Ava with a nuanced version of the Experimental History frog eating idea, related specifically to the building of good habits. I think this is the key distinction, because if you have to use willpower every time to do something, that’s no way to live. On the other hand, if you use your willpower to modify your personal algorithm such that you naturally perform a task you think would be positive utility, that’s actually a worthwhile use of effort.
This is sort of related to something I’ve been considering recently: anecdotally (Sept ‘24) boosting dopamine and serotonin in general alleviates schizoid symptoms, a point in favor of the dysfunctional reward system theory of autism. But might it not be even more effective if rather than merely supplementing production, you specifically target habit formation by taking tyrosine (half life 30-90 mins) and maybe tryptophan (half life 2-7 hours) an hour or two before socializing such that you mimic the behavior of dopaminergic anticipation and serotonin reward that should “normally” come when talking to other humans? Potentially this could even generalize as an arbitrary habit formation method, although I’m not sure if it’s worth the effort for something like finishing your emails. The more interesting implication is that parents (particularly if they are on the spectrum) should enroll their children preferably in team versus solo sports during childhood as a natural way of linking the exercise-derived activation of the reward system to social engagement.
Via Tracing Woodgrains, a compilation of influential essays from the “new right”. While skimming through them, it occurs to me that one way to fight against the low status according to home-makers is to rebrand them as parenting researchers.
Related, here’s Chris Jesu Lee on the nanny novel.
Money Stuff issue with a hilarious case of a successful class project. But actually the fact that things like this don’t happen more often, or lesser versions like capstone projects getting published in journals, is sort of an indictment of most university programs.
Sam Matey interviews Ozy Brennan.
Lex interviews Zelensky. Edit: summary.
