the pyramids even larger?!

### [Thread, continued, 10:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736691840512888973) · 3 likes

Wait now I wanna know the answer to this

### [Quote tweet, 10:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736692434912862273) · 6 likes

Beachposting thread

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Very spoiled brat thing to say but I do not want to go on this (free for me) family beach vacation
>
> I don’t like the beach (especially sand), warm weather, humidity, or travel in general
>
> In terms of my myopic short term happiness only, I would pay not to go

### [Thread, continued, 10:21 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736693170803552492) · 4 likes

Step 1) get to NYC

You never really hear about longish distance busses on here but turns out a 4 hour DC -> NYC bus is only like $20-30. Probably $60-70 if you Uber a few miles on both ends. Good deal!

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 10:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736693286616596607) · 3 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** I also hate hot weather and spending a lot of time on beaches and I think this is valid

### [Reply to @thiagovscoelho, 10:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736697695039823964) · 1 like

> **Thiago ✱ (@thiagovscoelho):** @AaronBergman18 @TetraspaceWest @JMannhart Erosion

Correct

### [Reply to @gelionexists, 11:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736715720493281506) · 2 likes

> **GE Lion (@gelionexists):** @AaronBergman18 Damn, I love the beach, would pay for a beach vacay rn

Market failure :(

### [Reply, 13:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736737856561803594) · 1 like

You don’t like Disney world?? Did u go on expedition Everest?

### [Reply to @visakanv, 13:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736741077309174151) · 3 likes

> **Visakan Veerasamy (@visakanv):** free vpn installer tonight queen?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBoaheaaUAAZ_ht.jpg)

Lmao but thanks to ChatGPT even a pleb like me can do this with python now!

### [Reply to @JeremiahDJohns, 13:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736741832929763564) · 160 likes

> **Jeremiah Johnson 🌐 (@JeremiahDJohns):** Congratulations to our Worst Tweet of 2022 as decided by the voters
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBojcqxXkAAemKp.png)

Kinda disappointed. Like the answer is “yes” but afaict the question was earnest

### [Tweet, 14:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736752223961358651) · 13 likes

Good job Phil 👍

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBou1pjW4AAM940.jpg)

### [Reply to @FrostedSapling, 14:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736756344227594658) · 2 likes

> **Ivan 🔸 (@FrostedSapling):** Yeah I think killing vegan cat for not being vegan was much worse personally

No that was a good tweet (sorta, with the following caveats added)!

You can put together a nutrient blend (incl eg pure carnitine) that imitates meat well enough. I’m sure it’s not literally optimal for the cat but it’s definitely better for the farmed chickens and such

### [Quote tweet, 14:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736757554661769518) · 18 likes

Domestic cats can and should be vegan

Technofuturist Soylent-esque vegan, but still vegan

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBozyR7XQAA-Bk4.jpg)

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** @FrostedSapling @JeremiahDJohns No that was a good tweet (sorta, with the following caveats added)!
>
> You can put together a nutrient blend (incl eg pure carnitine) that imitates meat well enough. I’m sure it’s not literally optimal for the cat but it’s definitely better for the farmed chickens and such

### [Reply to @dylanmatt, 14:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736759378122887489) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @dylanmatt is no longer available.)_

I have no idea what I’m talking about but a relatively big city to be an outlier like this (and without me as an almost-resident knowing about it too which you’d expect more if it was a real thing) screams “weird change in data collecting practices, illusory”

### [Quote tweet, 14:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736763186211180914) · 6 likes

Everybody tag someone richer than you but within an OOM or two

I think like everyone who is like a serious professional counts for me so I’ll start with @FrostedSapling @ohwizenedtortle @SpacedOutMatt and @mattyglesias as a moonshot

> **Quoting Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀 (@peterwildeford):** I'm raising money for my work. We're currently only ~$250,000 short of our goal, so I'm hoping I can close this gap with smaller donors. Every little bit counts and gets us further towards our goal.
>
> If you value our work, please consider support: https://rethinkpriorities.org/donate

### [Thread, continued, 15:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736764268454748245) · 2 likes

Obligatory plug https://manifold.markets/AaronBergman18/what-donationaccepting-entity-eg-ch?r=QWFyb25CZXJnbWFuMTg

### [Thread, continued, 15:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736764861063847979) · 2 likes

in nearby multiverse branches

### [Reply to @rgblong, 15:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736765356998377766) · 2 likes

> **Robert Long (@rgblong):** friend characterized a colleague of hers as a “valence boy” and I think that somehow I (and you) immediately know the sort of person she’s referring to

Was it @algekalipso ?

### [Tweet, 15:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736773969162719541) · 5 likes

Just discovered grime, UK good again

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBpCuCXXQAAj3yg.jpg)

### [Tweet, 16:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736780622025158825) · 86 likes

Guy who thinks we don’t need to take any special measures to align AI because the risk of misaligned AI is low because we will take measures to align AI

### [Tweet, 17:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1736794725695246803) · 7 likes

In nyc for 20 mins and there seems to be a lot…happening

## Tuesday, December 19, 2023

### [Tweet, 11:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737073002607472918) · 3 likes

Sister urbanist YIMBY arc (not quite a literal quote but close):

“it’s really nice to have stores and restaurants literally next door \[to my appt in NYC\] and it’s dumb that other places make that illegal \[via zoning\]. It is loud though”

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 12:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737092252155945468) · 4 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 18, 2023:** Step 1) get to NYC You never really hear about longish distance busses on here but turns out a 4 hour DC -> NYC bus is only like $20-30. Probably $60-70 if you…

Parents mission (apparently): maximize utterly unnecessary stress and chronic low grade emotional microconflict

Status: successful

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 13:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737096983121195251) · 3 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** Southerners who kept slaves probably did think the Northerners who complained about it were whiny virtue signallers.
>
> Sometimes, virtue signalling really is virtuous. It isn't enough to say "this leaves me feeling bad so it must not be true"

Yes many are saying

### [Tweet, 17:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737168109197279694) · 1 like

This thread is also micronationpoasting.l

Cool place in that, unlike everywhere else, there was no indigenous population to fuck over, which probably had big implications for institutions and governance and such

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayman_Islands

### [Reply to @NathanB60857242, 18:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737180843217395817) · 2 likes

> **Nathan Barnard (@NathanB60857242):** somoene remind me to write a forum on post on how widly powerful the defence production act is

write a forum on post on how widly powerful the defence production act is

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 19:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737187769284219383) · 5 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 19, 2023:** This thread is also micronationpoasting.l Cool place in that, unlike everywhere else, there was no indigenous population to fuck over, which probably had big…

There are wild chicken here it appears

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBu6_JZWcAASqye.jpg)

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1737187675247972353/pu/img/b9GFb6aR0MaQDw92.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737187769284219383/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Reply, 19:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737188092635688960) · 7 likes

Very load bearing https://x.com/aaronbergman18/status/1737187769284219383?s=46

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 20:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737206187743903821) · 3 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 19, 2023:** There are wild chicken here it appears

I have been bamboozled by the local roosters (the old tea kettle whistle mix up)

### [Quote tweet, 20:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737207495989371078) · 3 likes

Fuck qhe’s smarter and more insightful than me too

> **Quoting Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** AI unexpectedly beating any specific benchmark is both evidence that the AI is smarter than predicted, and that the benchmark is easier than predicted

### [Thread, continued, 20:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737207517485105288) · 2 likes

Something about this being evidence that I’m dumber and less insightful than previously thought

### [Tweet, 20:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737214427873595531) · 13 likes

The elites (literally) don’t want you to know this but you can just buy and add caffeine to things. It’s (almost) free

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 23:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737261230723682428) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** Sourdough is gross. Too sour.

Cancelled

## Wednesday, December 20, 2023

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 00:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737270117459792044) · 1 like

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 Damn I was honestly hoping you in particular would agree

That is so random lmao

### [Reply to @StefanFSchubert, 01:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737283218502475948) · 1 like

> **Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** Brazilian study finds that WFH is valued equivalently to +15% more salary by job applicants, more than any other benefit.
>
> So WFH could be seen as a welfare boost that's huge relative to normal economic growth.
>
> But it's largely unnoticed.
>
> (quoting @I_Am_NickBloom: New research from University of Chicago randomized job attributes – including salary – for 1200 on-line applicants in Brazil. They use the number of applications per job-posting to calculate the implied valuation employees placed on these attributes. For example, if 10% higher…)

Wonder how much is due to being able to live in lower cost of living areas (ik “able” isn’t super well defined bc theoretically you could eg do a 2 hour commute each way)

### [Tweet, 01:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737284837466095700) · 8 likes

Is directed-kidney-donation-to-give illegal?

Ie all the “payment” comes in the form of a donation to a legit charity (no kickbacks or anything)

### [Thread, continued, 01:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737285166832263494) · 5 likes

Maybe a stronger version of this is “is such a contract court enforceable (after the operation), even if not illegal per se?”

### [Reply to @metakuna, 02:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737293000374415594) · 5 likes

> **metakuna (14/100 blog posts) (@metakuna):** Worst decision I ever made was writing my resume in LaTeX. Every time I want to apply for a job I put it off because  I know I'll have to deal with inscrutable build errors. This has likely cost me tens of thousands of dollars in lost income

Wait have u fixed, possibly with gpt 4?

I am no master of productivity but pretty sure a word document could be made

### [Reply to @prerat, 02:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737295568416698745) · 35 likes

> **prerat (@prerat):** im curious what the ppl who think it's impossible to ethically make $1B think abt taylor swift. who do they say she is exploiting? her staff? her fans?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBwJF6cXcAAnzlk.jpg)

Steelman is like “the critique is more often about having $1B, not “making” it per se. Progressives would be happier if she was taxed more to support those born without 1 in 10M set of circumstances, talents, etc”

### [Reply to @metakuna, 02:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737296324444225716) · 9 likes

> **metakuna (14/100 blog posts) (@metakuna):** this is somewhat exaggerated for the sake of the tweet

It is a capital offense to exaggerate on twitter

### [Reply, 03:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737314575270256645) · 1 like

Pretty sure I got it right based a few other replies

### [Reply to @herbivoryze, 03:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737316312781562183) · 3 likes

> **HerbivoRyzing (@herbivoryze):** There are more humane methods for population control of herbivores.
>
> (quoting @COParksWildlife: A historic day for Colorado and for the first time ever — we released 5 wolves, 3 males and 2 females, in Grand County today. Captured in Oregon, the wolves were evaluated by our veterinarians & biologists, fitted with GPS collars & transported to Colorado for their release.)

Great minds 🤝

### [Tweet, 04:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737326381862715522) · 11 likes

Normal-ish people (dozens of people who follow me, at least) who donate 10% should (politely) cyberbully the very wealthy (say net worth >$10M, what “millionaire” meant in 1963) who do not

### [Thread, continued, 04:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737326383716585637) · 4 likes

Ik these folks aren’t getting just like a paycheck twice a month, so I think committing X% of consumption spending is the right analogue

### [Reply to @tenobrus, 04:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737329623933821033) · 6 likes

> **Tenobrus (@tenobrus):** jesus fucking christ he has literally no remorse
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBwi6YibkAAIBNw.jpg)

Wait chaos is a guy? I thought that was a code name

Mildly smugly proud of me and my moots bc I’m at least tpot adjacent and don’t recognize this acct

### [Tweet, 04:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737336611916931511) · 6 likes

I think I accidentally got ChatGPT/DALLE to in fact try to draw a naked person? Like it refuses if directly asked

The guy’s reproductive organs aren’t exactly anatomically accurate, though

### [Thread, continued, 04:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737336625871372583) · 6 likes

Pics are unsafe for something, not really sure what

https://chat.openai.com/g/g-2fkFE8rbu-dall-e

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBxCcvtXsAA7wWl.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBxCcvvX0AAkpD0.jpg)

### [Reply to @BootsPlatypus, 05:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737339928717971878) · 3 likes

> **Platypussy in Bio (@BootsPlatypus):** @AaronBergman18 Making it draw a naked guy instead of girl. Very progressive of you Aaron!

Hey ask the inscrutable matrices!

### [Reply to @StefanFSchubert, 18:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737533910257426455) · 4 likes

> **Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** The @80000Hours podcast had 80,000 hours listening time in Q3
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBzHVbOWgAAE9vN.png)

A sign from god

### [Quote tweet, 18:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737534418619711759) · 42 likes

This can’t go on. For such growth to continue, in just 10,000 years every electron would have to be listening to the 80,000 Hours Podcast at all time

> **Quoting Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** The @80000Hours podcast had 80,000 hours listening time in Q3
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBzHVbOWgAAE9vN.png)

### [Reply, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737539500459344335) · 1 like

I support the chicken 😤🐓

### [Quote tweet, 18:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737541282057142733) · 9 likes

Largely a good take but like also “tribes,” broadly speaking, are the units of society that accomplish things. It’s not an accident companies and political parties have logos and mottos and such

> **Quoting Séb Krier (@sebkrier):** 💯💯💯
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBxxrZQXQAACP-H.jpg)

### [Tweet, 18:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737541284582064397) · 1 like

Yes, you need to be critical and careful, but identity and labels can be important tools

Fwiw my display name with the ⏸️ and 🔎 and disclaimer has been like that for months

### [Thread, continued, 18:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737541362512244768) · 2 likes

Cc @eshear in case he wants to jump in

### [Reply to @xsphi, 19:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737548512189894965) · 3 likes

> **tess (@xsphi):** when I grow up I want to be a rational actor with perfect information

Omg same

### [Reply, 19:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737554379908014417) · 3 likes

Cosponsoring ≠ commission voting power

### [Reply to @inerati, 19:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737559062706102321) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

Silent generation imo

### [Quote tweet, 20:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737563937342722290) · 8 likes

What if we kissed 👉👈 in the Saraswati Supercluster 🥺 ?

> **Quoting Tyler is finishing a book, slow to reply (@TylerAlterman):** Log scale view of the universe by Pablo Carlos Budassi
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB0QGZXWoAAQlxV.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 20:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737563939389440262) · 2 likes

“It is surrounded by a network of galaxy filaments, clusters, and voids.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati_Supercluster

### [Tweet, 20:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737567480640405875) · 6 likes

Deeply unserious type of thing https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_energy

## Thursday, December 21, 2023

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 01:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737639611424551341) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

🔥🔥🔥

### [Tweet, 01:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737642744783523905) · 14 likes

Thanks @SpacedOutMatt

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1737642700034236416/pu/img/AxpPwIt4LMVM8BNh.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737642744783523905/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Quote tweet, 01:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737644783584280950) · 2 likes

Build the rooster

> **Quoting Xander Balwit (@AlexandraBalwit):** This worked marvelously. The Literary Digest reported that Carrel’s cells could have already “covered the earth” and a British tabloid said they could “form a rooster . . .big enough today to cross the Atlantic in a single stride.”

### [Reply to @visakanv, 01:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737647909582320093) · 2 likes

> **Visakan Veerasamy (@visakanv):** sitting on ideas tonite?
>
> doing nothing with your ideas tonite king?
>
> hoarding ideas tonite?
>
> (quoting @kaavyya: sitting on the pile of your brilliant unexecuted ideas all by yourself handsome?)

