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Singal-Minded is a newsletter focused on the intersection of science, social justice activism, and freedom of expression, often highlighting the conflicts between these areas. It critiques media reporting, social media dynamics, psychological interventions in DEI programs, and scientific research integrity, urging for skepticism, transparency, and rigorous evaluation.

Science and Social Justice Media Criticism Freedom of Expression Transparency in Research Online Harassment and Mental Health Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs Youth Gender Medicine Censorship and Book Banning Impact of Social Media on Public Discourse Journalistic Integrity in Science Reporting

The hottest Substack posts of Singal-Minded

And their main takeaways

Criminal Justice Reform Is Good, But, Like Everything, It Requires Common Sense And Moderation

576 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Policy
  1. Criminal justice reform is important, but it needs to be approached with common sense and moderation to be effective.
  2. Addressing inequality and reducing the impact of luck in determining outcomes is a crucial step in shaping public policy.
  3. There has been bipartisan recognition that the U.S. criminal justice system is flawed and needs reform, particularly in its treatment of nonviolent offenders.

Let's Discuss One Of The Worst Ideas Influential Public Intellectuals Have Embraced Recently

581 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🚌 Education Standardized Testing College Admissions Education & Policy
  1. SAT is a valuable tool for predicting a high school student's future college performance.
  2. It's not inherently racist if certain racial groups perform differently on standardized tests.
  3. Reducing reliance on SATs in college admissions can disproportionately affect students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Here’s More Evidence That Youth Gender Medicine Researchers Might Be Hiding Unfavorable Data From The Public

1823 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🏥 Health Politics Gender Dysphoria Medical Ethics Data Reporting
  1. Youth gender medicine researchers may be hiding unfavorable data from the public.
  2. Transparency in scientific research is crucial to ensure accurate findings and allow external critics to question results.
  3. Obtaining information through public records like Freedom of Information Act requests can be crucial to uncovering potential red flags in research.
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Against Diner–Grilled Cheese Theories Of Donald Trump’s Popularity (Or Anything Else)

507 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Psychology Donald Trump Voters American culture
  1. Restaurants often make food taste better by using more fat which is not always healthy, a useful rule of thumb
  2. Psychological theories don't always give new insights into complex questions like explaining Donald Trump's popularity
  3. Be cautious about relying too heavily on psychology to explain multifaceted societal events

That Might Have Been The Strangest Thing That Has Ever Happened To Me On Twitter

1670 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
📰 News Social media Ethics Academia Transparency
  1. A controversy on Twitter erupted when a researcher accused a writer of misinterpreting a sentence in the Standards of Care document
  2. The writer engaged in a debate on social media to defend their interpretation of the sentence
  3. The controversy reached a dramatic conclusion when it was revealed that the writer was falsely accused, leading to public embarrassment for the accuser

A Critique Of Scientific American’s Recent Article, “What Are Puberty Blockers, and How Do They Work?”

1194 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🏥 Health Politics Gender Dysphoria Puberty Blockers Youth Gender Medicine
  1. Puberty blockers for gender dysphoric youth have controversial side effects and their effects on giving time to think are disputed.
  2. Scientific American's article lacks thorough research, oversimplifies key information, and makes misleading claims.
  3. Claims linking gender-affirming care to decreased suicide rates are based on flawed studies and should be approached with skepticism.

Americans Don’t Mind Hearing And Learning About Racism — They Just Don’t Like The Weird And Religiously Tinged Way Educated Liberals Talk About It

1168 implied HN points • 10 May 23
🎭️ Culture Race Books Twitter Publishing
  1. Americans are open to learning about racism, but dislike the way educated liberals discuss it.
  2. Authors facing censorship challenges can spark public outcry and bring attention to important issues.
  3. Culture wars and book banning in schools raise questions about offensive content and editorial processes.

Adam Grant vs. Coleman Hughes, Part 2: Causation Does Not Imply. . . Anything

1 HN point • 31 Jan 24
🔬 Science Psychology Research Replication Social Dynamics
  1. Be cautious of over-extrapolating findings from laboratory experiments to real-world situations
  2. Research in social psychology, especially in politically charged topics like race, may lack replicability and generalizability
  3. Accuracy in summarizing and citing research in public discussions and writings is important for maintaining credibility