Cremieux Recueil

Cremieux Recueil analyzes and discusses a wide array of significant papers across various disciplines, focusing on empirical support, societal impacts, and debunking myths. It covers topics from birth control history and sexual misconduct to racial intelligence gaps, climate policy, diversity in organizations, and the effects of intermarriage in America.

Birth Control and Reproductive Health Sexual Misconduct Societal Myths and Intelligence Interracial Marriage Scientific Research Integrity Maternal Health Education Systems Racial Segregation Admissions and Hiring Bias Abortion Policies Historical Narratives Immigration Diversity and Talent Serial Killers Standardized Testing Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Studies Happiness and Income Racial Gaps Climate Change Policy Genetic Editing Examination Results Error Correction Minority Influence Immigration Economics Learning Myths Cultural Impact of Memes

The hottest Substack posts of Cremieux Recueil

And their main takeaways

The Value of Foreign Diplomas

483 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Education Employment Economics Policy
  1. People often assume that a degree from a prestigious school means a candidate is more qualified, but the same should apply to comparing U.S. natives with immigrants. Many immigrants may not have the same skills or education levels as U.S. natives who have degrees.
  2. Research shows that immigrants with foreign degrees often perform worse than U.S. natives with degrees in tests of literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving. This suggests a gap in skills that may not be recognized.
  3. Reforming immigration by focusing on skill-based assessments rather than just degrees could lead to better outcomes for the U.S. It would allow for hiring more skilled immigrants while still benefiting the native population.

National IQs Are Valid

809 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Analysis Social Issues
  1. National IQ estimates can be reliable and realistic even if they seem low, as they reflect a range of factors, including cultural and environmental influences.
  2. It's important to understand that an IQ score does not solely define someone’s abilities, especially in different cultural contexts where adaptive functioning matters more.
  3. Critics of national IQ data often misunderstand how mental retardation is defined and how IQ tests measure intelligence, leading to flawed arguments against the use of national IQ data.

Grading the World's Shortest Manifesto

1944 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy Healthcare Criminal Justice Social Issues Mental health
  1. The manifesto written by the killer does not support his actions and lacks logical reasoning. It fails to make a strong case for why he committed such a violent act.
  2. The killer misunderstands the U.S. healthcare system and its costs. Poor life expectancy in the U.S. is mostly due to factors unrelated to healthcare quality, like obesity and violence, rather than the system itself.
  3. Blaming 'corruption and greed' in the healthcare system oversimplifies complex issues. Good people can make bad choices in healthcare policy without being motivated by greed or corruption.

Lessons About the Civil Service and Political Appointees

567 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Civil Service Governance Party Affiliation Bureaucracy
  1. Civil servants often prioritize their own beliefs over the goals of the president, which can create problems in running the government. This misalignment can lead to delays and increased costs in government projects.
  2. Political loyalty plays a big role in how well civil servants perform their jobs. When civil servants are aligned with the president's party, they tend to work more effectively and efficiently, saving the government time and money.
  3. Changes in political leadership can affect civil servants' loyalties, but many will still lean toward their original party. This can create challenges for a new administration trying to implement its policies, especially if they face resistance from a predominantly opposing workforce.

Focusing on Healthcare’s Administrative Costs Is Misguided

610 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare Reform Policy Analysis Economic Impact Public Health
  1. The idea that administrative costs in healthcare are the main issue is often wrong. Many studies show the key costs come from provider payments, not just administration.
  2. Comparing U.S. administrative spending to other countries shows Americans spend similar percentages on administration, but overall higher costs are mostly due to higher payments to healthcare providers.
  3. Improving how healthcare is managed, especially through better corporate governance, can help reduce administrative costs, but we need broader reforms to really lower healthcare prices.
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Trump Should Finish What He Started

658 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tax policy Bipartisan Issues Political Advocacy
  1. A Destination-Based Cash Flow Tax (DBCFT) can simplify the tax system by making it easier to track consumption rather than complicated income measurements. This means businesses won't need to navigate through complex deductions and depreciation rules.
  2. Switching to a consumption tax can help encourage saving and investment, making the economy grow better over time. It treats current and future consumption equally, which can make people want to invest more.
  3. Taxes influence how businesses choose to finance themselves, often making debt more attractive than equity. A neutral tax approach would allow businesses to pick the best financing method without extra costs from tax rules.

