This is a Less Wrong article on a similar topic: An Intuitive Explanation of Solomonoff Induction
I hope you understand why I am not impressed with the Athene’s version.
I understand, that article looks interesting.
Having to stay somewhere for a few days doesn’t sound to me like a regular LW meetup. I guess it was either a CFAR workshop, or an event like this.
I think it was an event like you linked.
(Uhm, this is probably not the case, but asking anyway to make sure—“they did reach out regarding their group on here I think” does not refer to this, right? Because that’s the only recent attempt to reach out here that I remember.)
The message in the bottom does look a lot like Athene’s writing, but the first one I don’t really understand what it is about. They have mentioned they do sports betting. Athene doesn’t care about lying, only if it’s for the greater good, so I speculate they have some ways to make money at betting, for example, thus they thought about trying to reach out to some high IQ people to actually off-load work or have ’em join. But this is only speculation. I think they’ve reached out in general and around December explaining their “charity” organization and how they offer free food, housing etc. But maybe not.
Heh, sometimes I have a similar impression. On the other hand, some things take time. A few years ago, superintelligent AI was a completely fringe topic… now it’s popular in media, and random people share articles about it on Facebook. So either the founders of LW caused this trend, or at least were smart enough to predict it. That requires some work. MIRI and CFAR have funding, which is also not simple to achieve. They sometimes publish scientific articles. If I remember correctly, they were also involved in creating the effective altruist movement. (Luke Muehlhauser, the former executive director of MIRI, now works for GiveWell.) There is probably more, but I think this already qualifies as more than “intellectual masturbation”.
Athene has an impressive personal track record. I admit that part. But the whole thing about “clicking” is a separate claim. (Steve Jobs was an impressive person; that doesn’t prove his beliefs in reincarnation are correct.)
That makes sense. By the way gamingforgood has a 10X multiplier on donations to their newborn survival programs, how likely is it that is is more efficent then GiveWell’s top charities?
Any specific part of it? I have already spent hours researching this topic. I have even read the Reddit forum where people describe how they “clicked” (most posts seem the same, and so do all replies, it’s a bit creepy). Am I supposed to listen to the guided meditation, or watch yet another advertising video, or...?
I was thinking more the design, but sure, the guided meditations might be good if you are doing a self-experiment of the 4 steps and so forth, they’re nothing special, what you’d expect I suppose.
The message in the bottom does look a lot like Athene’s writing
Yeah, the “i was a great poker player” part… I missed that previously.
OK, now I am quite confused. Here are things said by “hans_jonsson” (Athene?) in that thread:
i didnt wish to post my message very publicly cause it embarrassing and awkwardly like i was bragging when i wished to be honest, and hopefully show that im competent.
So, to put things together… a guy who according to Wikipedia is a popular YouTube celebrity, raised millions for charity, and recently started the “Logic Nation”… was contacting individual LW members through private messages, instead of posting in an open thread, because posting in an open thread would be awkward bragging… and the best way to show that he was competent, was to pseudonymously post something that closely resembles popular scams.
My brain has problem processing so much logic.
(Could LessWrong really be so frightening for outsiders? So much that even starting your own cult feels less awkward and more humble than posting in LW open thread...)
I admit I am out of my depth here. There seems to be evidence flying in both directions, and I am confused. (Still learning towards “scam”, though.)
Other than that, the poor grammar and spelling is typical of Athene and lacking of paragraphs, the further you scroll in his Reddit profile the worse his grammar becomes: https://www.reddit.com/user/Chiren :)
He also wrote this in the thread: >and i may very well have some mental issues in regards to quite a few things
I don’t take things too seriously. When you type or talk you can push buttons and see how the community reacts to forward your agenda, the best option after making a mistake might not be to say “I am X and I should’ve posted in the open thread” instead for example say it’s embarrassing, awkward and eventually that “may very well have mental issues”
My brain has problem processing so much logic.
Well, yes, maybe.
(Could LessWrong really be so frightening for outsiders? So much that even starting your own cult feels less awkward and more humble than posting in LW open thread...)
I admit I am out of my depth here. There seems to be evidence flying in both directions, and I am confused. (Still learning towards “scam”, though.)