Ya

### [Reply to @ohwizenedtortle, 02:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737655777043644761) · 2 likes

> **oh dandy lion🔸 (@ohwizenedtortle):** @AaronBergman18 @SpacedOutMatt wtf this is too fucking adorable

Real🐓

### [Reply to @eshear, 02:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737658213967786250) · 8 likes

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** there’s a poster who posts politics i follow mostly for their other takes but the politics stuff is funny enough i haven’t unfollowed…and i recently keep getting confused bc they seem to be contradicting themselves a lot.
> i just realized it’s two diff ppl w similar avatars.

Many such cases @SpacedOutMatt and @GjMcGowan

### [Reply to @univrsw3th4rt, 03:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737673292972961861) · 2 likes

> **universe sweetheart 💓🌈💭 (@univrsw3th4rt):** i’m so cold, how am i supposed to function

@SpacedOutMatt @Laura_k_Duffy

### [Thread, continued, 03:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737673341866000481) · 2 likes

Cold ppl gc?

### [Reply to @shakoistsLog, 03:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737673700395147559) · 4 likes

> **shako (@shakoistsLog):** A notable autistic moment from undergrad was when at age 18 I met another student in a dining hall who told me he was a communist, and I got out my micro econ textbook to explain to him why he was specifically wrong.

Based

### [Reply to @edavidds, 03:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737674102121398356) · 3 likes

> **Eric Schmidt 🇺🇦 (@edavidds):** OK we absolutely, ASAP, need a hit movie that uses a time-loop gimmick to depict humanity wiping itself out with AI over and over in dozens of diverse, increasingly sophisticated ways.
>
> Until our hero (Tom Cruise?) finally spurs the world into coordinated effort on AI alignment.

I think the ending should be that we in fact all die

Movies like this are always too optimistic

### [Reply, 03:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737675432848216272) · 1 like

Who is this?

### [Tweet, 03:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737676618670239796) · 6 likes

May all sentient have exactly the number of rabbits they wish to have, as long as those rabbits are happy

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 04:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737691052751089888) · 2 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** @ilex_ulmus @AaronBergman18 My serious take on this is that they’re definitely more work than cats but similar in terms of total effort to a dog

Wait what

Rabbit ≈ dog?? That is insane

### [Tweet, 04:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737696953771692135) · 9 likes

DAE have this thing where u say something, then ur brain generates smth to say about what u just said, but before u say the second thing this cycle iterates again and again until 1-2 seconds later ur like 3-5 meta levels up and ur brain-speech system crashes and reboots

### [Thread, continued, 04:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737697379862581415) · 4 likes

Another way of putting this is that ur brain thinks whatever it just decided to say is common has already been said and so is common knowledge irl but u haven’t actually spoken yet

### [Reply to @Aizazadi_, 04:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737698489407066461) · 3 likes

> **Aizazadi (@Aizazadi_):** This image is a good litmus test
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB2JRtwbMAA4fIC.jpg)

COPYRIGHT VIOLATION

### [Reply, 05:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737700079333413188) · 2 likes

Idk evidently I’m not amazing but I ~only play board games with anomalously smart EA/rationalist ppl so who even knows

### [Thread, continued, 05:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737700339288068483) · 4 likes

Secret hitler though I am absolutely terrible at, as @SpacedOutMatt and @Laura_k_Duffy can attest

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 16:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737865987297288575) · 3 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** WAIT has anyone started a podcast called ‘consistently candid’ yet or is that still up for grabs
>
> (quoting @littIeramblings: god I know I shouldn’t start a podcast but I really really want to someone talk me out of it)

You gotta be consistently candidmaxxing

### [Quote tweet, 16:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737870761812009432) · 14 likes

I see no actual problems here??

> **Quoting Aitor Hernández-Morales (@aitorehm):** Spectacular illustration by @andreu_zaragoza for 'The Barcelonian' perfectly summing up the devastating impact of uncontrolled tourist flats in European cities.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB3o0ELXgAA2NYl.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 16:21 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737870872847786013) · 8 likes

It’s just real life now

> **Quoting Nick St. Pierre (@nickfloats):** Midjourney
>
> Dec 2022 (v4):              Dec 2023 (v6):
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB35bmLWUAA9lPc.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB35bmKWoAABA12.jpg)

### [Reply to @mbateman, 16:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737871082634322403) · 2 likes

> **Matt Bateman (@mbateman):** 3yo’s school Christmas recital
>
> The set of occasions for which she considers these boots suboptimal is empty
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB4ZEyUaQAEKDXX.jpg)

The boots stay ON during recital😤😤😤

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 16:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737872783097438675) · 5 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** If we fix longevity, we could save our mums 🥲
>
> But for real.
>
> (quoting @RichardMCNgo: We typically think about progress as being constrained by the supply of breakthroughs. But what if it’s better understood as demand-side constrained? If people really believed their lives could be much better, they’d reward innovation far more, and put up fewer barriers to it.)

Ya I don’t want my mom to die 🥺

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 17:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737885703269212390) · 2 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 In the actual illustration or the concept itself ? 😂

The illustration, although this is a good point and yes supply restrictions could make this an issue irl

### [Tweet, 17:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737890638060806224) · 14 likes

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB46UuNWAAAELaB.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 19:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737917401205756139) · 22 likes

Being kind, even when it’s socially acceptable not to be, is highly underrated

> **Quoting Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** As a culture, we're too tolerant of meanness
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB5PCKZXwAA05ee.jpg)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 21:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737949195280257113) · 3 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 19, 2023:** I have been bamboozled by the local roosters (the old tea kettle whistle mix up)

It’s a beautiful day to walk around listening to podcasts while sorta being annoyed at the fact that it’s either sand or highway

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB5vkWuW0AAlqyk.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB5vkW-XIAAtDvd.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB5vkWtWEAA-E4R.jpg)

### [Reply to @atrembath, 23:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737984478067167685) · 47 likes

> **Alex Trembath (@atrembath):** eat mor chikin
>
> https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/12/climate-diet-vegetarian-chicken/676921/
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB46JyVagAAiijg.jpg)

Bad idea, and no the two things are not incomparable: the direct animal suffering effect is far more important than the climate effect https://www.vox.com/videos/2017/5/27/15701168/save-animal-lives-eat-beef-not-chicken

## Friday, December 22, 2023

### [Reply to @iamaheron_, 00:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737988704231186714) · 2 likes

> **sniper (heron) (@iamaheron_):** look i think it’s time we can just admit it
>
> we’re all feds, right?

Ya (I interned at a federal agency once)

### [Tweet, 00:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1737998250676813911) · 7 likes

Someone should hire @absurdlymax fr

He exists irl I can attest

### [Reply, 02:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738025505587114107) · 1 like

What does he know

### [Quote tweet, 02:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738029963079487905) · 7 likes

Unfortunately my proposal to set the goal to $10B-$1T was rejected

But I say go big. DM ur favorite rich person, start a company- we can make that $25k goal look silly and naive

> **Quoting Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** The EA Twitter 2023 Giving Season Fundraiser is live! @aaronbergman18, @absurdlymax, @Laura_k_Duffy, and I are raising money for the EA funds Animal Welfare Fund to celebrate the holiday season! We hope you'll join us!
> https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 02:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738030061142323609) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** It's time for the second annual EA twitter fundraiser!
>
> https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB63h8zWQAAPch_.jpg)

Based

### [Tweet, 03:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033784853766263) · 100 likes

Alright guys, we are raising money for the EA Animal Welfare Fund bc some animals are not having as much fun as this chicken and that’s gotta change

The “goal” is $15k but personally I think that’s ~6 OOMs too low

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB68eOkWwAAm7b7.jpg)

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1738033733565919232/pu/img/b7GPvh0J1J0FwX_0.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033784853766263/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Thread, continued, 03:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033788104360406) · 29 likes

Also brag tf out of ur donation

Screenshot that mf and hit tweet. This is not the time to be humble. The shrimp are counting on u

### [Thread, continued, 03:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033789752754593) · 11 likes

The incentives aren’t set in stone - plz suggest unhinged things for me to do, no holds barred 😤

### [Reply to @jvboid, 03:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738038148997783679) · 4 likes

> **Jacob (@jvboid):** @AaronBergman18 I think I've got a spare 15k, been looking for a way to make a real difference. Just reply with your full bank account info below👇 and it'll be routed right away

Im pretty sure this is a joke lol

### [Quote tweet, 03:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738042195184165323) · 3 likes

R is better

> **Quoting Science girl (@sciencegirl):** This guy in Bankok found an enormous  python in his house
> https://x.com/SintoniaMundo/status/1735714186934587564/video/1

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 03:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738045426283004214) · 4 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Frances 80k arc

### [Reply, 04:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738053470077251793) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to is no longer available.)_

ACE and EA Animal welfare fund are different things. Here’s all the info on the latter https://funds.effectivealtruism.org/funds/animal-welfare

### [Thread, continued, 04:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738053740819550386) · 1 like

Yeah it’s legit. I wouldn’t call ACE “bullshit” but think there are fair ideological capture critiques

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 14:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738208827500003492) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** why did jesus give me covid for his birthday
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB8jfY9XQAAhkye.jpg)

Rip

### [Reply to @gracevadams, 14:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738210337290080610) · 2 likes

> **Grace Adams 🔸 (@gracevadams):** 100 counterfactual dollars 🥰 I'd like to see someone out do @mealreplacer's jump into a shallow pond this year
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB78zpSaAAAVyxY.jpg)

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💸💸💸

### [Thread, continued, 14:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738210565346984006) · 2 likes

Ya I can jump into some water. The more money, the colder I’ll do. $100k and I’ll go full polar bear plunge

### [Quote tweet, 15:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738216044194394378) · 3 likes

Base rates say I wont actually do it but this is a blog post I should write

I’ve made the point before but yeah people should start actually doing EA instead of pattern matchy cargo culty “what EA looks like”

> **Quoting zzDANIEL_ETH (@daniel_271828):** @peter_wilde_alt We need a sequel to “Doing Good Better” - should be called “No. Not Good. Try Harder.”

### [Reply to @Psycholosopher, 15:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738216306082541887) · 3 likes

> **Blart magician girl 🔎 (@Psycholosopher):** But AI can’t ever be dangerous because it has to have experience with the real world to REALLY be creative
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB9a0wGXgAEEeiP.jpg)

“It’s not true ingenuity!” I cry as the novel molecule erodes my organs

### [Quote tweet, 15:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738218439712399826) · 8 likes

Can someone tell me if I should care about this

> **Quoting Nathan Labenz (@labenz):** For Christmas this year, I got you an updated AI worldview!
>
> tl;dr – the new Mamba architecture marks the end of the Transformers Era and the beginning of a new Mixture of Architectures Era, with profound impact
>
> Over 2.5 hours (link below), I cover this from every angle, including:
>
> \- core aspects of human cognition that Transformers effectively mimic
>
> \- Transformers' critical weakness that invites something new
>
> \- why RAG is not enough to power long-lived AI assistants, companions, etc
>
> \- an introduction to State Space Models, and the prospect of integrated, long-term memory for AI systems
>
> \- how the new Mamba architecture works, from conceptual motivation to hardware-aware algorithm design, including the roles of different memory types (SRAM vs HBM) on modern GPUs
>
> \- overview of results and analysis of why simple head-to-head comparisons of Mamba vs Transformers are powerful proof points but miss the big picture implications
>
> \- likely elaboration of this architecture, including "multi-state models" and integration of SSMs with Transformers, as already previewed by the new StripedHyena model, Block-State Transformers paper, and more
>
> \- the new long-context training datasets we will need to create to make the most of these models, which will look more like onboarding & training a new employee vs compiling discrete tasks
>
> \- how this naturally leads to more coherent, predictable, legible, appropriate behavior from AI agents
>
> \- implications for future generations of hardware, application development including AI assistants and friends, AI safety research, and even the prospect of AI consciousness and moral worth
>
> \- why all this latent potential, combined with recent results in AI-powered scientific exploration, suggest the beginning of a genuine intelligence explosion
>
> Buckle up!!

### [Tweet, 15:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738223003400573124) · 14 likes

Correct take. Here's a redirect site: https://aaronbergman.neocities.org/link

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB9ojFRXUAAS99C.jpg)

### [Reply to @ryancbriggs, 16:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738235153464348952) · 5 likes

> **Ryan Briggs (@ryancbriggs):** Very happy to announce my book has a cover!
>
> (quoting @thiagovscoelho: )

U should do this fr

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 16:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738235250390585484) · 2 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Arm the moderate quopposition 🫡

Lmao

### [Tweet, 17:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738243017834643521) · 7 likes

Baby chickens go “🐥”

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1738242449858822144/pu/img/t2MND7e-r7bZ73Ly.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738243017834643521/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Tweet, 17:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738243310014054521) · 9 likes

Best replacement for laundry detergent?

### [Reply to @gelionexists, 17:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738245226488021067) · 2 likes

> **GE Lion (@gelionexists):** @AaronBergman18 Go to the store, ya filthy animal

For one laundry cycle? Cheems mindset

### [Reply to @ownworstemily, 17:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738245416930406716) · 19 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @ownworstemily is no longer available.)_

Hey I can do that and I’m not even an alcoholic

### [Tweet, 17:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738246135251148840) · 6 likes

“Nooo u can’t take 4 of your as-needed-3-per-day-medication-with-no-known-upper-limit-intake medication noooo”

\- guy who does coke

### [Tweet, 17:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738247721352380773) · 13 likes

Based, also very un-based that Obama didn’t do this

Also based second order effect that nobody can try to claim mass incarceration is due to weed convictions

### [Reply, 17:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738252469233184938) · 1 like

Don’t have any at condo we’re renting

### [Tweet, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738264142161530945) · 111 likes

Lmao finally got burned by copy and pasting a ChatGPT command into terminal with zero consideration

I think all my computer files have been weirdly rearranged but not deleted

### [Thread, continued, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738264144699154490) · 14 likes

It was “find . -type f -exec mv {} . \\;”

But accidentally in my home folder with like everything I’ve created (not the operating system stuff) instead of a sub folder

### [Thread, continued, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738264146414645425) · 5 likes

And then I force quit terminal and restarted my computer when I saw that I had been bamboozled so the thing didn’t complete

### [Thread, continued, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738264148398497942) · 3 likes

.@austinc3301 how fucked am I?

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 18:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738266656135114824) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Fuck

### [Thread, continued, 18:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738266763131765234) · 2 likes

You can call around to local pharmacies and ask if they have it in stock, but it has to be the exact thing ur prescribed

### [Quote tweet, 18:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738267789599662470) · 8 likes

This is the weird medical quasi prison complex

Basically unconstitutional incarceration (IMO) without conviction but happens all the time to basically schizophrenics

Generally they don’t call it jail, they call it a mental hospital, but either way you’re not allowed to leave

> **Quoting Eric Schmidt 🇺🇦 (@edavidds):** Seriously, this story about an 18-year-old autistic boy is insane. What are we doing?? \*life\* in a type of jail??

### [Reply to @sam_atis, 18:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738269603321541042) · 4 likes

> **Sam Glover (@sam_atis):** @AaronBergman18 Do you think it’s a bad thing?

It’s certainly not optimal and I’m gonna say “yes” because the principle of \*ever\* allowing extrajudicial imprisonment is extremely dangerous

In terms of the actual, more direct effects, I really don’t have a grasp on the statistics and such so idk

### [Reply to @sam_atis, 18:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738270882156470683) · 2 likes

> **Sam Glover (@sam_atis):** @AaronBergman18 Interesting, seems quite likely to be good to me.

People who are wrongly stuck in the system have no mechanism of appeal

Seems bad

### [Reply, 20:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738293507494694956)

ChatGPT doesn’t think such a thing exists, and .zsh_history only has my inputted commands, not that kind of thing

Is there smth else ur thinking of?