Evaluating a Sitting Senator's Healthcare Claims

392 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Healthcare Legislation Government Public Health Statistics
  1. Senator Chris Murphy made strong claims about healthcare causing deaths in the U.S. but lacked accurate data to back them up. It's important for public officials to use correct statistics when discussing serious issues.
  2. Many deaths in America are unrelated to insurance denials, especially for people over age 65 who are mostly covered by Medicare. This shows that the healthcare system isn't as profit-driven in these cases as Senator Murphy suggested.
  3. Studies have shown that expanding access to healthcare has only small effects on overall mortality. Claims about thousands of deaths caused by lack of care might be greatly exaggerated.

"You Couldn't Replicate Our Study Because You're Ugly"

416 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🔬 Science Research Methods Social Psychology Statistical Analysis Methodology
  1. Attractiveness studies may not be very reliable because their methods can be flawed. It's important to be careful about how these studies are designed and what they claim.
  2. Different studies use different ways to measure attractiveness, which can lead to confusion and mismatched results. It's not always clear which findings are valid.
  3. Racial preference in dating apps can be hard to measure correctly. Good research design is key, and many studies may not handle these issues well, leading to uncertain conclusions.

American Elections Are Unfair

446 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Voting Democracy Political Bias Reform
  1. Many American elections have unfair practices, especially how candidates are listed on ballots. This can give a big advantage to candidates whose names appear earlier alphabetically.
  2. The media can influence election outcomes by favoring certain candidates, which makes the elections feel less fair. Bias from media coverage can pressure voters and affect their choices.
  3. Fixing the unfairness in elections is easy. Simple changes like randomizing ballot order can make a big difference in creating a fair voting process.

Preregistration Is No Panacea

283 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🔬 Science Research Methods Psychology Artificial Intelligence Educational Research
  1. Preregistration in research is not a guaranteed way to ensure the accuracy of results. Even when studies are preregistered, they can still produce results that don't hold up upon replication.
  2. Simply preregistering a study isn’t enough. There needs to be strict detail and oversight in how research is conducted to prevent 'p-hacking' or manipulating data for desired results.
  3. Focusing on predictive research rather than just explanatory studies can help ensure that research is more relevant and impactful. When studies predict future outcomes, they are more likely to contribute meaningfully to our understanding.

Education Isn’t What It Used To Be

253 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🚌 Education Reform Impact Results Comparison
  1. Education systems have changed, resulting in complex impacts on intelligence and educational outcomes over time.
  2. The duration and intensity of schooling play crucial roles in student performance, with balanced effects observed when intensity increases with reduced school lengths.
  3. Reducing time in school can give young adults back time to start their careers, form relationships, and enjoy their adult lives.

What Happens When You Use a Biased Test for Admissions?

241 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🚌 Education Standardized tests Education system
  1. Standardized tests can play a crucial role in admissions, as other evaluation criteria like interviews and extracurriculars tend to be biased.
  2. Grade inflation can lead to biases in GPAs, impacting underrepresented students and creating disadvantages based on school demographics or parental education levels.
  3. Using biased tests, like the English listening section of China's Gaokao exam, can inadvertently disadvantage certain groups and impact college admissions, forcing a balance between bias correction and maintaining test significance.

Intermarriage in America Post-Loving v. Virginia

253 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Marriage Race Demographics Data Analysis Social Trends
  1. Before Loving v. Virginia in 1967, state laws banning interracial marriage were common in the U.S., stretching back to the 1600s.
  2. Since the legalization of interracial marriage, the rates have increased over time, showing a more mixed ethnoracial composition in America.
  3. Analysis of interracial marriage rates can provide insights into race relations, impact of societal movements like the 'Great Awokening,' and patterns of intermixing across different races and sexes.

The Fruits of Philosophy

434 implied HN points • 09 Sep 23
💾 History Population decline
  1. Birth control methods have been used for thousands of years, and people have always tried to have control over family size.
  2. Modern birth control methods like condoms, pills, and IUDs are highly effective in preventing pregnancies.
  3. Events like the Bradlaugh-Besant trial in Britain had a significant impact on fertility rates by making birth control information widely available.

Wanted: More Maternal Health Research

229 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Maternal health Research Analysis
  1. More research on how maternal health impacts child outcomes is needed and important.
  2. Epidurals are commonly used for pain relief during childbirth despite concerns about their impact on babies.
  3. Studying maternal immune activation in pregnancy is a major research focus, but evidence in humans suggests it may not have the expected effects.

Bias in Admissions and Hiring

175 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Admissions Discrimination Testing Selection
  1. Bias in admissions and hiring is a significant issue, especially in areas like India and Bangladesh.
  2. Using unbiased testing is essential to reduce discrimination in the selection process for students and employees.
  3. Subjective selection methods can be biased and unreliable, making tests a more objective and fair alternative.

