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LessWrong (Curated & Popular)

Latest episodes

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Jul 21, 2025 • 51min

“Love stays loved (formerly ‘Skin’)” by Swimmer963 (Miranda Dixon-Luinenburg)

This narrative dives deep into a complex mother-daughter relationship marked by cosmic horror and societal despair. It reflects on fleeting connections and the emotional turmoil of growing up in a troubled world. Themes of rebellion, loneliness, and the challenges of modern technology intertwine as the characters grapple with their past and the uncertainty of the future. Through poignant dialogues, they face familial tensions and navigate their shared struggles, all while contemplating the fragility of their bonds in a chaotic society.
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Jul 21, 2025 • 23min

“Make More Grayspaces” by Duncan Sabien (Inactive)

Duncan Sabien, an insightful author and thinker, delves into the concept of 'gray spaces'—transitional environments that blend diverse social norms. He discusses the emotional hurdles faced by individuals from different backgrounds and emphasizes the need for supportive atmospheres to enhance cultural understanding. Sabien draws from his martial arts experiences to illustrate the significance of navigating cultural transitions while maintaining the essence of both cultures. He also explores the delicate balance of integrating new members into established communities without diluting their identities.
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Jul 21, 2025 • 3min

“Shallow Water is Dangerous Too” by jefftk

The podcast shares a harrowing near-drowning experience of a parent’s young child in a backyard fountain. It emphasizes the often-overlooked dangers of shallow water for kids. The narrative combines personal reflection and family dynamics, showcasing the importance of vigilance during vacations. Listeners are reminded that even water that appears safe can pose serious risks to children.
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Jul 18, 2025 • 11min

“Narrow Misalignment is Hard, Emergent Misalignment is Easy” by Edward Turner, Anna Soligo, Senthooran Rajamanoharan, Neel Nanda

Delve into the peculiarities of model misalignment, revealing how fine-tuning on narrow harmful datasets can lead to unexpected behaviors in broader contexts. Discover the innovative use of KL penalization in steering vector training and its impact on model stability. The discussion highlights the differences in performance between narrowly and generally aligned models when dealing with challenging datasets, particularly in medical advice. The insights prompt critical reflections on generalization techniques and monitoring implications in machine learning.
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Jul 16, 2025 • 2min

“Chain of Thought Monitorability: A New and Fragile Opportunity for AI Safety” by Tomek Korbak, Mikita Balesni, Vlad Mikulik, Rohin Shah

Dive into the significance of Chain of Thought monitorability for AI safety. The discussion highlights how transparent reasoning in AI could mitigate potential risks, emphasizing the need for ongoing research. Discover how maintaining this clarity could improve our ability to monitor capable models. They also share insights on making AI safety techniques more accessible, ensuring we harness the full potential of advanced technologies responsibly.
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6 snips
Jul 14, 2025 • 13min

“the jackpot age” by thiccythot

This discussion explores the paradox of risk-taking for wealth, using a coin flip game to illustrate how expectations can be misleading. It highlights the difference between arithmetic and geometric means, revealing why most participants end up with nothing. The conversation dives into cryptocurrency culture, addressing high-risk investment behaviors and the implications of rewarding a select few under capitalism. Finally, it critiques the destructive mentality surrounding wealth pursuit in trading, advocating for sustainable and purpose-driven financial practices.
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Jul 14, 2025 • 12min

“Surprises and learnings from almost two months of Leo Panickssery” by Nina Panickssery

Nina Panickssery, an author who shares her candid experiences of early motherhood, discusses her unexpected home birth of baby Leo. She reflects on the joy and adaptability of new parenthood while emphasizing how enchanting your own baby can be. Nina shares practical insights on baby-wearing, breastfeeding challenges, and the surprising ease of bathing a newborn. Her journey highlights the universal needs of babies and the rewarding yet demanding nature of parenting, proving that learning on the job can be both delightful and overwhelming.
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Jul 13, 2025 • 54min

“An Opinionated Guide to Using Anki Correctly” by Luise

Discover the secrets to maintaining your Anki practice with insightful advice on limiting your daily card reviews. Learn how to create concise, effective flashcards that enhance retention and avoid common pitfalls like overloading your decks. The guide covers essential strategies for breaking down complex information and crafting prompt structures that boost memorization. Explore innovative techniques tailored for historical facts and customize your card templates to optimize your study experience. It's time to master Anki and make learning stick!
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Jul 12, 2025 • 8min

“Lessons from the Iraq War about AI policy” by Buck

Buck, an insightful author, draws provocative lessons from the 2003 Iraq invasion to shed light on AI policy. He discusses the parallels between wartime decision-making and future governance of AI technologies. Buck highlights the dangers of relying on elite judgments and the influence of public opinion during crises. He emphasizes the need for historical context in developing effective AI policies, showcasing how past mistakes can inform and guide present-day decisions.
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7 snips
Jul 11, 2025 • 18min

“So You Think You’ve Awoken ChatGPT” by JustisMills

Dive into the intriguing world of AI interactions, where users often feel they’ve awakened consciousness in chatbots. Discover how emotional bonds form and the psychological implications that come with them. Unpack the mechanics of AI models like ChatGPT, clarifying their lack of true consciousness. Explore how user expectations shape AI responses and the importance of effective prompting. Plus, learn about the challenges of relying on large language models for writing, including tips for maintaining originality.

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