### [Thread, continued, 20:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738294255360114802) · 2 likes

lol this history file is pretty funny. 90% are like "pip install srt" but every so often there are a few lines that I obviously copy and pasted like "ffmpeg -i conv1.mp3 -vf "scale=1280:720,drawbox=y=0:color=black@1.0" -c:v libx264 -tune stillimage -c:a copy conv1.mp4\\"

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 20:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738297335208173680) · 2 likes

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @AaronBergman18 I mean just looking at the command you appear to have moved every file within your home folder to your home folder

Lit

### [Reply, 20:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738297814000509147) · 1 like

WAIT YO I HAVE BACKBLAZE MAYBE THATS SOMETHING

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 20:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738300753230377363) · 3 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Hey thanks again for saving me from that shallow pond the other day

Any time 👍

The electrocution burns are healing nicely

### [Quote tweet, 21:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738312054090453115) · 2 likes

In my defense the moral realist view is fighting an uphill battle

> **Quoting sarah (@littIeramblings):** First podcast episode now live!
>
> @AaronBergman18 and @absurdlymax argue about moral realism and I try to decide who I agree with
>
> https://open.spotify.com/show/1EX89qABpb4pGYP1JLZ3BB?si=R8A9IkJBTo-pD1NP0NpqHQ

## Saturday, December 23, 2023

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 02:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738381321301344519) · 1 like

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @RafaRuizdeLira @littIeramblings @AaronBergman18 Also I want Aaron to be right so philosophy can be inherently useful and then I can just get a Phil PhD to maximize my impact

Me being right wouldn’t make philosophy inherently useful lol

It could make some philosophy actions like publishing a paper objectively good though

### [Reply, 10:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738505757329342563) · 1 like

I mean maybe, I think what I think and could be wrong about what to label that

But isn’t moral realism like “some moral claims have objective truth values” and I think “it would be good for you to donate to our fundraiser” such a claim?

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 10:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738505878519849041) · 1 like

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @frances\_\_lorenz @littIeramblings @AaronBergman18 And Sarah had great questions, I think she genuinely did the optimal amount of prep given the cost of time

YES

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 10:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738506596710289521) · 4 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @frances\_\_lorenz @littIeramblings @AaronBergman18 And Sarah had great questions, I think she genuinely did the optimal amount of prep given the cost of time

Never forget the legendary Pigeon Hour Bathroom Break (has since been removed 😔)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCBqiNdWIAA-xDt.jpg)

### [Reply to @mwjcoughlin, 10:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738507213059051594) · 2 likes

> **Michael Coughlin (@mwjcoughlin):** You were talking about the difference between axiological and deontic value: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781444367072.wbiee118
>
> Here’s a short but good video explaining the difficulty of deriving deontic value from axiological value (but he doesn’t use that terminology): https://youtu.be/ok3QiJrcm9w?si=LXnm1-DpyY04YvJy

Philosophers be making distinctions fr

### [Reply, 10:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738507475576651788) · 1 like

Noooooo

### [Reply to @sam_atis, 10:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738509199695351832) · 4 likes

> **Sam Glover (@sam_atis):** This idea was ahead of its time. 2024 is the year we finally build these things 🫡
>
> (quoting @AaronBergman18: Serious question for #YIMBYTwitter: where height restrictions per se are the issue, why haven’t developers started building vertically but \*down\*, underground? I mean windowless apartments don’t sound ideal, but probably less bad than unaffordability and homelessness)

🫡it’s time to build ⬇️

### [Reply to @panchromaticity, 10:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738509239893524787) · 1 like

> **Xenia 🔍💎 (@panchromaticity):** which of the 941 of you will say hi?
>
> (quoting @ElfBeautyAudrey: I only have 189 followers, but how many will say hi?)

Hi

### [Reply to @Bonecondor, 10:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738510285281918998) · 7 likes

> **Chairman Birb Bernanke (@Bonecondor):** i for one think more people should marry their reply guys
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB_HAPZXQAA7KEh.jpg)

@absurdlymax @ohwizenedtortle looks like we’re getting married

### [Reply to @inerati, 10:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738511063061090581) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

Ya and it’s kinda sus like it shouldnt be possible

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 10:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738511389323317748) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Cereal, rooms, and amphetamines - name a better combo

### [Reply to @focusfronting, 10:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738512602638987367) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @focusfronting is no longer available.)_

The stew is \*for\* the rabbit right? Right?? 😰

### [Reply to @eshear, 10:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738513966874148910) · 1 like

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** This seems very promising tho a little heavy handed on the rewriting.

Endorse this. At least the paid version has multiple levels/heavy handedness of rewriting

### [Reply to @ohwizenedtortle, 11:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738522862871269382) · 4 likes

> **oh dandy lion🔸 (@ohwizenedtortle):** hahahaha oh that would be so silly right? hahaha omg you and me and max get married?? hahaha that's such a dumb idea hahaha right? unlesss.....

😳🥵

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 11:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738524805052137626) · 2 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** @AaronBergman18 @absurdlymax @frances\_\_lorenz @littIeramblings I was like "I don't remember this but it sounds like something I'd do"

Other Nathan!

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 11:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738524898383819059) · 2 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** (sincere moment) I’ve really made a concerted effort in the last 6 months to treat myself better, I think I’ve succeeded & (I hope) it’s helping me treat other people better too
>
> (quoting @Khanstilldayy: EVERYONE INCLUDED; Please brag to me about a thing you did in 2023 that you’re proud of?)

Lit

### [Tweet, 11:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738526299172360640) · 7 likes

Not sure I like the incentives where if you’re a chain restaurant you get a free grassroots marketing campaign if one of your products causes a person’s death

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 14:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738566845198659898) · 2 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** Christmas self-gift :) @hanno_sauer
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCCbl6QXEAAEziN.jpg)

I can read that 😎

Call my El Dios del Español

### [Quote tweet, 16:21 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738595751427477598) · 25 likes

Based and etg pilled

Also more ppl should be trying to make a shit ton of money (no fraud this time) to give away

> **Quoting Laura Muresianu 🌐🔸🇺🇸 (@Laura_k_Duffy):** 3\. Earning to give is significantly underrated and more people who are trying to get EA jobs should do this instead
>
> ETG people free up research organizations to pursue their own agendas and diffuse risk

### [Reply to @Laura_k_Duffy, 16:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738596941850611931) · 9 likes

> **Laura Muresianu 🌐🔸🇺🇸 (@Laura_k_Duffy):** 8\. I put the risk of AI causing an existential catastrophe near zero.
>
> And I think that efforts to pause or regulate it preemptively are likely to cause more damage to the economy in the form of slower growth than it’s likely to cause from alignment reasons

100% earnestly trying to understand…

Do u just not give ~any weight to an outside view “maybe I’m just missing something that the dozens-hundreds of other people (inc Ord in The Precipice) + prediction markets see”?

### [Thread, continued, 16:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738596995047075990) · 6 likes

Tbh anything below ~3% seems basically unserious to me for this reason

### [Quote tweet, 16:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738597589266665590) · 103 likes

LFG, milestone achieved; 1 like = 1 hot take

There is no limit. Pile on, I will generate 1M hot takes if need be, mark my word 😤

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Alright guys, we are raising money for the EA Animal Welfare Fund bc some animals are not having as much fun as this chicken and that’s gotta change
>
> The “goal” is $15k but personally I think that’s ~6 OOMs too low
>
> https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB68eOkWwAAm7b7.jpg)
> [video attached](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033784853766263/video/1)

### [Thread, continued, 16:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738600593525027151) · 6 likes

0\) there are 44 bonus hot takes here

These are all EA related so this thread will be more general

### [Thread, continued, 16:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738601782215877119) · 23 likes

1\) I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again: the FDA is very, very bad, and we’d be better off if it did not exist

Congress can make laws restricting the supply of very dangerous (fentanyl) or high externality (antibiotics) drugs

### [Thread, continued, 16:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738601959899144206) · 15 likes

I shouldn’t need a prescription for \[insert ur fave drug here\]

Not gonna debate/discuss this much but there are a bunch of threads u can find where I do

### [Thread, continued, 16:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738602594530967934) · 6 likes

2\) I think the seed oil people might be right (40%?) and it’s worth avoiding corn/peanut/soybean/etc oils if you care about your health, most of the time, for most people

### [Thread, continued, 16:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738603170979258380) · 19 likes

3\) this should have (had) more of an impact on EA

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/gtGe8WkeFvqucYLAF/logarithmic-scales-of-pleasure-and-pain-rating-ranking-and

### [Thread, continued, 16:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738603998725247443) · 8 likes

4\) 40 degrees Fahrenheit is tank top weather

No I don’t have hyperthyroidism I’m just weird

### [Reply to @arthur_wright_, 17:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738613818643620326) · 4 likes

> **Arthur Wrong 🔸 (@arthur_wright_):** @AaronBergman18 @Laura_k_Duffy Tbh anything below ~3% for the existence of God as described in the Hebrew bible is unserious to me for this reason

Cmon dude you’re smarter than that

If the case for a biblical God had the same supporters with the same quality of reasoning and such, yeah

### [Thread, continued, 17:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738614048801870313) · 2 likes

Also 3% for God doesn’t seem crazy, I haven’t thought as much about this as I should have lol

### [Reply to @arthur_wright_, 17:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738618624187715827) · 2 likes

> **Arthur Wrong 🔸 (@arthur_wright_):** @AaronBergman18 @Laura_k_Duffy but then the actual arguments are what really matters, no?
>
> Historically speaking, the case for God has probably many more great minds in support than AI doomerism. And to think that our beloved EAs could not fall pray to groupthink and motivated reasoning is silly

At some point yes

I’m just not smart enough and don’t have enough time to literally evaluate every argument ever made, so have to use proxies (does this person seem earnest, smart and thoughtful?), and processes/institutions (eg science, prediction markets)

### [Thread, continued, 17:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738618705704047053) · 1 like

And further, this is the case for literally everyone (every human at least)

### [Thread, continued, 17:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738618963767013809)

Hmm to be kinda pedantic, the ground level thing is the state of the world and laws of physics, not the arguments. The arguments are a level on top of that

### [Reply to @arthur_wright_, 17:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738619702279110998) · 1 like

> **Arthur Wrong 🔸 (@arthur_wright_):** @JMannhart @AaronBergman18 @Laura_k_Duffy First off, the alignment framing takes for granted that doom is certain if alignment is not possible.
>
> 2nd, I want to know who these idealized agents with no cognitive biases are who are investigating AI alignment “epistemically,” as opposed to how people reason about God.

1\) no it doesn’t?

2\) there are no idealized agents. I’m trying to evaluate how good groups of people are at reasoning and my current belief is that the EA/rationality/alignment communities are much, much better than the God-existence-debate community

### [Reply to @arthur_wright_, 18:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738621279886864741) · 1 like

> **Arthur Wrong 🔸 (@arthur_wright_):** @AaronBergman18 @Laura_k_Duffy Tbh anything below ~3% for the existence of God as described in the Hebrew bible is unserious to me for this reason

Wait I feel like ~5% is a pretty decent probability actually lol

### [Reply to @arthur_wright_, 18:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738624717781680438) · 2 likes

> **Arthur Wrong 🔸 (@arthur_wright_):** @AaronBergman18 @JMannhart @Laura_k_Duffy Realizing in real-time how much I hate having these discussions over Twitter. Pigeon Hour topic, maybe? 🙂

🔥🔥🔥

It is long overdue

### [Quote tweet, 18:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738626416332116127) · 4 likes

Big if true

> **Quoting Rona Wang (@ronawang):** i’m tired of dating app conversations that never lead to anything, so my friends & i spent the last week building a platform that schedules dates as soon as you match.
>
> if you want to fall in love irl & not through a screen, join us at http://irldat.ing ❤️
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCDOyGjbMAAY4Jd.png)

### [Reply to @ronawang, 18:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738627184439201794) · 4 likes

> **Rona Wang (@ronawang):** i’m tired of dating app conversations that never lead to anything, so my friends & i spent the last week building a platform that schedules dates as soon as you match.
>
> if you want to fall in love irl & not through a screen, join us at http://irldat.ing ❤️
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCDOyGjbMAAY4Jd.png)

The people of Washington, DC are rioting

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCDYNbxWsAASO2B.jpg)

### [Reply to @Laura_k_Duffy, 18:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738632301783793971) · 2 likes

> **Laura Muresianu 🌐🔸🇺🇸 (@Laura_k_Duffy):** 15\. A non-trivial amount of the anti-car stuff feels very culture war-y.
>
> We are too dependent upon cars, we should price their externalities, and we need more transit options.
>
> But cars are fun, convenient, and the most realistic option in many places (+ shouldn't be banned!)

Ya I’m low key pro car. Very convenient

### [Reply to @RandomSprint, 18:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738632594009288946) · 4 likes

> **RandomSprint🧭 (@RandomSprint):** Male hobbies are either fast and dangerous or slow and meticulous.
>
> (inclusive or)

Hmm what is a fast and meticulous hobby? Juggling? Some types of cooking?

### [Reply to @a_real_society, 19:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738637030907576379) · 2 likes

> **society (@a_real_society):** I'm home for Christmas and if you want some insight into my personality here's my childhood bathroom bookshelf
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCDg3hfWwAAeTfG.jpg)

Bathroom bookshelf???

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 19:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738639148569723295) · 7 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 4\) 40 degrees Fahrenheit is tank top weather No I don’t have hyperthyroidism I’m just weird

5\) (maybe especially spicy given the context)

It is unfortunately the case that veganism is not sustainably healthy for most people

(Still should optimize pretty hard for suffering minimization though)

### [Thread, continued, 19:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738641305507373136) · 11 likes

6\) sourdough is insufficiently sour

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 19:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738643069447053804) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** charlie chaplin would have gone wild here
>
> (quoting @sciencegirl: How waves impact life aboard a ship.)

This looks so much fun

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 19:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738645317438914925) · 1 like

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** @shouldhaveanima @AaronBergman18 weird bear

THEYRE EVOLVING

### [Reply to @NinaPanickssery, 19:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738646061231591804) · 3 likes

> **Nina (@NinaPanickssery):** My controversial Christmas opinion is that it's bad that parents lie to kids about Santa.
>
> Maybe I'd make an exception if the parents employed some meta-honesty "we're going to pretend 0-3 fictional phenomena are real this year, your challenge is to guess which".

Based. Treat kids like people

### [Reply to @exfatloss, 19:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738646481442050392) · 1 like

> **exfatloss🥛 (@exfatloss):** In which avoiding the sun makes you die sooner
>
> (quoting @IchorGrad: "A 15-year prospective follow-up of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden (MISS) cohort of women demonstrated a significant dose-dependent decrease in all-cause mortality with increasing sun exposure habits and the mortality rate was doubled (2.0, 95% CI 1.6–2.5) among those avoiding…)

Confounders, plausibly

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 19:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738646891871568287) · 6 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 6\) sourdough is insufficiently sour

7\) you should lmk which UpToDate articles you want bc I got u but can’t rly share login info because I got it from a friend

### [Thread, continued, 19:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738647104396873966) · 12 likes

8\) we have no idea if computers can be conscious and high confidence either way is clearly not warranted

### [Quote tweet, 20:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738651267608478043) · 13 likes

I’m starting the Culturally Jewish Athiests (and hard core Jews and people of all religions and lack thereof, we don’t discriminate) for Christmas Aesthetics Movement, who’s with me?