Missing Fixed Effects Don't Justify Segregation

199 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Judiciary Policy Research Medical Discrimination
  1. Justice Jackson's statements about segregation and survival rates of Black newborns were not strongly supported by a 2020 study.
  2. The exclusion of important fixed effects in studies can lead to incorrect or misleading conclusions.
  3. The issue of missing fixed effects is common in research and can impact policy decisions and research priorities.

Diversity Goals Imply Quality Trade-Offs

132 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Diversity Affirmative Action Meritocracy Discrimination Legal system
  1. Diversity goals can lead to compromising organizational operations and contradict the idea of rewarding based on contributions.
  2. Affirmative action initiatives may end up favoring less talented individuals over more qualified candidates from minority populations.
  3. Recruiting a highly talented and diverse workforce can be challenging due to the small number of gifted individuals from low-performing populations.

Two Stories About Jews

157 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
💾 History Propaganda International relations Anti-Semitism Warfare
  1. In history, different perceptions of power dynamics between nations can have significant impacts.
  2. Individual actions can have unexpected consequences, like how one American banker's support affected perceptions of Jews.
  3. Acts of kindness and bravery, like those of Chiune Sugihara during WWII, can have far-reaching positive impacts.

Explaining Anomalous GCSE Results

90 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🚌 Education Testing Intelligence Bias
  1. Some Black African students in the UK perform better on GCSE exams than on IQ tests, leading to a puzzle that is not easily explained by sampling differences.
  2. The discrepancy between GCSE performance and general intelligence indicates that GCSEs may be biased indicators of intelligence, favoring certain groups over others.
  3. Psychometric bias might explain why Black Africans in the UK excel in GCSEs despite IQ tests suggesting otherwise, highlighting the presence of biases in assessment methods.

The Pro-Life Should Play a Different Game

157 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Abortion Legislation Fertility Access Impact
  1. In Russia, efforts to reduce abortion rates were more successful due to changes in contraception usage than government policies.
  2. Trivial inconveniences, like needing approval or counseling for abortions, can actually reduce abortion rates.
  3. Supply-side abortion restrictions, like clinic regulations, can significantly limit access to abortions and lead to behavioral changes in people seeking abortions.

Updated Estimates of IQs Within Israel

102 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🔬 Science Israel Data Analysis
  1. IQ differences among various ethnic groups in Israel are being studied
  2. Older data is being reviewed to understand cognitive ability differences in Israel
  3. A study on IQs in Israel based on a test showed varying scores among different ethnic groups

Numbers on the Italian Migrant Situation

138 implied HN points • 05 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Migration Statistics Italy
  1. Italy is facing challenges with a wave of migrants, with significant numbers arriving.
  2. Different regions in Italy are receiving migrants at varying rates, with the south taking in fewer.
  3. The number of unaccompanied minor migrants has been substantial, and projections suggest a continuing increase in migrant arrivals.

The State of 'the Gaps' 2022-23

96 implied HN points • 31 Dec 23
🔬 Science Psychometrics Data Analysis
  1. The observed Black-White intelligence gap in standardized test performance has shown some variations over the years.
  2. Errors were found in a study that claimed a significant closure in the intelligence gap between Black and White individuals.
  3. Recent data and analyses suggest that the racial intelligence gap in the U.S. has not significantly closed and remains consistent with historical observations.

Brief Data Post

102 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
📰 News Crime Politics Research Justice Aging
  1. Happiness and income are related, and this relationship is usually linear in log(income).
  2. Studies show that incarceration likely reduces violent crime by targeting high-risk individuals.
  3. The US Congress is aging, with members being the oldest in history.

Post Replications!

72 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🔬 Science Genetics Research Knowledge
  1. Public support for gene therapies and embryo selection is increasing, especially among educated individuals and those who would benefit from these technologies.
  2. There is a debate about whether knowledge is empowering or dangerous, with some advocating for caution in sharing scientific findings to avoid offense or harm.
  3. A study on attitudes towards gene therapy in infertility patients showed a high acceptance rate for various genetic editing purposes, with varying levels of acceptance based on political, religious, and educational backgrounds.

Powerful and Powerless Minorities

48 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Influence Popularity
  1. The joke about vegans highlights their cultural influence, even though they are a smaller group in society.
  2. A study compared the size of various groups, showing surprising results about the number of vegans compared to others like gamers or transgender individuals.
  3. Vegans demonstrate three key traits needed to be a successful minority group, influencing industries like food and clothing.

Coming soon

30 implied HN points • 29 Oct 22
  1. Cremieux is launching something new soon at www.cremieux.xyz
  2. The newsletter focuses on important papers that should be talked about
  3. The launch date is set for October 29, 2022