Seeking Bird Perspectives

What is so great about "bird perspectives"? That will be discussed in one of the next posts of this intellectual-travelogue-type Substack newsletter.

The hottest Substack posts of Seeking Bird Perspectives

And their main takeaways
6 implied HN points β€’ 02 Dec 24
  1. The bird perspective means looking at things from a higher viewpoint to understand the bigger picture. It helps you see how your situation fits into a larger context.
  2. The outside view uses past experiences and similar cases to predict outcomes, but it can miss important details about your specific situation. It's important to find a balance between general predictions and unique factors.
  3. Using these perspectives can help reduce biases in decision-making. They inspire clearer thinking, but they shouldn't be used as the only way to argue or win a debate.
2 HN points β€’ 04 Dec 22
  1. Social media has played a significant role in increased polarization and dysfunction.
  2. Social media has made it more difficult for people to change their minds as their opinions are publicly archived.
  3. The lack of a 'track of reason' may be leading to unending conflict and challenges in societal progress.
1 HN point β€’ 05 Jun 22
  1. Bad mental models can be harmful and lead to mistaken beliefs.
  2. Examples like the pie fallacy and the CICO fallacy show how misconceptions can have real-world consequences.
  3. It's important to critically assess common mental models to avoid harmful effects on society.
1 HN point β€’ 04 May 22
  1. Scientific studies may produce false results due to various factors like subconscious cues and allegiances of researchers.
  2. A body of scientific evidence can be built on air due to career incentives, making it seem valid even if it's false.
  3. Differentiating between high-quality and low-quality scientific evidence is crucial, as quantity does not always indicate validity.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:
1 HN point β€’ 04 Dec 21
  1. American politics can be decomposed into three main modes: wokeness, charisma, and Trump.
  2. Wokeness can lead to an advantage for the Republican party in elections.
  3. Charisma and Trump's unique character are important factors in American politics.
0 implied HN points β€’ 08 Feb 23
  1. Stick to clean and simple rules for poker, like best hand wins.
  2. No-limit games are better for poker than pot-limit or fixed-limit rules.
  3. A good poker format should have multiple betting rounds and allow for strategic gameplay.
0 implied HN points β€’ 15 Dec 24
  1. Many people don't see things from a different viewpoint, or 'bird perspective', so don't assume they do. It's important to remember that others might be focused on their own views, which can be very narrow.
  2. Religious beliefs and opinions on science can often be influenced by personal feelings rather than objective reasoning. These beliefs can sometimes act more like games people play than actual factual beliefs.
  3. In ethics, trying to think universally can be tricky, as everyone has their own personal experiences that shape their views. It’s a challenge to find common ground while managing our unique viewpoints.
0 implied HN points β€’ 08 Feb 23
  1. The book 'The Mathematics of Poker' emphasizes thinking about poker more than just providing practical formulas.
  2. It delves into the mathematical aspects of poker and how it can be a game of decision-making under uncertainty.
  3. Positional advantage and strategic bluffing are highlighted as key concepts in understanding the game.