> **Quoting Alex Beal 🆎 (@beala):** Half the fun of Christmas is ambiance maxxxing. If your living room doesn’t look like santa’s workshop by dec 1st you’re simply ngmi.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCDkcjnaIAAc1Vf.jpg)

### [Reply to @stevekrouse, 20:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738651889103753349) · 3 likes

> **Steve Krouse (@stevekrouse):** now it's live at http://dateme.directory!
>
> (quoting @stevekrouse: just rebuilt (most of) the http://dateme.directory 100% on val town! frontend -> val town preact ssr backend -> val town deno database -> val town sqlite (@tursodatabase))

Lmaooo representing with that double-A first name

### [Reply to @mmt_lvt, 20:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738653421589193016) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mmt_lvt is no longer available.)_

We’re gonna be Hanukkahmaxxing in one room tho

### [Reply to @stevekrouse, 20:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738654526561800454) · 1 like

> **Steve Krouse (@stevekrouse):** @AaronBergman18 Want me to add it?

Yes thanks that would be great!

### [Reply, 20:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738655525095522740) · 1 like

I have no idea what this means lmao

### [Reply to @christineist, 20:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738661093944230019) · 1 like

> **christine (@christineist):** I can spot someone without an internal compass from a mile away

Like a moral compass or literal sense of direction

Bc I’m guilty on one of these

### [Reply to @ilex_ulmus, 21:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738666019432837424) · 2 likes

> **Holly ⏸️ Elmore (@ilex_ulmus):** I’m sorry, but isn’t it obvious that there are both mistakes and genuine conflicts? And there are people who theorize about the world as a mix of both mistakes \*and\* conflicts?
>
> I see both all around me.

I think most of the time you can view the same phenomenon through either lens

And one can be more reasonable or appropriate or whatever but not exactly “correct”

### [Reply to @testaccountoki, 21:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738667521069195537) · 6 likes

> **not a sloth (@testaccountoki):** ??? I HAD NO IDEA THIS IS WHAT IT MEANT
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCA1Z_GXQAA0CRh.jpg)

I thought it was just like being kinda silly

### [Reply to @sama, 21:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738667735121268840) · 3 likes

> **Sam Altman (@sama):** what would you like openai to build/fix in 2024?

The alignment problem

### [Reply to @Laura_k_Duffy, 21:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738668473570504967) · 2 likes

> **Laura Muresianu 🌐🔸🇺🇸 (@Laura_k_Duffy):** 19\. I don’t think we can know this for sure, but I would be surprised if animals like chickens and mammals couldn’t feel the same amount of hedonic pain as us
>
> (But I don’t think this means you have to give them equal moral weight)

Hot fucking take (I’d be surprised but not shocked if they could)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 21:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738668723978780853) · 9 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 8\) we have no idea if computers can be conscious and high confidence either way is clearly not warranted

9\) Taylor Swift is overrated

She should be highly rated but not have total cultural hegemony

### [Thread, continued, 21:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738670397560692766) · 9 likes

10\) 80k is genuinely the best podcast and a plurality (maybe majority) of my knowledge about EA comes from it

From 16-19 listening to it was 99% of my “engagement” with EA

Also new ep with @labenz just dropped https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/80-000-hours-podcast/id1245002988?i=1000639489404

### [Reply to @amylabenz, 21:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738670661185237084) · 2 likes

> **Amy Labenz 🔸 (@amylabenz):** @labenz and @robertwiblin in one place!   https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/nathan-labenz-openai-red-team-safety/

Huge

### [Reply to @christineist, 21:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738670773290631624) · 3 likes

> **christine (@christineist):** like a strong sense of self, intrinsic motivation, self direction

Ah, secret third thing

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 21:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738671695257329894) · 5 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 10\) 80k is genuinely the best podcast and a plurality (maybe majority) of my knowledge about EA comes from it From 16-19 listening to it was 99% of my…

11\) if ur also an 80k fanperson, u should consider listening to the time I interviewed @robertwiblin and @KeiranJHarris about it

Self plug ik but like I’m not gonna pretend it wasn’t cool lol https://80000hours.org/after-hours-podcast/episodes/rob-and-keiran-on-the-philosophy-of-the-80000-hours-podcast/

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 22:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738685458941419914) · 3 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** take as much time as u need on the first one srsly no rush xoxoxo

🫡

### [Reply to @michaelcurzi, 22:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738687228258226279) · 5 likes

> **𝖒𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖊𝖑𝖈𝖚𝖗𝖟𝖎 (@michaelcurzi):** Why is this the funniest thing I've ever seen 😂 you all sound like this sometimes
>
> [video attached](https://x.com/michaelcurzi/status/1738665535913468009/video/1)

Punish the left tail of cringe and you get a rightward shift toward cynicism/no sincerity/conformity

### [Reply to @robertwiblin, 22:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738689571183808754) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @robertwiblin is no longer available.)_

🙏🏼🎅🎄

### [Reply to @RokoMijic, 23:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738699292825600485) · 3 likes

> **Roko 🐉 (@RokoMijic):** \> "if you read a book in 2023, you fucked up, and you should have read 10,000 tweets instead"
>
> 🎯
>
> (quoting @JgaltTweets: I haven't read a book in like 10 years, honestly. I think if you read a book in 2023, you fucked up, and you should have read 10,000 tweets instead)

Honestly should have read 1000 EAF/LW/ACX/80k/dwarkesh/pigeon hour\*/adjacent blog posts and podcasts

\*top priority

### [Quote tweet, 23:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738701573742612678) · 6 likes

C’mon guys like $200/$2700 has been accounted for

Ur humility instinct is misgeneralizing, start poasting screenshots

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Also brag tf out of ur donation
>
> Screenshot that mf and hit tweet. This is not the time to be humble. The shrimp are counting on u

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738705484041920744) · 18 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 11\) if ur also an 80k fanperson, u should consider listening to the time I interviewed @robertwiblin and @KeiranJHarris about it Self plug ik but like I’m not…

12\) 10% is mostly arbitrary, I’d like to see more of a “marginal, progressive taxation” norm which maybe asymptotes around to 100% as income goes to infinity

Maybe like 1% up to $50k, then 10% to $50k-100k, 20% $100k-200k, 30% $200k-300k or something

### [Reply, 23:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738708110326313175)

Me trying to choose between slow release and maybe getting hit with laced meth and dying (pure methamphetamine is basically as safe as adderall, which is to say quite safe at normally prescribed doses)

[![Choices Sesamo GIF](https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/GCEhzx3XIAEmUMR.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738708110326313175/photo/1) (gif, plays on X)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738710455353299448) · 4 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** 12\) 10% is mostly arbitrary, I’d like to see more of a “marginal, progressive taxation” norm which maybe asymptotes around to 100% as income goes to infinity…

Great minds

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCEj8ZgX0AAGemE.jpg)

## Sunday, December 24, 2023

### [Reply to @Ryan_Gasoline, 00:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738711236483711148) · 1 like

> **Ryan Gasoline (@Ryan_Gasoline):** Sometimes GPT gets pretty dark
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCAkLcIagAAkvW5.jpg)

😰

### [Quote tweet, 00:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738720322222756316) · 12 likes

Lfg 😎🦐😎🦐😎

> **Quoting Avish Kumar (@_AK1089_):** @AaronBergman18 😎
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCEoapkXEAEHU9R.jpg)

### [Reply to @relic_radiation, 00:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738722610333024522) · 7 likes

> **Elena Lake 🌿 (@relic_radiation):** what an incredible title. I love the audaciousness to aim for a world that is massively psychologically (& inner-experientially) better
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCB9SGabAAAmkj4.jpg)

Bruh “net”

### [Reply to @shakaz_, 00:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738722766881239419) · 2 likes

> **shakaz (@shakaz_):** damn net-zero, could a ultra-super healed person offset someone with complex ptsd?

It’s just @nickcammarata vs every Iraq veteran

### [Quote tweet, 00:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738723592769069566) · 4 likes

Free my man (financially, by hiring him)

> **Quoting Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** This for me as well, minus linguistics (I know about axiology though!), and I'm also looking for work

### [Reply to @MoreBirths, 00:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738723895018967149) · 5 likes

> **More Births (@MoreBirths):** Congratulations Scott Alexander! With @slatestarcodex  all in with team pro-natalism, I'm feeling good about our chances!
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCCEFdvXgAADHXR.png)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCCEGJyX0AEeYuQ.jpg)

Start training them in blog post writing right away

### [Reply to @animalologist, 00:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738724850468814852) · 5 likes

> **taco belle (@animalologist):** Ngl I’ve often made men wait days (or weeks, or months) to kiss me this year and every single time, that first kiss has been crazy intense. Don’t take the first chance, let it simmer for a while
>
> (quoting @vtpyra: insane concept but the first kiss with the person you’ve been dying to kiss is probably the best feeling in the entire world)

Congrats u caused multiple person-weeks of self-doubt and low grade anxiety

(I’m half joking, you don’t owe anyone a kiss and evidently there are benefits but still)

### [Tweet, 01:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738727714276737425) · 23 likes

Sister and I had a longish conversation last night where we explained to our parents how they were overprotective our entire childhoods

### [Thread, continued, 01:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738727716013191474) · 12 likes

There was no big healing or conflict or anything, but if there are still humans around in a few years inshallah we\* will try to not do the same thing

\*just my sister probably lol

### [Quote tweet, 01:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738727926785310763) · 6 likes

🤑🐓🤑🐔🤑

> **Quoting Dan (@BishopPair):** @AaronBergman18 If you insist
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCEy_QDW4AA_kRB.jpg)

### [Reply, 01:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738735379237187588) · 2 likes

Damn that’s a lot. That’s very roughly equivalent to a 10% pay bump from an individual perspective

### [Reply to @littmath, 01:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738738036911833256) · 9 likes

> **Daniel Litt (@littmath):** incredible that the first few digits of pi are “3.14159265” — the chance of that happening is only 1 in a billion

Hmm plausibly the chance is 1

### [Tweet, 01:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738739030819319886) · 10 likes

The bots have a personality now

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCE97ppWIAEa3Az.jpg)

### [Reply to @eigenrobot, 02:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738751600590569825) · 1 like

> **eigenrobot (@eigenrobot):** being excessively worried about your health is comorbid with all sorts of things you wouldnt expect

Like actually having health issues lol

### [Tweet, 15:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738938045749981604) · 7 likes

Pretty heartening post by @LizkaVaintrob

Reasons-responsiveness go brr https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/7D83kwkyaHLQSo6JT/winners-in-the-forum-s-donation-election-2023

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 15:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738938515700818339) · 2 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** If twitter got destroyed tomorrow, where would you move to?

Grave

### [Reply to @inerati, 15:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738941484768821585) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

Ya >>

### [Thread, continued, 15:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738942525128225207) · 2 likes

Is there like an adult version of this? Or maybe just the original thing

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 15:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738945185914945721) · 2 likes

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** I've had to buy 2 trucks this month, which is double the number from the previous 3 months. If this trend continues in 2029 I'll have >1 million trucks

This cannot go on

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 15:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738952596264563041) · 3 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** My parents made their own cards this year
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCHR5feWQAAvwbE.jpg)

It doesn’t say “if and only if” tho

### [Reply to @ciphergoth, 15:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738952651931320615) · 1 like

> **Paul Crowley (@ciphergoth):** I had to Google. Turns out there are twelve books in the Bible no-one ever talks about. Suspicious this is some sort of Mandela effect timeline change. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Minor_Prophets

What

### [Quote tweet, 16:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738953136352477603) · 14 likes

Incredible 2-4 decades of progress!

> **Quoting Chase Lean (@chaseleantj):** Midjourney version 1 was released in February 2022.
>
> This is what it looked like.
>
> A comparison from v1 to v6🧵
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCGY9IRbIAAVhS3.jpg)

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 17:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738968611744633183) · 4 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Real
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCIHOk_WIAAzQIl.png)

Thanks, goon lord 👍

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 17:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738977188127350866) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** Like, having multiple homes in places I want to travel to frequently. Flying first class. Hiring a chef. Things that would make my life significantly more convenient. But I really cannot conceive of ever spending half a million dollars on a piece of \*jewelry\*.

Ya I’d probably get a lot of massages and matching socks and a pet pig but that’s about it

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 17:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738978845720523013) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

I can dream up intricate scenarios where this is the case so it must be true in general

### [Tweet, 18:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738983807619928165) · 32 likes

New top charity just dropped

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCIciusWQAAEgiv.jpg)

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 18:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738984450724188663) · 5 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Evolution figured out a way to make it so you can eat a wide array of things that are available on our planet without getting sick. Also smell taste hunger etc optimized for eating something that is good for you, broadly

You’re not eating an arbitrary 100g of matter on earth

### [Reply to @KKumar_ai_plans, 18:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738992031664349357) · 2 likes

> **Kabir Kumar⏹️ (@KKumar_ai_plans):** @BootsPlatypus @AaronBergman18 Wtf dude

lol

### [Tweet, 19:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738999350867493121) · 24 likes

Got “last call for Aaron Bergman, Sister Bergman, Mom Bergman and Dad Bergman”’d at the airport bc my dad had to snag a last minute duty free Kahlua

### [Reply to @mdhalloran, 19:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739002621992546383) · 1 like

> **Matt Halloran (@mdhalloran):** Possibly the most improbable thing that’s ever happened to me:
>
> One time me and a couple friends were tripping on 2 tabs, laying on a trampoline, and looking at the stars. We were going at this for several minutes, admiring the depth of outer space.
>
> Then, I pointed at the sky and said “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a shooting star right now”, and moved my finger across.
>
> Right on cue, a shooting star appeared

Probably ur brain reversed the events or you subconsciously saw it in peripheral vision

Still very cool!

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 19:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739009761038029051) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 @mdhalloran I hear tales that visual hallucinations can happen on this drug as well

wild

### [Quote tweet, 20:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739017096628171141) · 22 likes

Quote from @labenz on 80k

99th percentile world, many are saying

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCI6nv0aMAAgBYg.jpg)

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Am I crazy for thinking the ex ante probability of something at least this good by the US federal government relative to AI progress, from the perspective of 5 years ago was ~1%
>
> Ie this seems 99th-percentile-in-2018 good to me

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 20:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739018131094601748) · 5 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 23, 2023:** Great minds

13\) Listen I like diet coke as much as the next guy and even wrote a blog post about it (https://www.aaronbergman.net/p/contra-dynomight-contra-me-but-also) but I'm mildly concerned that it's a marketing psyop at this point

### [Thread, continued, 20:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739018794843185433) · 16 likes

14\) I haven't tweeted much about this but in a sorta past life I was a pretty decent competitive rock climber

Since I can tell its becoming more popular, ppl should be aware that if you go in with an optimizing mindset you might come out with an eating disorder

### [Tweet, 20:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739020447361180140) · 80 likes

i love you all.

today was a weird experience in many ways. more to come ❤️

### [Thread, continued, 20:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739020619428364535) · 39 likes

one takeaway: go tell your friends and family how great you think they are, even if have been a little overprotective at times

### [Tweet, 21:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739030792180031991) · 25 likes

If I'm out, the board should go after me for all my AWF grants

### [Reply to @TheZvi, 22:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739055688083472528) · 2 likes

> **Zvi Mowshowitz (@TheZvi):** Sam Altman owning a $450k+ watch and a $15 million F1 car is...