Observing what was done objectively it seems as it was as it was said, to keep it in private? I don’t really see how it is leaning towards scam, you might simply have been wrong all along. The first message I don’t fully understand.
Athene: “This stuff sounds so much like a scam if i see anything like this again you are permabanned. If you want to help put concrete info and don’t make it sound so dodgy or have to contact you or whatever.”
Some rando: “In what way does it sound like a scam? I’m not selling anything and I’m not asking them to sign up anywhere. Just to simply PM me so we can chat about it. I didn’t disclose details because I didn’t want to start people on a wild goose chase trying to do it when they aren’t capable. I thought if I could help a few people who have the right mindset become more financially stable, they’d be able to make better use of what you teach.”
(then the post was removed, presumably by Athene)
For context, this is Athene on LW, nine months ago:
Other rando: “Act publicly, especially when it includes asking members to participate in financial transactions. It is your insisting to work behind the courtains that seems fishy to me.”
Athene: “why should i ask publicly when asking personal questions about personal decisions? im insisting to work behind the curtains? when did i insist, and why should i ask publicly? … why would i change a message that i wrote as perfectly as i could? … my priorities are to as fast as possible get someone intelligent with the right priorities educated as well as donate current money the most effecient way possible.”
I remember that, pretty funny. Maybe he learned from LW and sub- and consciously understood it, responded the same way 7 months later. :) Now now, if it is him who posted here, that’s simply speculation but I think it’s 60-70% probability.
I understand, that article looks interesting.
I think it was an event like you linked.
The message in the bottom does look a lot like Athene’s writing, but the first one I don’t really understand what it is about. They have mentioned they do sports betting. Athene doesn’t care about lying, only if it’s for the greater good, so I speculate they have some ways to make money at betting, for example, thus they thought about trying to reach out to some high IQ people to actually off-load work or have ’em join. But this is only speculation. I think they’ve reached out in general and around December explaining their “charity” organization and how they offer free food, housing etc. But maybe not.
That makes sense. By the way gamingforgood has a 10X multiplier on donations to their newborn survival programs, how likely is it that is is more efficent then GiveWell’s top charities?
I was thinking more the design, but sure, the guided meditations might be good if you are doing a self-experiment of the 4 steps and so forth, they’re nothing special, what you’d expect I suppose.
Yeah, the “i was a great poker player” part… I missed that previously.
OK, now I am quite confused. Here are things said by “hans_jonsson” (Athene?) in that thread:
So, to put things together… a guy who according to Wikipedia is a popular YouTube celebrity, raised millions for charity, and recently started the “Logic Nation”… was contacting individual LW members through private messages, instead of posting in an open thread, because posting in an open thread would be awkward bragging… and the best way to show that he was competent, was to pseudonymously post something that closely resembles popular scams.
My brain has problem processing so much logic.
(Could LessWrong really be so frightening for outsiders? So much that even starting your own cult feels less awkward and more humble than posting in LW open thread...)
I admit I am out of my depth here. There seems to be evidence flying in both directions, and I am confused. (Still learning towards “scam”, though.)
Other than that, the poor grammar and spelling is typical of Athene and lacking of paragraphs, the further you scroll in his Reddit profile the worse his grammar becomes: https://www.reddit.com/user/Chiren :)
He also wrote this in the thread: >and i may very well have some mental issues in regards to quite a few things
I don’t take things too seriously. When you type or talk you can push buttons and see how the community reacts to forward your agenda, the best option after making a mistake might not be to say “I am X and I should’ve posted in the open thread” instead for example say it’s embarrassing, awkward and eventually that “may very well have mental issues”
Well, yes, maybe.
Observing what was done objectively it seems as it was as it was said, to keep it in private? I don’t really see how it is leaning towards scam, you might simply have been wrong all along. The first message I don’t fully understand.
Oh, this is pure gold! :D
Two months ago, on Athene’s Reddit forum:
For context, this is Athene on LW, nine months ago:
Karma is a bitch.
I remember that, pretty funny. Maybe he learned from LW and sub- and consciously understood it, responded the same way 7 months later. :) Now now, if it is him who posted here, that’s simply speculation but I think it’s 60-70% probability.