Feeding your body, feeding your mind. Information and food. The same rules apply. Consume a healthy, balanced diet. Go for a walk. Avoid the junk, the processed. Facts as whole ingredients. The endless barrage of opinions, spin, persuasive tactics, the sugar-salt-fat drive-thru fast-food colorful packaging of information. They know how to feed the addiction so we consume more and more. Filling our ears and eyes and shopping carts beyond satiety. And those at the top of the pyramid grow richer, and feed us more.
Perhaps an occasional fast is in order. An elimination diet. Mind your gut biome. Mind your brain biome. And go for a walk.
Great commandments! Of course the ultimate test comes when we apply these to beliefs we really want to hold onto, like... "animal agriculture is humane and sustainable". All too often, when we hit those sorts of beliefs, the brains of even the most dedicated rationalists turn to mush :)
First time reader of your Substack! Thanks so much for your common sense, Pitch Perfect observations, & starting my morning with laughing out loud. Plan to share this widely!
To a first approximation, I offer for consideration the following adjusted candidates for suggmmandmentsTM 2 and it's complement:
#2: Thou shalt, to a first approximation, count and express thine enumerated approximations.
Secondly approximated, yet ne'er afore, quoth an percentage of approximation pursuant unto contextual attendance.
Thirdly approximated, presume unsighted presumption, inquire forthwith, cite necessity of form and enticements, demark incented permissions, reduce to reveal presumption.
Fourthly approximated, construct an scaffold dialectical of distances betwixt fruitfulness and failure, satisfact and resentment, due weights and induced certitudes. Endure the edifice to collapse as it may, and beware that which, for all the chaos about it, obdures the imbalance of tidal diminution.
#3 Speak plainly and trust what is supported plainly.
I love to read your posts. I'm interested to hear what you have been thinking and where it leads you. But I really read them because of sentences like this one:
"So I don’t want to fetishize this heuristic." Thanks for writing! Ann
I'll try to be nice in mentioning this: "Superforecasting" was co-written by Tetlock and Dan Gardner, whom I hope you did not intend to slight. In fact, insofar as attraction to certitude goes, I recommend the latter's "Future Babble: Why Expert Predictions Fail - and Why We Believe Them Anyway"
I’m wondering if the “ten” vs “five” is deliberate (i think it is). To make sure we are paying attention and/or that there are five more strong suggestions coming. I hope there are more coming as these five are fantastic! Thank you ❤️
Feeding your body, feeding your mind. Information and food. The same rules apply. Consume a healthy, balanced diet. Go for a walk. Avoid the junk, the processed. Facts as whole ingredients. The endless barrage of opinions, spin, persuasive tactics, the sugar-salt-fat drive-thru fast-food colorful packaging of information. They know how to feed the addiction so we consume more and more. Filling our ears and eyes and shopping carts beyond satiety. And those at the top of the pyramid grow richer, and feed us more.
Perhaps an occasional fast is in order. An elimination diet. Mind your gut biome. Mind your brain biome. And go for a walk.
Such a good point! I think it's a great metaphor. And I am much more concerned about my info diet now than I used to be.
Great commandments! Of course the ultimate test comes when we apply these to beliefs we really want to hold onto, like... "animal agriculture is humane and sustainable". All too often, when we hit those sorts of beliefs, the brains of even the most dedicated rationalists turn to mush :)
Agree, my fellow sent!
You were fabulous on the Daily Show!!!
Thank you Linda!
I love the one on assigning percentages.
I can't remember where I watched this, maybe it was Destiny on YouTube. But I'd go even further on it.
I'd convert the belief into betting odds and see if I'd be willing to put money on it at those odds.
Imagining putting money on the line seems to be a really good way at keeping those percentages honest.
First time reader of your Substack! Thanks so much for your common sense, Pitch Perfect observations, & starting my morning with laughing out loud. Plan to share this widely!
You lost me at “The Atlantic Monthly is more reliable than Newsmax.”
I enjoyed your appearance with Jon Stewart. It was shortly after I subscribed and erased any buyer’s remorse 👍🏻😁
To a first approximation, I offer for consideration the following adjusted candidates for suggmmandmentsTM 2 and it's complement:
#2: Thou shalt, to a first approximation, count and express thine enumerated approximations.
Secondly approximated, yet ne'er afore, quoth an percentage of approximation pursuant unto contextual attendance.
Thirdly approximated, presume unsighted presumption, inquire forthwith, cite necessity of form and enticements, demark incented permissions, reduce to reveal presumption.
Fourthly approximated, construct an scaffold dialectical of distances betwixt fruitfulness and failure, satisfact and resentment, due weights and induced certitudes. Endure the edifice to collapse as it may, and beware that which, for all the chaos about it, obdures the imbalance of tidal diminution.
#3 Speak plainly and trust what is supported plainly.
I can only imagine how streesfull the Factcheking My Life project was but I hope that some day no that far into the future we'll get to read it.
Thank you Al!
I love to read your posts. I'm interested to hear what you have been thinking and where it leads you. But I really read them because of sentences like this one:
"So I don’t want to fetishize this heuristic." Thanks for writing! Ann
Ha! Thanks so much for that Ann!
I'll try to be nice in mentioning this: "Superforecasting" was co-written by Tetlock and Dan Gardner, whom I hope you did not intend to slight. In fact, insofar as attraction to certitude goes, I recommend the latter's "Future Babble: Why Expert Predictions Fail - and Why We Believe Them Anyway"
Aha! Excellent point, thanks Mark. I will change it now. This is why I have epistemic humility, and I hope you have epistemic forgiveness.
I’m wondering if the “ten” vs “five” is deliberate (i think it is). To make sure we are paying attention and/or that there are five more strong suggestions coming. I hope there are more coming as these five are fantastic! Thank you ❤️
Thank you Deborah! Love to hear it. And YES! This is Part one of two. The second five commandments are coming in the next couple of weeks!