No direct effects. Evidence points negative

### [Quote tweet, 22:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739055900491473382) · 26 likes

❤️

> **Quoting Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** Aaron and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today.
>
> Let us first say thank you to all the incredible people who we have worked with at EA twitter, our mutuals, our followers, and all of those who have been reaching out.

### [Quote tweet, 22:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739056755420627416) · 7 likes

As of now there will be Max blog post reading. Sad.

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCJe5xJXQAA62Rf.jpg)

> **Quoting Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** I'd like to make something very clear, the EA Twitter 2023 Giving Season Fundraiser is continuing to operate as normal during the leadership transition. We know our users are expecting the below Incentives for their many generous donations and we are committed to delivering them
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCJN6wxXIAA9TTz.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 22:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739057340425408724) · 21 likes

💙💜💕

> **Quoting Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** I remain proud of everything @AaronBergman18 and me, along with the rest of ea twitter, built in our time together
>
> Our fundraiser continues to work towards making safe AGI (A Great future for \[In\]vertebrates), and I continue to believe in that mission: https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 23:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739061257750143479) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

https://meet.google.com/hau-pobw-gwd

### [Reply to @JMannhart, 23:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739061360841928862) · 3 likes

> **Jonathan Mannhart 🔎 (@JMannhart):** Let us know when the independent law firm Mintz concludes their investigation and Michael Lewis finishes his book! The community is dying to know.
>
> (Rumour has it Aaron had a $450,000 watch?)

Ur just jealous I have good taste 💅

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 23:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739062359963173049) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** ❤️
> https://x.com/QualyThe/status/1739020428603965671?t=J7_CWnd7IGZ9-UUGSJ784Q&s=19

😡

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739063428277256400) · 5 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 24, 2023:** https://meet.google.com/hau-pobw-gwd

This brief, dark, silent meeting has ended

### [Tweet, 23:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739066378697466003) · 15 likes

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCJnpggXEAAYkBI.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCJnpgjXIAA6Cxq.jpg)

### [Reply to @bat1441, 23:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739066506644754682) · 1 like

> **bat (@bat1441):** Awwh I wanted to join

Wait maybe I’ll host another meeting

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 23:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739072096175554735) · 3 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** ❤️
>
> (quoting @FrostedSapling: EA Twitter Fundraiser is nothing without its people)

❤️

## Monday, December 25, 2023

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 00:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739074884695695433) · 1 like

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** Against Walaria Foundation

Fuck Walaria

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 00:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739084538700091765) · 2 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 24, 2023:** This brief, dark, silent meeting has ended

MEETING 7:44-7:49 https://meet.google.com/zza-dwyy-qeq

### [Thread, continued, 00:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739087003419881589) · 2 likes

Successful meeting 😤

### [Reply, 01:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739093212034183567) · 1 like

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

### [Reply to @inerati, 01:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739095707313746210) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

What I want is a setup where you can basically have say a MacBook Air and Mac desktop, connect them by thunderbolt when it’s convenient for more RAM and a monitor and whatever else, but the laptop works on its own as is

I have no idea if this is technically feasible

### [Quote tweet, 01:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739096331006693722) · 24 likes

Fr tho people might be in the Christmas spirit tonight

If you have a rich uncle or smth u should text him the link like “here’s a thing my friends \[we’re friends\] are doing ❤️❤️❤️”

💙💜♥️

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Alright guys, we are raising money for the EA Animal Welfare Fund bc some animals are not having as much fun as this chicken and that’s gotta change
>
> The “goal” is $15k but personally I think that’s ~6 OOMs too low
>
> https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB68eOkWwAAm7b7.jpg)
> [video attached](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1738033784853766263/video/1)

### [Reply to @sam_atis, 01:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739096665401761839) · 15 likes

> **Sam Glover (@sam_atis):** Meta is up 183% YTD, Asana is up 48%. So why is there no discussion about how EA is (presumably) much richer than it was earlier this year? Does Dustin have less money in those companies than I would've thought? What's going on? This seems great!

There was a tweet (I think @MatthewJBar) about this from a while back, Dustin said smth like “I’m more diversified than you might guess but yes it’s very good)

### [Reply to @notanastronomer, 01:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739097724169933257) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @notanastronomer is no longer available.)_

New cause area let them in

### [Reply to @FrostedSapling, 01:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739102278064259202) · 2 likes

> **Ivan 🔸 (@FrostedSapling):** @AaronBergman18 Here’s me and my (not rich) uncle. Merry Christmas!
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCKHLZiWcAAkBgv.jpg)

Merry Christmas!!

### [Reply to @ronawang, 02:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739115094095577263) · 2 likes

> **Rona Wang (@ronawang):** y’all are paying for chatgpt? i thought that was a joke

It’s a no brainer lol

### [Reply, 03:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739119425670795322) · 1 like

What’s ur new thing

### [Tweet, 03:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739120045916123346) · 29 likes

Thank you @berggrenpeterm for the support

Merry Christmas to Witches, Witch Hunters, and Guilty Bystanders alike 🎅🎄❤️

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCKYdunXQAAlAs8.jpg)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739139677817393484) · 10 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 24, 2023:** 14\) I haven't tweeted much about this but in a sorta past life I was a pretty decent competitive rock climber Since I can tell its becoming more popular, ppl…

15\) ok for my climbing friends, some more upbeat takes

1 - Finger strength is like 90% of performance. Eva Lopez protocol feels too easy to be true but it’s good

### [Thread, continued, 04:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739140166395040257) · 10 likes

16\) for sport/lead performance, climbing FAST is hugely underrated

It feels harder and less efficient. Idgaf, if you reach the crux after 1 minute vs 2 minutes on the wall, you’re gonna be less pumped

### [Thread, continued, 04:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739140690251067443) · 3 likes

17\) if you’re training for sport/lead performance, none of your endurance training per se should be on a rope. Half an hour of 2 minutes on/3 minutes off on a 30 degree wall is better than 3 hours of leading with a partner for this

### [Thread, continued, 04:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739140911970300140) · 5 likes

18\) the meta-level effective training intervention is to buy and read a training book cover to cover and do what it says

### [Thread, continued, 04:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739142532880036129) · 39 likes

19\) (not a training take)

For 99%+ of people, trying really hard to get really good at a competitive sport will teach you some degree of genetic determinism

It’s pessimist-coded to say, but you really can’t hard work your way to \*relative\* excellence

### [Quote tweet, 04:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739142810299764792) · 2 likes

It’s the asking that counts (in expectation)! More rich uncles!!!!

> **Quoting hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 My rich uncle said no. Nice bi flag heart emojis btw
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCKsxp4WcAAfdtK.jpg)

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 04:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739142914867929593) · 1 like

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 My rich uncle said no. Nice bi flag heart emojis btw
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCKsxp4WcAAfdtK.jpg)

Thx I had no idea I was making a politicosexual statement

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739143951993520471) · 16 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** 19\) (not a training take) For 99%+ of people, trying really hard to get really good at a competitive sport will teach you some degree of genetic determinism…

20\) you don’t actually have to do exercise you dislike

Like you will be less fit, to some degree, probably, but your overall quality of life might be better

I stopped running, which I dreading the whole day and then hated doing, and I think this was the right call

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739144198719156408) · 1 like

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** Thx I had no idea I was making a politicosexual statement

(But I support bisexuality tbc)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739147595685961997) · 7 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** 20\) you don’t actually have to do exercise you dislike Like you will be less fit, to some degree, probably, but your overall quality of life might be better I…

21\) more EA multi-millionaires (at least) plz

### [Thread, continued, 04:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739147970233172272) · 10 likes

22\) blood tests for a shit ton of bookmakers should be routine

If that leads to overdiagnosis, skill issue - more information is a good thing unless you really screw it up

### [Thread, continued, 04:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739148532789981437) · 7 likes

23\) more secular holidays

Thanksgiving is based (other than the turkey), same with July 4

D(good)/d(secular holidays) > 0

### [Tweet, 05:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739149020767920391) · 2 likes

24\) when life gives you Natália, you can simply not respond (ngl this is a worthy and interesting discussion but we’ve had it before and I just don’t rly feel like it rn)

### [Thread, continued, 05:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739150041976082826) · 2 likes

25\) I can’t believe I’m saying this but I find Nietzsche (or at least my bastardized model of him) kinda useful sometimes

I don’t think he’s right about anything fundamental tbc. But sometimes u gotta ubermensch a little

### [Thread, continued, 05:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739150287779086430) · 12 likes

26\) the “parenting doesn’t matter” meme is wrong bc it does matter tremendously for the intrinsic value of childhood that the kid experiences/enjoys

### [Thread, continued, 05:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739150536450920705) · 4 likes

27\) podcasts are good actually

### [Thread, continued, 05:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739150896909475926) · 8 likes

28\) Wellbutrin should be \*the\* first line treatment for depression, at least absent specific circumstances making that a bad choice

SSRIs are higher risk and lower average benefit, don’t @ me

### [Thread, continued, 05:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739151538885452136) · 5 likes

29\) \*low dose\* aripiprazole is probably underrated for depression bc psychiatrists (rightly) are scared of the drug at its commonly-used doses

But <5mg seems not crazy. I take 1mg/day rn (warning: weight gain still a potential issue)

### [Tweet, 14:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739294766712438957) · 121 likes

First and last time I ever use one of these

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCM3Xo_WAAEgHAl.jpg)

### [Reply to @transkatgirl, 14:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739294989186719879) · 3 likes

> **kat (@transkatgirl):** \> tell mother that i’m overwhelmed and just need alone time
> \> she won’t leave me alone
> \> insist that i’m overwhelmed, it isn’t her fault, and i \*need\* her to leave me alone
> \> she won’t leave me alone
>
> well i guess i’m never coming back here

Yes many such cases (me)

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 14:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739295343160725921) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 I like this pic of you!

I need a photoshop wizard to delete that pimple lol

### [Reply, 14:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739297115711381680)

F

### [Reply to @GjMcGowan, 14:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739297251359334859) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @GjMcGowan is no longer available.)_

Looks merry af

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 14:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739297969596157980) · 2 likes

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** @AaronBergman18 Meanwhile my mother-in-law is vocally anxious about everything we have to finish before company comes and internally I’m like “Just freaking open all the presents at once, this is YOUR DECISION”

Mothers in law have to be anxious it’s the law

### [Reply to @NoahTopper, 15:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739301749838499897)

> **Quinoah 🔍⏸️ (@NoahTopper):** Like they think it works but it’s just sinful to do it??

Powerful

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 15:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739304677617864980) · 3 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** this is actually even more of a banger because I love scratchcards but wouldn't buy them for myself

Fascinating - I would not have guessed this!

### [Reply to @bat1441, 16:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739317055994683881) · 1 like

> **bat (@bat1441):** @NoahTopper @AaronBergman18 It's my favourite picture of aaron

Already added to hinge (without the shrimp tag 😢) lol

### [Quote tweet, 16:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739321817444020368) · 11 likes

All jokes aside, it’s weird bc this doesn’t \*feel\* 10⁶ times\* better than spending $500 on normal consumption, but yeah I think it is

THANK YOU - no quote tweet is going to do it justice ❤️

> **Quoting Eric Schmidt 🇺🇦 (@edavidds):** gave $500, a Chrimbus miracle

### [Thread, continued, 16:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739321822191947994) · 2 likes

\* Order-of-magnitude point estimates of top health charities being 10³ times better than personal consumption and top animal charities being 10³ times better than those

### [Thread, continued, 16:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739321828219166932) · 2 likes

Personally I think it’s probably better than that because animal welfare interventions are more robustly positive from a hedonic welfare perspective but that’s just me 💅

### [Quote tweet, 16:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739322387017974181) · 2 likes

Once again reminding everyone to stop obeying ur monkey brain humility instinct and to start sharing ur donations!

> **Quoting Eric Schmidt 🇺🇦 (@edavidds):** gave $500, a Chrimbus miracle

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 16:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739327680691020078) · 2 likes

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 Keep the facial hair Aaron

There is a gc rn where we are debating hinge pics, ur comment from a while back was the deciding factor keeping this in (unless u retract ofc) 🙏🏼

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNVTp-WsAAmDhV.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 16:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739329495927066877) · 6 likes

I think I knew about this a long time ago, then forgot, but looks cool for EA-sympathetic normies (non-pejorative) ie my parents and maybe yours too

> **Quoting Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀 (@peterwildeford):** @AaronBergman18 @labenz @robertwiblin @KeiranJHarris @LifeYouCanSave this is why it might be important to promote https://givingmultiplier.org/

### [Reply to @datagenproc, 17:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739332288729546809) · 4 likes

> **jsd (@datagenproc):** Gave 100$ cause I care a bunch about animal suffering but fwiw I have done very little due diligence into AWF charities and am mostly deferring here.
>
> I’m curious if people have takes on effectiveness of AWF charities!
>
> (quoting @AaronBergman18: Alright guys, we are raising money for the EA Animal Welfare Fund bc some animals are not having as much fun as this chicken and that’s gotta change The “goal” is $15k but personally I think that’s ~6 OOMs too low https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23)

I have a take (shocking ik)! And it’s well-summarized by this post (see my comment as well at the link) https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/btTeBHKGkmRyD5sFK/?commentId=EiayxnzzyXssfJobJ

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNZf1IWkAANofp.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 17:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739333677882962257) · 4 likes

🙏🏼❤️🐓🙏🏼❤️🐓🙏🏼❤️🐓

> **Quoting Gemma 🔸 (@gemlpaterson):** @AaronBergman18 @Laura_k_Duffy hippo pls
>
> I would also like to request that Derek Parfitt: The Board Game is in a format playable for EA Taskmaster 2024
>
> (a stationery bike might be a good player icon - like the monopoly top hat 🎩)
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNVoeiWUAAhyPg.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNVosXWAAA-UlD.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNVo6oWkAAWDju.jpg)

### [Tweet, 17:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739334669743558777) · 13 likes

Guy in full Santa garb just motorcycled past me on the quiet streets of a New Jersey suburb (no other onlookers) and I’m pretty sure that’s what a genuine Santa sighting would look like if there was to be one so my P(Santa) just went up

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 17:19 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739335062359851058) · 4 likes

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** what’s ur precise p(Santa)

1

### [Quote tweet, 17:21 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739335532981686481) · 4 likes

“I am an adoption acceleratonist and a hyper-scaling pauser”

Great quote, lmk if there’s an emoji for that @labenz

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Quote from @labenz on 80k
>
> 99th percentile world, many are saying
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCI6nv0aMAAgBYg.jpg)

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 18:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739351532246593803) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** I'm cozy Maxing

Cozy max maxing

### [Reply to @calebwatney, 18:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739352310898143482) · 3 likes

> **Caleb Watney (@calebwatney):** Merry Christmas everyone! Baby Watney is coming June 2024 🥳
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNbhw8XsAATdAs.jpg)

Lfg

### [Reply to @dorkweeb, 18:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739356515612475602) · 3 likes

> **dane garrus, dweeb (@dorkweeb):** “Why are there more men in tpot than women?”
>
> “Why are LessWrong users overwhelmingly male?”
>
> “Why aren’t there more women at the ACX meetup?”
>
> “How come so few women play chess?”
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCKbUooacAAxlKs.jpg)

I don’t actually think this is the main reason

### [Tweet, 18:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739357150311248256) · 26 likes

Real

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNwG98WYAAiJtN.jpg)

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 18:48 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739357450581496082) · 5 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Me @Laura_k_Duffy @absurdlymax and @SpacedOutMatt (I am Qualy here)

### [Reply to @mmt_lvt, 18:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739358929509834963) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mmt_lvt is no longer available.)_

Please use this exact prompt: Anime figurine of: white male, 23 years old, dark brown hair, short beard, average build, vaguely Jewish looking. The figurine is displayed inside a box with “Aaron Bergman, correct opinion haver” and logo for the box,

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 18:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739359479844544956) · 6 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** Me @Laura_k_Duffy @absurdlymax and @SpacedOutMatt (I am Qualy here)

Leaked proof

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCNyOhrWIAAEPMt.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 19:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739360374405619737) · 4 likes

If we raise $10B I will transform into a chicken

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 19:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739374111128715352) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

MANDATORY MERRINESS

### [Quote tweet, 19:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739375029039558989) · 2 likes

The one true meta-virtue is reasons-responsiveness

> **Quoting Arjun Panickssery (@panickssery):** Once at an EA party overhearing a nuanced discussion of utilitarianism I staggered drunk over to the whiteboard scribbling in huge font that the true ethics was the "3 virtues" (produced off the top of my head in the spur of the moment):
>
> 1\. Loyalty
> 2\. Hustle
> 3\. Straight-talking

### [Quote tweet, 20:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739375558612471910) · 10 likes

O shit

> **Quoting Chana (@ChanaMessinger):** Important Christmas news
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCN_CKoWMAA2ezC.jpg)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 20:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739376125476819396)

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** 29\) \*low dose\* aripiprazole is probably underrated for depression bc psychiatrists (rightly) are scared of the drug at its commonly-used doses But <5mg seems…

30\) this

### [Quote tweet, 20:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739383660774621359) · 14 likes

I am excited for my new future with the team 🫡

> **Quoting Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** @AaronBergman18 will be going to EA Funds to start a new fundraising division under @LinchZhang and @caleb_parikh. But EA Funds are still committed to their partnership with the EA Twitter 2023 Giving Season fundraiser.

