Tara Isabella Burton

And this is a bit of an umbrella term for what basically started out as commenters and readers of a group of blogs, most notably Overcoming Bias, Less Wrong, and Slate Star Codex, that claim to basically help people think better. The idea is that You're a human. You're a dumb animal. You have self-serving biases and ways you look at the world that make you dumber. Here's how not to do that.

And this is a bit of an umbrella term for what basically started out as commenters and readers of a group of blogs, most notably Overcoming Bias, Less Wrong, and Slate Star Codex, that claim to basically help people think better. The idea is that You're a human. You're a dumb animal. You have self-serving biases and ways you look at the world that make you dumber. Here's how not to do that.

Certainly, there are ways you can, in fact, train your brain to not make certain kinds of errors. But it really turned into... A close subculture that had some kind of quasi-religious qualities. That language about self-overcoming became part of, let's say, the tech world mainstream. And a lot of rationalists as well were also interested in the problem of AI alignment.

Certainly, there are ways you can, in fact, train your brain to not make certain kinds of errors. But it really turned into... A close subculture that had some kind of quasi-religious qualities. That language about self-overcoming became part of, let's say, the tech world mainstream. And a lot of rationalists as well were also interested in the problem of AI alignment.

Certainly, there are ways you can, in fact, train your brain to not make certain kinds of errors. But it really turned into... A close subculture that had some kind of quasi-religious qualities. That language about self-overcoming became part of, let's say, the tech world mainstream. And a lot of rationalists as well were also interested in the problem of AI alignment.

And particularly the X risk, the existential risk that someone might accidentally create an artificial intelligence that is hostile to humans and wipes us out. How do you address that fear? One answer is to stop AI development. One is to ensure that whatever AI you are creating wants to work with humans or is going to be friendly to humans.

And particularly the X risk, the existential risk that someone might accidentally create an artificial intelligence that is hostile to humans and wipes us out. How do you address that fear? One answer is to stop AI development. One is to ensure that whatever AI you are creating wants to work with humans or is going to be friendly to humans.

And particularly the X risk, the existential risk that someone might accidentally create an artificial intelligence that is hostile to humans and wipes us out. How do you address that fear? One answer is to stop AI development. One is to ensure that whatever AI you are creating wants to work with humans or is going to be friendly to humans.

So I'm torn on this. Is this for the clout, whether or not it's for financial gain? But at the same time, I think it's also true that there is a long historical tradition of people living lives that are incredibly physically unpleasant or characterized by deprivation because they have chosen to do so in order to focus their attention and love on the ultimate reality. Historically, these have been

So I'm torn on this. Is this for the clout, whether or not it's for financial gain? But at the same time, I think it's also true that there is a long historical tradition of people living lives that are incredibly physically unpleasant or characterized by deprivation because they have chosen to do so in order to focus their attention and love on the ultimate reality. Historically, these have been

So I'm torn on this. Is this for the clout, whether or not it's for financial gain? But at the same time, I think it's also true that there is a long historical tradition of people living lives that are incredibly physically unpleasant or characterized by deprivation because they have chosen to do so in order to focus their attention and love on the ultimate reality. Historically, these have been

religious people. These have been hermits or mystics or monks who have willingly taken on a particular kind of life in order to focus on the hereafter. And what interests me, if let's assume Brian Johnson is in good faith here, is that the

religious people. These have been hermits or mystics or monks who have willingly taken on a particular kind of life in order to focus on the hereafter. And what interests me, if let's assume Brian Johnson is in good faith here, is that the

religious people. These have been hermits or mystics or monks who have willingly taken on a particular kind of life in order to focus on the hereafter. And what interests me, if let's assume Brian Johnson is in good faith here, is that the

What does it look like to want to have a life that is focused on the ultimate form of transcendence, a life that is focused on, you know, what you believe to be God, if you don't believe in a transcendent higher power? And I think what Brian Johnson is doing or claims to be doing is kind of serving as a model for what it might look like to basically be a priest in the religion of AI.

What does it look like to want to have a life that is focused on the ultimate form of transcendence, a life that is focused on, you know, what you believe to be God, if you don't believe in a transcendent higher power? And I think what Brian Johnson is doing or claims to be doing is kind of serving as a model for what it might look like to basically be a priest in the religion of AI.

What does it look like to want to have a life that is focused on the ultimate form of transcendence, a life that is focused on, you know, what you believe to be God, if you don't believe in a transcendent higher power? And I think what Brian Johnson is doing or claims to be doing is kind of serving as a model for what it might look like to basically be a priest in the religion of AI.

the kinds of high-level interventions Brian Johnson is doing are not really accessible to most people. But I think I don't necessarily see a strong distinction between what he's doing and two different subcultures, one of which is the wellness subculture, which is usually more sort of traditionally female-coded, I'd say, and life optimization or life hacking, which is often coded as masculine.

the kinds of high-level interventions Brian Johnson is doing are not really accessible to most people. But I think I don't necessarily see a strong distinction between what he's doing and two different subcultures, one of which is the wellness subculture, which is usually more sort of traditionally female-coded, I'd say, and life optimization or life hacking, which is often coded as masculine.

the kinds of high-level interventions Brian Johnson is doing are not really accessible to most people. But I think I don't necessarily see a strong distinction between what he's doing and two different subcultures, one of which is the wellness subculture, which is usually more sort of traditionally female-coded, I'd say, and life optimization or life hacking, which is often coded as masculine.