In My Tribe

In My Tribe explores complex societal, political, and economic issues with a focus on skepticism, the importance of epistemology, and the critique of managerial elites and institutional dynamics. It addresses contemporary social debates, including drug policy, gender roles, and the influence of libertarianism, while promoting intellectual discussions.

Societal and Epistemic Analysis Political and Economic Views Drug Policy and Regulation Gender Dynamics in Institutions Racial Perceptions in Legal Systems Generational Cultural Shifts Evolutionary Perspectives on Behavior Managerial Class Critique Cultural and Political Discussions Religious Authority in Modern Societies Financial Regulation Economics and Sociology Political Beliefs Formation Libertarianism Health Insurance Policy

The hottest Substack posts of In My Tribe

And their main takeaways

Jews and Communism

2 HN points • 17 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Communism Ethnicity Religion Ideology
  1. American Jewish memory often overlooks the association between Jews and Communists, but for some, the entanglement holds significant personal history.
  2. Historically, as an ethnic group, Jews tend to lean toward leftist political movements due to urban living, progressive support of Jewish emancipation, and traditions that favored learning and commerce.
  3. Despite some historical ties, many Jews today are turning away from left-wing anti-capitalism, as they may feel alienated by the portrayal of Jewish entities by the left.

Where I stand on libertarianism

1 HN point • 12 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Ideologies Values Policies Government Discrimination
  1. Favorite libertarian policies include school choice, free trade, small government, deregulation, and women's choice on abortion.
  2. Issues where the author disagrees with libertarian views are total passivity in foreign policy, open borders, privatization of security, drug legalization, and taking order for granted.
  3. The author has mixed views on non-profits and discrimination, leaning towards skepticism of non-profits and preferring a focus on treating people as individuals.

Three Components of Social Order

1 HN point • 08 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Politics Government Morality Ideology
  1. Society functions well when people engage in positive-sum games like voluntary exchange, instead of negative-sum games like taking things from others.
  2. Social order depends on economic/technological, political/legal, and moral/intellectual components, each contributing in unique ways.
  3. Concerns arise over centralization in economic/technological issues, stability in political order, and decline in moral/intellectual values.

Wright and Wrong

2 HN points • 01 Feb 24
  1. There are different perspectives on America's role in the world when it comes to military intervention.
  2. The Moral Humility approach emphasizes understanding all sides' legitimate aspirations, while the neoconservative approach focuses on promoting Western democracy.
  3. Balancing moral clarity and cognitive humility is key to making the best choices in dealing with bad actors in the world.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Economic Activity in Context

1 HN point • 05 Mar 24
💼 Business Economic Theory Human behavior Market Dynamics Economic History
  1. Human interdependence is a key aspect of economic activity, involving psychology, sociology, and anthropology in addition to traditional economic theory.
  2. Specialization and trade, unique to humans, play a vital role in economic activity evolution, with increasing complexity observed over time.
  3. In human interactions, balancing individual, group, and societal level incentives presents challenges, with markets often being efficient at the societal level.

What Stops Learning?

2 HN points • 21 Jan 24
  1. Innate limitations, bad health, bad role models, lack of persistence, experiences, time, and closed-mindedness can all hinder individual learning.
  2. Repression, dogmatism, disorder, and bad ideas can impede collective learning in societies.
  3. Learning is essential as humans have the unique ability to create, transmit, and accumulate knowledge, contributing to progress and development.

The Null Hypothesis Strikes Again

2 HN points • 20 Jan 24
  1. Education interventions often do not show significant long-term benefits compared to control groups.
  2. Results from social programs are frequently found to have little impact overall.
  3. Social issues are complex, with solutions often leading back to where they started.

Rob Henderson's *Troubled*

1 HN point • 26 Feb 24
📚 Literature Memoir Youth Social Mobility
  1. Upward social mobility should be a result of focusing on family, stability, and emotional well-being for children.
  2. Teen years can be a time of overwhelming pressure to fit in and be accepted by peers, leading to actions that may not be in one's best interest.
  3. Books like 'Manchild in the Promised Land' and 'Random Family' explore the challenges faced by troubled youth in different cultural contexts, highlighting the importance of fitting in and finding acceptance.

Decision Rules vs. Pattern Matching

2 HN points • 16 Jan 24
  1. Computer programs can use decision rules or pattern matching for tasks like playing games or reviewing credit reports.
  2. Pattern matching is effective for tasks like loan underwriting, uncovering hidden risk factors.
  3. Large language models like chatbots rely on pattern matching and can be more flexible and creative compared to rule-based systems.

Rock, Paper, Scissors, and Race

1 HN point • 23 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Race Debate Individualism Inequality
  1. In the debate about race, the stances can be compared to Rock, Paper, Scissors - individualism, equalitarianism, and realism.
  2. Each stance has its weaknesses: individualism may not address inequality, equalitarianism can downplay race-based differences, and realism can lead to stereotypes.
  3. Choosing to respond to people as individuals while acknowledging the emotional power of societal issues can be a solid approach in the race discussion.

Rob Henderson and Lorenzo Warby on Elite Beliefs

1 HN point • 11 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Beliefs Social Class Psychology Education
  1. Elites often live in an epistemic bubble that separates them from the majority of ordinary citizens, influencing their beliefs and attitudes.
  2. Power tends to concentrate in the hands of people skeptical of freedom, creating a complex system where fewer individuals amass power.
  3. Elite beliefs can be shaped by factors like parental status and class loyalty, while Post-Enlightenment Progressivism is viewed by some as having religious undertones.

Statistical Jargon to Use and to Avoid

1 HN point • 09 Feb 24
  1. Understand the trade-offs between Type I and Type II errors.
  2. Be cautious of inverse probability statements in statistics and avoid confusing different interpretations.
  3. Question the concept of 'statistical significance' and rely more on common sense judgment when evaluating research results.

LLM links

1 HN point • 15 Jan 24
  1. Large language models show strong bias towards the left due to available writing leaning that way; overcoming this bias would require significant effort
  2. AI will play a big role in disrupting various sectors; the ability to simulate realistic content can be both a threat and an opportunity
  3. Robots are seen as the next big application for large language models (LLMs), with potential in understanding voice commands and driving technological advancements

NYT vs. LLMs

1 HN point • 10 Jan 24
  1. Enforcing every law strictly could lead to chaos, as seen with speeding or marijuana laws.
  2. Legal decisions often balance between not punishing the innocent and not letting the guilty go free.
  3. In copyright disputes, the tension lies between spreading knowledge freely and ensuring creators get paid.

The True Role of the Central Bank

1 HN point • 09 Jan 24
  1. Central banks prioritize enabling government borrowing over other goals like inflation.
  2. Public Choice theory suggests government intervention tends to favor subsidizing demand and restricting supply.
  3. Price discrimination can be a powerful tool for businesses with high fixed costs.