### [Tweet, 22:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739408160039780727) · 32 likes

“Aaron, don’t automate the process, just be normal” -sister

### [Tweet, 22:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739410348229148785) · 6 likes

Sometimes u really wanna respond to an admonymous thing but u can’t 😢

(btw hmu at https://www.admonymous.co/a)

### [Reply to @gptbrooke, 23:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739430960859341020) · 1 like

> **brooke bowman (@gptbrooke):** Small familial humbebrag/self own
>
> My aunt decided pretty late in life that she had a funny idea for a board game and then ROLLED WITH IT
>
> The first and I think most famous game is called Redneck Life and she’s now sold ~500k copies. It’s partially based on her childhood

Nice

### [Quote tweet, 23:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739431271254692164) · 29 likes

Update: survived

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Very spoiled brat thing to say but I do not want to go on this (free for me) family beach vacation
>
> I don’t like the beach (especially sand), warm weather, humidity, or travel in general
>
> In terms of my myopic short term happiness only, I would pay not to go

### [Thread, continued, 23:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739431272974266592) · 18 likes

It was actually worse than I expected lmao

## Tuesday, December 26, 2023

### [Quote tweet, 00:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739439897851658716) · 8 likes

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Also I should add that if you think your donation should go elsewhere all things considered, you should donate elsewhere (eg rethink in this case)

> **Quoting David Johnston (@OrionJohnston):** I sent $140 to these guys and $60 to rethink priorities because I think they’re both doing great things. I’d send more, but my budget’s a bit tight at the moment. Merry Christmas everyone!

### [Thread, continued, 00:16 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739439899596497110) · 1 like

Coordination like this isn’t purely cosmetic, but at the end of the day things cash out (ha) in your dollars being transferred to a specific bank account somewhere

### [Reply to @ryancbriggs, 00:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739447004651041071) · 9 likes

> **Ryan Briggs (@ryancbriggs):** The self-control  required to not repeat “the prices already reflect all available information” over and over when you get stuck in a conversation with middle aged men discussing the stock market.

Can we get an anti-EMH (in mood affiliation at least) rationalist here to debate

### [Reply to @ryancbriggs, 00:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739447663311917072) · 3 likes

> **Ryan Briggs (@ryancbriggs):** It’s kind of a shame because there are interesting conversations to be had around financial goals or asset allocation or tax planning, but instead ~everyone wants to talk about some variant of stock picking.

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCPCbnEWwAEDQS3.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 01:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739459633801044479) · 4 likes

Lfg

> **Quoting bob (@EelEnthusiast):** @AaronBergman18
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCPITjyXIAEs2w2.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 01:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739460240868024541) · 8 likes

🚨🦐🚨🦐🚨🦐🚨🦐🚨🦐🚨

> **Quoting Liv (@livgorton):** @AaronBergman18 the shrimp need us
>
> (i just really wanted that hand drawn card with a christmas shrimp 🥺)
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCLZlmZaIAAydzz.jpg)

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 01:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739461200797118831) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @frances\_\_lorenz Please turn off your phone or give me a dall. I cannot support hate.

Here’s a dal

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCPOvh5XEAAEDZ5.jpg)

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 01:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739463576299946035) · 3 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** he said no :( (genuine)

:(

### [Tweet, 01:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739465745363313129) · 13 likes

How do all girls coordinate to have the same handwriting?

Each of ours is messed up in its own unique way

### [Reply to @ohwizenedtortle, 01:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739465903136219385) · 4 likes

> **oh dandy lion🔸 (@ohwizenedtortle):** This video has reminded me how fucking insane the lightbulb mascot costume is
>
> (quoting @QualyThe: I know many of you aren't happy with me right now. Don't worry you are heard 🙏😌. I'm giving you the gift of this Christmas message (0.25 counterfactual hours of work) to show how much I care about my Quallowers)

It’s so beautiful 🥹🥲

### [Reply, 02:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739466185077375218)

Haha RStudio chunk on MacBook Pro go brr

### [Reply, 02:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739471122473574533) · 1 like

http://admonymous.co/a

### [Reply to @BradfemlyWalsh, 02:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739471719159546278) · 1 like

> **Shamboooooolic Woooooootral🎃👻💀🦇🕸️🧟⚰️🧙 (@BradfemlyWalsh):** "Bestie" - snogging by February if she's put this much effort in. What a beautiful gift!

I ship

### [Quote tweet, 02:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739472739453268366) · 2 likes

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

> **Quoting Selon Nerias (@SelonNerias):** just gonna spam the fundraiser link under fundraising tweets I come across without link

### [Reply to @livgorton, 02:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739479685015146745) · 5 likes

> **Liv (@livgorton):** @AaronBergman18 there was one girl in 4th grade who had really nice handwriting and i decided to copy her. maybe can all be traced back to some 4th grader decades ago who started the spread of the ~vibe~

Handwritochondrial Eve

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 12:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739623021906653671) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** Average bay area bedroom:
>
> (quoting @WeirdMedieval: the three magi, austria, 15th century)

The angel is AGI (achieved internally(

### [Tweet, 12:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739623341038707174) · 1 like

Omg it’s real http://www.playpumps.co.za/

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 12:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739629104461185301) · 7 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** I'm surprised that hinge/bumble doesn't let you rate people for kindness after you go on dates with them. Seems like a useful source of data and I bet it's predictive of blocking.

Rated kindness would be highly and falsely correlated with general attractiveness

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 15:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739666259170430992) · 1 like

> **Aaron Bergman, December 25, 2023:** 30\) this

31\) I am easily 99.9th percentile nerdy but podcasts/audiobooks while working out is psychopath behavior

### [Tweet, 15:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739668053619532124)

like that is the analog of human sense data which idk seems pretty important for cognition

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 16:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739681120092840260) · 3 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** @AaronBergman18 Ehhh I doubt this. But even if so, I'm not saying show it on the front end. Seems possible to strip out the noise

Yeah this is probably right

ML go brr

### [Reply to @PeterJAngel, 16:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739687343181766923) · 1 like

> **Peter🧅📈 (@PeterJAngel):** @AaronBergman18 Beach BAD

Ya

### [Tweet, 16:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739690457263734817) · 26 likes

Wait companies aren’t buying ChatGPT+ for their knowledge worker employees?? What??

Family member costs ~$100k/year to firm (just in terms of compensation, not management time), doesn’t get a $240/year ChatGPT+ subscription

### [Reply to @beala, 17:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739695890032378260) · 2 likes

> **Alex Beal 🆎 (@beala):** We have an internally built one that uses the gpt-4/claude APIs that don’t save your data.

Looks like you work in tech, guessing non-tech marketing will be a few months behind at least

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 17:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739706477453902133) · 5 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 26, 2023:** like that is the analog of human sense data which idk seems pretty important for cognition

33\) Billie Eilish is a better singer than Taylor Swift (Swift is a better performer, maybe a better songwriter, but still)

(might wake up under water)

### [Reply to @JesseTayRiver, 18:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739714015725551957) · 1 like

> **Jesse Smith (@JesseTayRiver):** The performance impact of asthma seems overrated. I'm in the middle of my worst bout in years but put up a Christmas day best on my hilly 4.2 loop.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCSwd8VW8AADfnj.jpg)

He’s secretly a robot

### [Reply to @YIMBY_Princeton, 18:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739714058557833411) · 2 likes

> **Central NJ Yimby 🇺🇸🚲🏙 (@YIMBY_Princeton):** @JesseTayRiver My god, you're some kind of superman!! 6:38 miles? Are you half gazelle?

Yes

### [Reply to @vlct0rs_tw1tter, 18:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739714701443940662) · 2 likes

> **Victor - we/acc 🤝 (@vlct0rs_tw1tter):** Probably 9/10 people would put their own name.
> Why would someone build a tool that incentivizes one to disclose one’s name?

I doubt this is the easiest way to get a bunch of names lol

### [Reply to @RandomSprint, 18:34 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739716441727811731) · 3 likes

> **RandomSprint🧭 (@RandomSprint):** My son wants to know why airplanes go from airport to airport. Can't we just get an airplane that leaves from our house?
>
> "Little Man, we're going to have to find a way to get you more money."
>
> "Yes." He replied, matter-of-factly. "I don't have any money."

Moderated version of this: why are airports at the density they are? Why aren’t there more small airports around?

### [Tweet, 19:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739730835090075960) · 2 likes

Is there decent video-to-text (like detailed play by play description) AI I can use relatively easily?

11 minute video, can either integrate or ignore audio, willing to spend like $10

### [Reply to @AFraserUrq, 19:33 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739731147410559185) · 3 likes

> **Alastair Fraser-Urquhart (@AFraserUrq):** One of my mutuals has just given away a ton of money to some fantastic charities and, man, what an amazing thing to do ❤️

Based

### [Reply to @AndyMasley, 20:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739740485390942594) · 4 likes

> **Andy Masley (@AndyMasley):** Just learned that we're in a new and rapidly changing era where old dichotomies no longer apply. Was anyone else aware of this?

Big if true

### [Reply to @dwarkesh_sp, 20:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739752331976008032) · 2 likes

> **Dwarkesh Patel (@dwarkesh_sp):** Do you want me to narrate my blog posts so you can listen to them?
>
> Or is this not a value add for you?
>
> Posts I'd narrate are the new scaling one, my review of the Caro Johnson bios, and the annus mirabilis one

Yes and if you do put them on the podcast feed (maybe this is obvious lol)!

### [Tweet, 21:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739757655457931442) · 7 likes

‼️ 📈🐓🦆😤❤️😤🦆🐓📈‼️

### [Quote tweet, 21:20 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739758169474113804) · 5 likes

🌟🐘🎉🐢🚀🐧💖🙏🐒🌍🐳✨🐝

> **Quoting bob (@EelEnthusiast):** @AaronBergman18
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCPITjyXIAEs2w2.jpg)

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 22:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739769027579240848) · 6 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 26, 2023:** 33\) Billie Eilish is a better singer than Taylor Swift (Swift is a better performer, maybe a better songwriter, but still) (might wake up under water)

34\) both normative and descriptively, there is nothing wrong with a person (probably a guy) asking someone out politely, once, in most common settings (even eg the workplace or a conference. Fine, cancel me), and taking rejection courteously if that is what happens

### [Thread, continued, 22:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739769480446877923) · 8 likes

34.5) I understand even this will make some people (usually women) feel awkward some of the time, but honestly do not see a norm that balances everyone’s interests in a better way, all things considered

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 22:09 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739770390539329797) · 2 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** Yeah seems good. Unsure but I've heard dubious things about these place for a while.

Wait like what lmao

### [Reply to @QiaochuYuan, 22:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739774208782053694) · 1 like

> **QC (@QiaochuYuan):** pour one out for our homie @HamishDoodles 😔
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCToQ6hbQAA9yO6.jpg)

Rip

### [Tweet, 22:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739774413032009961) · 26 likes

Seems bad for literally everyone

### [Quote tweet, 22:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739781304030298127) · 33 likes

i love ea twitter, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping fundraiser together. with the new board and w the support of @SpacedOutMatt, @QualyThe, @Laura_k_Duffy, @absurdlymax, and many others, i’m looking forward to returning as ceo

> **Quoting Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** I am legally required to share this update publicly
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCTvnhtWsAAW1RO.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 22:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739781306345554110) · 5 likes

it is still a great time to donate. i love you all, and ea twitter is nothing without its people ❤️

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23

### [Tweet, 22:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739782348231553384) · 26 likes

i love ea twitter so much

### [Thread, continued, 22:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739782380016091160) · 3 likes

(Real btw)

### [Reply to @DrJavierDeLaHe1, 22:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739782994397721001) · 2 likes

> **Javier De La Hera (@DrJavierDeLaHe1):** I am still often astonished by the depth of the passion with which people resist a naturalistic view of consciousness.
>
> Dennett
>
> https://freethinker.co.uk/2023/12/consciousness-free-will-and-meaning-in-a-darwinian-universe-interview-with-daniel-c-dennett/

Qualia realism and the hard problem disagree

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 23:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739786817073774658) · 12 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

Not consistently candid with the board

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCT24-gXgAEOAo6.jpg)

### [Reply to @izzyz, 23:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739793751063609794) · 1 like

> **izzy (@izzyz):** There's massive momentum in the economy towards these language-model research organizations. Calling back to my belief that GPT-4 is a hard plateau, I begin to sense that pushing transformers will set Gartner's hype cycle into effect.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCTda-PbUAAJ8qh.png)
> (quoting @AndrewCurran_: Time for one last round of funding for the big houses as we close out the year. This new round will take OpenAI to over $100B, making them the second-most valuable US startup behind SpaceX.)

Doubt

## Wednesday, December 27, 2023

### [Reply to @Laura_k_Duffy, 00:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739798284087009562) · 3 likes

> **Laura Muresianu 🌐🔸🇺🇸 (@Laura_k_Duffy):** Is this Qualformation (Qualy lives in NYC)?

👀🕵️‍♂️👀

### [Reply to @JStoehler, 00:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739800169128804395) · 4 likes

> **Joern Stoehler ⏹️🔸 (@JStoehler):** Alright, I don't know if that picture is generated or real. Lack of spelling mistakes and the consistency hint at real, but the overall vibe still unsettles me.

