DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER

The DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER probes a wide array of subjects from scientific skepticism, the interaction between class and taste, the rise of technology, to existential and philosophical questions. It intertwines critical analysis, historical perspectives, and personal insights to explore contemporary societal norms, technological impacts, and the nuances of human behavior.

Science and Skepticism Class and Society Technology and Its Impacts Existential and Philosophical Inquiry Personal Development and Behavior Historical Perspectives Education and Teaching Healthcare and Well-being Writing and Communication Evolutionary Biology

The hottest Substack posts of DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER

And their main takeaways

Notes on Lawrence of Arabia

1 HN point • 13 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Film Book History Literature
  1. Celebrating someone's reckless behavior isn't always right, like in Lawrence of Arabia.
  2. Movies like Lawrence of Arabia can have strong timeless vibes, similar to works by Stanley Kubrick.
  3. Criticism of a film may change over time, like with Doctor Zhivago, teaching us that focusing on a film's strengths can matter more.
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My attempted cult recruitment

2 HN points • 05 Apr 22
  1. The author encountered a suspicious encounter in a cafe where they were targeted for potential recruitment into a cult.
  2. The group they met used deliberate manipulation tactics to engage the author in deep conversations and gradually push them towards joining their organization.
  3. The experience made the author question the ethical boundaries between sensibly influencing people's decisions and manipulative tactics to recruit for a cult.

First principles on AI scaling

1 HN point • 06 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Compute Language Models Innovation
  1. Using scaling laws can help predict how much better language models will get with more computational power or data.
  2. The majority of the error in language models comes from limited data, rather than limited model size.
  3. To improve language models significantly, more data and compute are needed, but there may be a limit to how much more can be added with current technology.

Political polarization is partly a sample bias illusion

0 implied HN points • 19 Aug 21
  1. Most people support leftist/Democratic positions on issues.
  2. Registered voters lean more right-leaning, except on assault weapons.
  3. People who engage with politics online tend to be more polarized than others.

A review of early split-brain animal experiments

0 implied HN points • 17 Jun 21
  1. Early split-brain experiments on animals showed some weird and fascinating results.
  2. Interpretations of these experiments can be biased, so focusing on the actual facts is important.
  3. Cutting the corpus callosum in animals affected their ability to perform tasks needing communication between brain hemispheres.

Alcohol, health, and the ruthless logic of the Asian flush

0 implied HN points • 30 May 21
  1. Drinking too much alcohol is not good for your health, even small amounts can have risks.
  2. Some East Asians struggle with alcohol due to genetic variants that make acetaldehyde accumulate.
  3. Constraints on freedom can sometimes be necessary for personal safety, like using biological interventions to prevent alcohol consumption.