LessWrong (30+ Karma) A Taxonomy of Bugs (Lists)
Nov 28, 2025
Exploring life’s nuisances can lead to powerful insights. The host discusses the 'Bugs List' exercise, helping listeners identify and tackle issues like procrastination and unhealthy habits. They introduce five bug generators—ignorance, habits, bad frames, hang-ups, and traumas—each leading to common struggles. Techniques like reframing, environmental design, and understanding emotional blocks are unpacked. Listeners learn to apply this model to better cherish their lives and address root causes of persistent problems.
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Fix Generators Not Just Symptoms
- When multiple problems recur, ask whether a single generator creates them rather than treating each as separate bugs.
- Fix the generator when it's easier or more effective than patching each symptom individually.
Five Ordered Bug Generators
- The author groups root causes into five generators ordered by ease to address: ignorance, habits, bad frames, hang-ups, traumas.
- This ordering helps prioritise which generator to try first when diagnosing bugs.
Close Knowledge Gaps First
- If you're stuck, explicitly check what relevant knowledge you lack and ask people who solved the problem.
- Research and learning often solve bugs quickly because knowledge gaps are easy to fix.