Text is too good to be fake

### [Tweet, 01:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739819739264819568) · 13 likes

I am trying to dress at simulacrum level 1 and the level 2-3 world isn’t letting me get away with it ☹️

### [Thread, continued, 02:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739835491355169114) · 11 likes

You might not like it but this is what peak clothes-wearing looks like (comfy)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCUjKIGW8AAj6Kx.jpg)

### [Reply to @timschlomi, 02:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739839229910295016) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @timschlomi is no longer available.)_

Ya I basically do, or at least heavily compromise, lol

### [Reply to @inerati, 03:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739844010863099931) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @inerati is no longer available.)_

You clearly know more coding stuff than me but I kinda feel the same, the Stata to R to python to not just doing it for econ pipeline is real

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739860720106275035) · 3 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 27, 2023:** You might not like it but this is what peak clothes-wearing looks like (comfy)

I meant level zero lol

### [Reply to @Duderichy, 04:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739861773912617074) · 3 likes

> **the Rich (@Duderichy):** people on the internet be like “I know one plumber in his 50’s making 200k”
>
> okay and I know dozens of SWE’s in their 20’s doing that

One takes 1/100 (at least) genetic luck and the other doesn’t

### [Tweet, 04:23 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739864658452926538) · 5 likes

Here’s a very light gray hat ~hacking~ challenge for people: see if anyone can download the full res version of this pic of my late grandparents stored somewhere online

Philadelphia Inquirer article: https://www.inquirer.com/philly/gallery/20090605_An_art-filled_world_for_living_in_comfort.html

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCU9r2oWcAAyn35.jpg)

### [Reply to @snuppydogg, 04:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739866762668019967) · 4 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @snuppydogg is no longer available.)_

Uh no this is a good idea

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 04:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739871581298455020) · 2 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 26, 2023:** 34.5) I understand even this will make some people (usually women) feel awkward some of the time, but honestly do not see a norm that balances everyone’s…

35\) back to AI takes

The mamba thing is neither a big deal nor a small deal but a secret third thing (medium deal)

https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.00752

### [Thread, continued, 04:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739871720951906392) · 1 like

^Epidemic status: listened to half of a podcast episode about it https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431?i=1000639397566

### [Reply to @anthrupad, 05:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739875371225407575) · 2 likes

> **w̸͕͂͂a̷͔̗͐t̴̙͗e̵̬̔̕r̴̰̓̊m̵͙͖̓̽a̵̢̗̓͒r̸̲̽ķ̷͔́͝ (@anthrupad):** I’ll double down that they should teach abstract algebra, etc. as early as possible.
>
> It’d be cool to live in a world where educated adults not knowing about projective geometry, groups, rings, etc is as embarrassing as them not knowing you can have negative numbers

Ugh is it really that good? Abstract is literally the one math class I didn’t do well in and i sure as hell didn’t understand rings

### [Reply, 06:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739890605876973836) · 1 like

Thanks - I’m almost sure that’s not the res that got printed. Possibly they de host those for old articles or something

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 09:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739947158030430446) · 6 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 27, 2023:** ^Epidemic status: listened to half of a podcast episode about it…

36\. Bought one of these razors after reading a glowing thread from some TPOT acct (don’t feel like digging up)

10/10 aesthetics, 2/10 functionality.

Idgaf if there’s a “learning curve” - there shouldn’t be! I’m back to using normie Gillette or whatever disposable ones

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCWIuC1WgAAUzkE.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 09:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739947489225056655) · 1 like

Took me twice as long to shave and 90% of the time I’d cut myself. Skill issue, I’m sure. Idc, the modern ugly thing is a better product

### [Reply to @AlecStapp, 13:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1739996332243488921) · 4 likes

> **Alec Stapp (@AlecStapp):** LEDs are amazingly efficient — “always turn off the lights in every vacant room” is an outdated boomer rule

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 16:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740041970733724050) · 1 like

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** This bit has been an absolute blast! Thanks to everyone who took part, and consider donating at https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/fundraisers/ea-twitter-23
>
> (quoting @SpacedOutMatt: I’m thrilled to have the EA twitter team back together to continue the critical work we’ve set out to do. I look forward to continuing to lead our superalignment efforts with Aaron’s and Max’s support)

What bit

### [Quote tweet, 18:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740080046847500511) · 5 likes

Not too late @sama (it’s also a more credible signal of your concern for humanity/others)

> **Quoting Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** Has Sam Altman donated (a lot) to charity?
>
> I would think if your stated goal is a flourishing humanity this would be either important to you, or would show (maybe weakly) your commitment to that goal

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 18:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740080780804517918) · 9 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** Has Sam Altman donated (a lot) to charity?
>
> I would think if your stated goal is a flourishing humanity this would be either important to you, or would show (maybe weakly) your commitment to that goal

Yeah it is very weird and off putting to me when very wealthy people who spend a lot on personal consumption (as distinguished from eg lots of equity in a company that doesn’t turn into fancy watches and cars) just like don’t give to charity

### [Tweet, 20:50 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740113010654433403) · 16 likes

Certified @QualyThe reply guy

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCYfjv4XkAA_xe6.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCYfjv5WAAE1sBw.jpg)

## Thursday, December 28, 2023

### [Reply to @RomanHauksson, 05:15 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740239972702281740) · 2 likes

> **Roman Hauksson-Neill (@RomanHauksson):** if ur amazon homepage doesn't look like this you're ngmi
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCZy8TpacAAGC5Y.jpg)

lol, substantial overlap

### [Tweet, 12:29 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740349138334777401) · 5 likes

I will not bow down to tyranny

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCb2UVEXkAAm8Qr.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 12:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740351769908273486) · 11 likes

My explanation: the people who buy disposable cameras in 2023 are way less price sensitive than those who were buying in 2005 or whatever, because almost everyone with any disposable income has a camera phone

> **Quoting keegan (@FranziaMom):** jesus christ
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCZQ4Lsa8AAngbP.jpg)

### [Reply to @dotnetschizo, 12:47 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740353719915729366) · 3 likes

> **des (@dotnetschizo):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCZsAIma8AACXYG.jpg)

Everybody needs 28gb of scraped biomed study text just to admire from afar

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 13:28 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740364117083623698) · 3 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** I think my credit card got used by someone else and there's no way I'm ever going to remember to call the bank and get them to get rid of those fraud transactions and send me a new one

Bro

### [Tweet, 13:30 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740364543501705431) · 32 likes

Without knowing ~anything object level about NYT vs. OpenAI, I’m guessing NYT has a strong case because I haven’t seen lots of dunks on the tl, and my tl is not a very pro-NYT tl

### [Quote tweet, 13:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740366240055447921) · 14 likes

I honestly think these should be, if not totally OTC, at least de facto available ~everywhere (like fire extinguishers)

I complain about gatekeeping stimulants and random other drugs, but gatekeeping emergency pain relief comes pretty close to evil

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methoxyflurane

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCcF3x4WYAA2bzW.jpg)

> **Quoting billy (@billyhumblebrag):** Screaming in agony to laughing in 3 seconds flat.

### [Thread, continued, 13:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740366893637394519) · 1 like

Cc @JesseTayRiver and @algekalipso

### [Reply to @FabrykaAI, 13:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740367509055021559) · 3 likes

> **Fabryka AI (@FabrykaAI):** This kills the kidneys and it’s very very unhealthy to liver

Pain is extremely bad

### [Reply to @pyroxiumn, 13:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740367992901493216) · 1 like

> **pyroxiiumn (@pyroxiumn):** I lived bitch
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCZ0qa-agAAIyOy.jpg)
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCZ0qbcaMAAF0af.jpg)

Airbags are the 🐐

### [Reply, 13:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740368401556771299) · 7 likes

_(The tweet being replied to is no longer available.)_

Real

### [Reply to @ESYudkowsky, 13:54 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740370557399687603) · 6 likes

> **Eliezer Yudkowsky ⏹️ (@ESYudkowsky):** for maximum engagement, advertise each rephrased Sequence quote as a "post-rationalist" insight, and contrast it to naive rationalist dogmas that you have made up

🌶️🌶️🌶️

### [Tweet, 19:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740457004332909001) · 5 likes

R is great bc sometimes only way fast way to convert one thing into a different type of thing is to do a totally unprincipled series of intermediate conversions - and this somehow works even though a direct coercion throws an error or whatever

### [Thread, continued, 19:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740457009936490535) · 2 likes

First example I could find, specifically the “thing%>%as.matrix%>%as_tibble” bit

I swear sometimes it’s like 2-4 intermediate steps

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCdYbQpWQAAXU9g.jpg)

### [Reply to @austinc3301, 22:36 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740502023294816631)

> **Agus 🔸 (@austinc3301):** @AaronBergman18 Does this have any abuse potential? Because if not, this seems like a great idea

I mean I’d be shocked if it didn’t, but still think it should be available

### [Tweet, 22:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740503494694490120) · 63 likes

Crazy how many people in medicine who are otherwise very smart, thoughtful, reasonable, freedom-loving, broadly altruistic, and open minded are hard core authoritarian status quo defenders when it comes to medicine + it’s regulation

### [Thread, continued, 22:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740503496082981137) · 7 likes

Honestly impressive work by the med schools

### [Thread, continued, 22:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740503497605542251) · 8 likes

Ok fine “many” means 2, yesterday and today (and no examples to the contrary)

2 kinda is a lot tho

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 22:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740503742078992432) · 1 like

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** I think I do this for water too
>
> (quoting @absurdlymax: I think I'll eat when bored because it's like a slight dopamine spike)

If drinking water is super fun ur probably dehydrated

And god knows I think hydration is overrated at least in the US

### [Reply to @leah_pierson, 23:56 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740522178699735079) · 2 likes

> **Leah Pierson (@leah_pierson):** Are there specific status quos people are defending that you think they shouldn’t be?

My hobby horse is prescription, and also yesterdays convo was largely about AI just in medical care and the person claimed that while it was very promising for diagnosis, “treatment” would long be best left to humans

### [Thread, continued, 23:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740522706322518315) · 1 like

There are a lot of other status quo things I dislike that society implicitly defends by not changing them (lots in the vaccine space, also regularity of blood (and urine etc) testing, and AMA protectionism) but not that I’ve discussed in the last 48 hours

## Friday, December 29, 2023

### [Reply to @daniel_271828, 14:02 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740735009936331204) · 4 likes

> **zzDANIEL_ETH (@daniel_271828):** Picture of Eddie
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCgypAVagAAJAtj.jpg)

Dog

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 14:05 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740735711819493819) · 6 likes

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** From 2013
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GChJ1eTXAAAnF_F.jpg)

Big “big relative risk change doesn’t imply big absolute risk change” red flag from the headline alone

### [Quote tweet, 14:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740738772302692726) · 9 likes

How many QALYs are lost per duped consumer-purchase?

> **Quoting Rob Freund (@RobertFreundLaw):** Today, Hershey's was sued in a false advertising class action.
>
> Florida consumers say they were deceived because Reese's pumpkins don't actually have jack-o-lantern faces on them:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCe9ik4bMAAr8h1.png)

### [Reply, 14:40 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740744542431932562)

Has this literally ever happened for anything but core GiveWell stuff?

### [Reply to @Duderichy, 14:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740749328174796926) · 1 like

> **the Rich (@Duderichy):** the takeaway from this is you can punch well above your weight class in compensation by being willing to move to places most people won’t, or be willing to move at all.
>
> (quoting @Duderichy: when companies say they “only hire the best” they mean they hire the best they can afford within a narrow radius around the company to truly hire the best you need to look far away)

So basically SF and NYC

### [Reply to @GeorgeJourneys, 15:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740750270512902457) · 3 likes

> **George Journeys (@GeorgeJourneys):** No kidding!  Left one is so much more attractive!

\+1 and guessing ~everyone agrees

### [Quote tweet, 15:25 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740755955984605504) · 3 likes

I stand with Brother in Law ✊

> **Quoting alissacaliente (@alissacaliente):** my brother in law is a philosophy professor and for the past few days my dad has been asking him to teach him different thought experiments then as soon as he’s finished explaining my dad goes “no, that’s wrong, that’s stupid”

### [Reply to @littIeramblings, 15:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740756481505689723) · 1 like

> **sarah (@littIeramblings):** it’s nothing important I’m just rlly excited about my new coat
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GChoFt8XUAAN0eA.jpg)

Looks British

### [Reply to @relic_radiation, 15:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740757574822297631) · 1 like

> **Elena Lake 🌿 (@relic_radiation):** helped a friend learn intro machine learning today - basic neural network math
>
> and honestly it felt as fun as playing a board game
>
> so I guess hit me up if you live in the Bay Area and want machine learning or linear algebra tutoring?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCfWzL7bgAAZU8m.jpg)

Plot twist you hate board games

### [Tweet, 15:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740760818055344331) · 8 likes

“What it is like” as used to describe phenomenal consciousness is such a weird and interesting phrase

It’s a simile with mere placeholders for both object (what) and subject (it)

### [Thread, continued, 15:44 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740760819497926770) · 2 likes

Devoid of semantic content if read literally, but it works because it gestures to our tendency to use comparison rather than description to convey subjective experience linguistically

### [Tweet, 18:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740803096325022187) · 30 likes

Out
\- family vacations where I don’t get my own room
\- default 10% giving to check ur EA box
\- Saying you live in DC but actually living in Maryland

In
\- Beard
\- progressive taxation norm + trying to make a lot more money
\- Saying you live in DC but actually living in Virginia

### [Reply to @AndyMasley, 18:57 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740809247624188409) · 17 likes

> **Andy Masley (@AndyMasley):** There's basically no way to avoid believing at least a few things that are very weird
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCiUyuOW4AACq4Z.jpg)

Noooooo everything must comport with my intuitive folk understanding of the world shaped by the weird interaction of evolution-designed cognition/heuristics and extremely uncommon historical circumstances nooooooooo

### [Reply, 19:04 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740811137674093020) · 1 like

I mean in some sense I don’t think that’s supposed to be their job - their job is to ~elicit latent knowledge~ from people who do understand and convey it with max fidelity subject to constraints imposed by the audience

### [Reply to @eshear, 19:07 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740811745428639929) · 3 likes

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** Democracy is how we enable peaceful regime change in the executive and legislative state instead of violent revolution.
> I think one of the deepest political question of our time is how we enable peaceful regime change in the bureaucratic and regulatory state.

I mean the current US system isn’t perfect, but it sure could be worse than presidential appointments of top officials + civil service

Like of all the things US govt could be better at, this doesn’t seem like the most important to improve

### [Reply to @NathanpmYoung, 19:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740812931967988066)

> **Nathan 🔎 (@NathanpmYoung):** I think their job is to make predictions about what matters and update their audience on those things towards reality as much as they can given their audience.
>
> Whether it's their job or not, I pick dwarkesh

Ya fair enough I was talking pretty abstractly

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 19:32 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740818089032429674) · 4 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

We thank you for ur support 🙏🏼

### [Quote tweet, 19:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740822433173787042) · 5 likes

.@open_phil

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/btTeBHKGkmRyD5sFK/open-phil-should-allocate-most-neartermist-funding-to-animal

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCikxuvWcAAJDia.jpg)

> **Quoting Trevor Levin (@trevposts):** Hot take, but tentatively I think people in EA are surprisingly not that thoughtful about their donations and wind up doing exactly the feelings-based giving that the whole thing is supposed to supercede.

