The hottest Substack posts of Pursuits

And their main takeaways
0 implied HN points 18 Mar 23
  1. AI language models can influence people's perceptions and beliefs without needing consciousness or intentions.
  2. Economics and politics have more predictive power over AI than philosophy of mind. When faced with costly human answers, people switch to machine answers. No magic or intentionality is involved.
  3. Sophisticated language models challenge the concept of subjectivity by producing internally consistent but hollow criticisms. Exposure to this may lead people to develop a firmer belief in reality and become immune to falsehoods.
0 implied HN points 26 May 23
  1. Working with animals teaches important skills like consistency, fearlessness, and clear intention.
  2. Relating to animals wordlessly can positively impact relationships with people too.
  3. Establishing boundaries and asserting yourself with animals is crucial for safety and balance.
0 implied HN points 29 May 23
  1. Compensation ranges in job postings can affect salary discussions and create market noise, potentially driving down wages.
  2. Expressing salaries in bits, rather than decimal numbers, can provide clearer, non-linear growth trajectories for roles and privacy for negotiations.
  3. Using a bitwise system for compensation negotiation may offer a new approach to address the complexities and challenges in determining fair wages.
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0 implied HN points 27 Mar 23
  1. Moving from town to country can bring significant changes and challenges, especially in dealing with an influx of tourists lacking rural norms.
  2. The invasion of social media influencers and disrespectful tourists in rural areas is causing tension and conflicts with locals, forcing some to seek more isolated areas.
  3. Respect for nature and rural communities is crucial; appreciate the environment by walking in it, rather than treating it as a backdrop for social media posts or disrespectful behavior.