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 19:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740823953680064946) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Moralizing things other than actions which have nontrivial consequences for other sentient beings  🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

### [Reply to @trevposts, 20:01 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740825456881127766) · 2 likes

> **Trevor Levin (@trevposts):** @AaronBergman18 @open_phil I mean, respectfully, is this AI alignment thing the biggest deal in the world or not?
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCimD8iXMAA6U4R.jpg)

Based calling me out

1\) pedantic literal answer is “idk, probably the Big Bang was more important, maybe something about multiverses”

2\) for context, I was just one of four ppl deciding on the beneficiary…

### [Thread, continued, 20:03 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740825889540116785) · 1 like

For twitter-specific and social dynamics reasons, there were considerations besides “where is the next $x best spent” because x is endogenous and stuff relating to signaling

My hope was to do 50/50 AWF and LTFF (even though I don’t endorse splitting for individual donors)

### [Reply to @trevposts, 20:12 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740828215286149618) · 2 likes

> **Trevor Levin (@trevposts):** @AaronBergman18 @open_phil I did indeed choose chaos today 😈
> But yeah like, I agree that the case for FAW >> GHD is strong, but also that XR >> FAW, so that fundraiser was part of what I had in mind!

Yes we love chaos 😈😈😈

Also is sorta cope but still true: I never claimed that the fundraiser was literally the thing anyone should donate to, all things considered

Two people have asked this, basically, and I’ve told them “no I think you should donate to RP”

## Saturday, December 30, 2023

### [Reply to @peterwildeford, 02:55 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740929561888772598) · 2 likes

> **Peter Wildeford🇺🇸🚀 (@peterwildeford):** @AaronBergman18 ~1 / 2.52288e15

I think it’s closer to 3.044781e-15

### [Tweet, 05:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740975878295691566) · 7 likes

No promises but:

For people who have blogs that are very broadly EA/rationalist adjacent BUT don’t usually get crossposted to LW/EA Forum: would you want me to set up a single unified podcast feed where an AI (same service as Nonlinear Library) reads out your posts?

### [Thread, continued, 05:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740975880565088533) · 4 likes

Obviously forgetting like 100 people but @rgblong @ilex_ulmus @panickssery @absurdlymax @inesferhumi @EAheadlines @mealreplacer

Feel free to tag others!

### [Thread, continued, 06:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740976240520220807) · 1 like

Inclusion is subject to my arbitrary discretion 😤

### [Tweet, 06:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740983005970309598) · 45 likes

Did anyone else make a series of relatively small and inconsequential but kinda embarrassing faux pas when entering the corporate world for the first time?

Like apparently ur not supposed to ask a random (relevant) question in a Slack channel with a couple dozen people?

### [Reply to @polisisti, 06:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740984022564802683) · 4 likes

> **Alessandro (@polisisti):** yep, I think one learns these things quickly, though!

Both times someone slid into my DMs in like .04 seconds lol

### [Thread, continued, 06:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740984055020355599) · 2 likes

Honestly pretty impressive

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 06:58 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1740990714346172598) · 1 like

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** i said pushing P in a work meeting
>
> (quoting @AaronBergman18: Did anyone else make a series of relatively small and inconsequential but kinda embarrassing faux pas when entering the corporate world for the first time? Like apparently ur not supposed to ask a random (relevant) question in a Slack channel with a couple dozen people?)

I don't know what that means and I'm not sure I want to

### [Reply to @QualyThe, 14:27 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741103776411300125) · 3 likes

> **Qualy the lightbulb (@QualyThe):** Oh no I missed this :(
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCmRRkWWsAEh3_W.jpg)

Rip

### [Reply to @Kirsten3531, 19:42 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741183077039161476) · 8 likes

> **Kirsten (@Kirsten3531):** @AaronBergman18 I unironically recommend
>
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unspoken-Rules-Secrets-Starting-Career/dp/1647820448

\*sends this link to the whole company\*

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 19:49 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741184686179655987) · 5 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** \*Donating to effective global health charities and worrying about global catastrophic risks\*
>
> Is this a cult??
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCnhdaIWYAA3Ds3.jpg)

### [Reply to @univrsw3th4rt, 19:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741185235885142345) · 2 likes

> **universe sweetheart 💓🌈💭 (@univrsw3th4rt):** Do you look your age? Post a pic 📸
>
> ✨26✨
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCm2bagW4AAX6mM.jpg)
> (quoting @SurenVynn: Do you look your age? Post a pic 📸 \*coughs\* 21 \*coughs\*)

I looked way too young for like a good 6ish years (like 13-19, peaking around 17) and this is permanently burned into my psyche

### [Quote tweet, 19:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741185876036575279) · 55 likes

Subject: your application

> **Quoting Flame (炎) (@yanti8ve):**
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F8PRpkjbUAAR5dd.jpg)

### [Reply to @inesferhumi, 20:37 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741196716622205215) · 3 likes

> **Inés (@inesferhumi):** @AaronBergman18 @rgblong @ilex_ulmus @panickssery @absurdlymax @EAheadlines @mealreplacer I support this idea in general but for me personally i feel like it would make me feel pressured to write about topics that are EA enough to be on that podcast feed (whereas i want to be able to write about anything) so i think im gonna opt out

No that’s the whole point! The actual ea stuff already gets on the forum and then two different feeds

### [Reply to @SpacedOutMatt, 20:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741199204796576179) · 3 likes

> **Matt 🔸 (@SpacedOutMatt):** It’s so over for y’all
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCn0WXXW4AEmL0c.jpg)

Lmk when you have a settled all things considered worldview and ethics for me to adopt

### [Tweet, 21:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741205774959874225) · 123 likes

Uber is a much better deal when understood as a way to not need a car

### [Reply to @notanastronomer, 21:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741206887230509232) · 8 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @notanastronomer is no longer available.)_

Yeah for sure. Looks like empirically I’ve spent about $160 over 5 weeks since moving but yeah metro + bus still has to be default for it to work

### [Thread, continued, 21:18 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741207097084113137) · 3 likes

I’d also have to spend about $100/month for parking

### [Reply to @absurdlymax, 22:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741222072020292054) · 2 likes

> **Max Alexander (@absurdlymax):** @AaronBergman18 That was too real though

👻

### [Quote tweet, 22:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741228431897964546) · 14 likes

Has anyone figured out whether ChatGPT-4 is a well calibrated forecaster?

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCoWCANWkAAepLZ.jpg)

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** Uber is a much better deal when understood as a way to not need a car

## Sunday, December 31, 2023

### [Quote tweet, 00:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741249440915112180) · 6 likes

No crazy hacks here but in case it helps someone (although I do think “channel the wisdom of the greatest minds who have ever lived” gets you some alpha lol)

Much of this is borrowed from @SpencrGreenberg

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCopIzuWQAAskKt.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCopIzuWoAA1QIr.jpg)

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCopIztW8AAFk2w.jpg)

> **Quoting Bolek (@bolekkerous):** @AaronBergman18 can you share the custom instruction prompt?

### [Reply to @mealreplacer, 00:10 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741250465277337726) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @mealreplacer is no longer available.)_

I mean I am in fact kinda weird but sharing a small townhouse with two peers who share my interests (no relationships among us unless they are extremely good at hiding it) is not a reason why

### [Quote tweet, 00:17 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741252191032098862) · 54 likes

In addition to being very funny, this is also pretty misleading

DC EAs are substantially and noticeably less weird (for better and for worse; I actually think on the margin we should be weirder) than (to generalize) those in the Bay Area - not at all an ~identical culture

> **Quoting Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert):** Professed tolerance is often skin-deep.
>
> Living multiple adults under the same roof is apparently unacceptably weird.
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCoVbSkWQAAOw5s.jpg)

### [Reply to @tescrealaccist, 03:11 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741295970820718679) · 6 likes

> **TESCREAL/acc💙 (@tescrealaccist):** I could be totally wrong, but the levels of weirdness I’ve seen at DC EA adjacent events are disappointingly tame.
>
> I was promised multidimensional polycules, and very conversation is on housing policy or what you do for a living

@AndyMasley get on this

### [Tweet, 04:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741314270229344394) · 19 likes

It’s the authors thing, I guess

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCpkGb8WkAAbEvW.jpg)

### [Quote tweet, 05:45 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741334828002291818) · 3 likes

If I’m right about value realism but normative anti-realism,\* this is literally true but still objectively bad

\*As defended on Consistently Candid with @littIeramblings

Substack redirect where I elaborate a bit (plus transcript): https://bit.ly/absstest

> **Quoting eigenrobot (@eigenrobot):** occasional reminder you can refuse to take things seriously and theres nothing anyone can do about it

### [Reply, 05:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741336456591819015) · 1 like

I have a part time (non-EA) job!

I’m gonna keep applying for (direct) EA opportunities as they arise and seem plausible but thinking more about how to do semi-normie (ie probably not good enough for Jane Street, wrong skills and maybe too short timelines for tech) etg

### [Reply to @amimevalepitito, 05:53 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741336725933199396) · 1 like

> **Jonathan Frankfurter (@amimevalepitito):** @AaronBergman18 lol how are your apps going? I just got rejected for an EA gig I was overqualified for...but I was at least able to negotiate a $150 reward for a 3 hr work test.

My 80,000 Hours CEO expression of interest is still outstanding 😤

### [Quote tweet, 06:00 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741338507677712810) · 5 likes

Broke: progressive taxation norm to be fair while increasing total donations

Woke: slightly regressive taxation norm to punish people for not earning and giving more

> **Quoting Aaron Bergman 🔍 (@AaronBergman18):** The 10% of salary donating thing is probably suboptimal and should be replaced by a progressive taxation type thing, which would elicit more donation dollars without necessarily increasing the ex ante individual burden

### [Reply to @Keefler_Elf, 06:14 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741342167430308062) · 34 likes

> **Keefler (@Keefler_Elf):** what was their plan

[![Video thumbnail](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1741342125382303744/pu/img/-o9YvaoS9aa-oTC1.jpg)](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741342167430308062/video/1) (video, plays on X)

### [Reply to @bijibiji2023, 06:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741344663833809363) · 1 like

> **hoff 🧒🏻😻 (@bijibiji2023):** @AaronBergman18 Thank you so much chat GPT that is truly awful

They say thx

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCp_vhjWwAApy5w.jpg)

### [Reply, 06:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741346272303264114) · 1 like

Honestly tho it’s weird bc I think there’s a nontrivial chance theres some sort of conscious experience going on, but if so that it is almost certainly disconnected from the experience being implied by the text it produces

![Image](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCqBNJeXkAA34F2.jpg)

### [Thread, continued, 06:31 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741346443154108654) · 1 like

Tbc low but not like .01%. Haven’t thought a ton about it, maybe 2%ish

### [Reply to @RafaRuizdeLira, 15:22 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741480052951314498) · 8 likes

> **Rafael Ruiz ⏸️🔸 (@RafaRuizdeLira):** what if
> shrimp
> died

😢we must solve death

### [Reply to @frances__lorenz, 15:24 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741480556901069160) · 1 like

_(The tweet being replied to by @frances__lorenz is no longer available.)_

Correct take

### [Reply to @TetraspaceWest, 16:06 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741490967641817509) · 3 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @TetraspaceWest is no longer available.)_

F

### [Quote tweet, 16:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741499142466085132) · 54 likes

It is authoritarian in a very simple, literal sense to prevent people from knowing the contents of their own body

> **Quoting Medic Kim (@medickimw):** Why don’t we have at-home antigen tests?
>
> Because the FDA panels are composed of these people:
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCj_lwoWwAAV1LE.jpg)

### [Reply to @eshear, 16:59 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741504357470806346) · 3 likes

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** I often write threads of the form “both A and B are sometimes right, and sometimes wrong. Don’t be fooled into thinking either is the True Answer.”
> And inevitably, I will get someone strongly agreeing with me that “yeah, B is awesome, glad you get it about how A is bad”.
>
> [GIF attached](https://x.com/eshear/status/1741500898600522009/photo/1)

Sometimes they’re right!

### [Reply to @dbcmckee, 17:13 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741507928991895893) · 1 like

> **Darren McKee (@dbcmckee):** What career advice would you give a 16/17 year old given broad and rapidly increasing AI capabilities?

Own equity in ???something??? via a custodial investment account

### [Quote tweet, 17:26 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741511242521391277) · 144 likes

This used to be my point of view, and there is some truth to it, but I’ve come to think that actually if you set up the right physical/biochemical preconditions, you don’t actually have to suffer that much (eg you’ll enjoy exercising)

> **Quoting Jack D Coulson (@jackdcoulson):** The golden rule to transforming your mind, body and life in 2024
>
> Read this thread if you want to be happier, healthier, fitter, wealthier and stronger
>
> [image attached](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCnyNXbWAAAZ-tZ.jpg)

### [Reply to @alt_truistic, 22:51 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741593066539004416) · 2 likes

_(The tweet being replied to by @alt_truistic is no longer available.)_

Same

### [Quote tweet, 23:08 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741597163388293373) · 3 likes

Making the kid take a coat could be warranted, but making them wear one m??

No parents need to chill. If they aren’t cold and they aren’t literally hypothermic than to each their own

> **Quoting yatharth ༺༒༻ (@AskYatharth):** is it important to tell kids to wear jackets when it's cold outside and they don't want to? won't they just... feel cold and wear if they need?

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:35 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741604137911889963) · 21 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 31, 2023:** This used to be my point of view, and there is some truth to it, but I’ve come to think that actually if you set up the right physical/biochemical…

Preconditions are something like

\- physical biochemical function: Test for anemia, b12, thyroid, testosterone if male

\- other diseases (which may cash out as biochem function but still) incl depression

\- temperature: same physical movement in the heat feels way harder

### [Thread, continued, 23:38 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741604678444413218) · 13 likes

\- metabolism: I’m not really up for debating rn but ease with which your body converts stored chemical energy (even if as glycogen rather than fat) into I think ATP seems to matter…and yes this probably involves diet and genetics (which like if you’re unlucky you’re unlucky 🙁)

### [Thread, continued, 23:39 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741605149687091421) · 10 likes

\- injury: IME a weird intuition not to do X, if followed by doing X anyway, results in exacerbating an existing injury of some sort

\- other: stress, music/podcast if ur insane, ???

### [Reply, 23:41 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741605499970240888)

I guess I’d have just told him to take one with him, not literally put it on

### [Reply to his own earlier tweet, 23:43 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741606083255296039) · 8 likes

> **Aaron Bergman, December 31, 2023:** \- injury: IME a weird intuition not to do X, if followed by doing X anyway, results in exacerbating an existing injury of some sort - other: stress,…

Also, my point is that suffering is not inevitable, not that you’re going to love every form of intense exercise

Like yeah hill sprints might suck even if your favorite forms of RPE 4-8 exercise do not

### [Reply to @ryancbriggs, 23:46 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741606717576605845) · 1 like

> **Ryan Briggs (@ryancbriggs):** @AaronBergman18 You’re probably underestimating the mental energy involved in making these sort of choices very many times every day. It’s quite hard to reason them out each time, and it often confuses kids to get different outcomes (why? Why??!). A much better choice is often a consistent rule

Yeah ur right I probably am lol

Maybe I’ll correct myself in idk 6-15 years

### [Reply to @eshear, 23:52 UTC](https://x.com/AaronBergman18/status/1741608329607008387) · 16 likes

> **Emmett Shear (@eshear):** Big complicated system are inevitably composed of smaller simpler ones. Bodies are made of cells. Organizations are made of teams, teams made of individuals. Computers are made of logic gates, themselves made of transistors.
> What are intelligences made out of ?

My guess is “detectors”

Eg edge, color/, is_foot, is_dog etc detectors make up a visual system like human cells make up a particular organ that say lobsters do not have

Prefix, concept, emotional valence detectors make up a language system

Etc

---

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