So, you’re right that the Bay is not a great place unless you are (or are in a domestic partnership with) someone in or adjacent to the tech industry. The truth is that my husband and I would probably have moved here even if the rationalist community was highly concentrated in some other location, because we do work in tech startups. That’s not true of people who moved to the Bay specifically for the community, and maybe they should move.
I wasn’t trying to put down Manchester as a city; I don’t know much about it, but I trust your judgment.
I’m unusual here, but I’m actually not that into rationalism in the sense of “the content of the Sequences”; I’m here for all the associated stuff that you’re not crazy about. (The company of smart people, who have a lot in common with me, who want to do experimental science/tech and/or set up non-mainstream living arrangements.) You might say I’m more of a Bay Arean than a rationalist at this point. Reasoning well is a useful skill, but I’m beginning to suspect I’m worse than average rather than better than average at being reasonable, so I’m naturally not going to think it’s a great idea for me to participate in a project to create a system of exceptional rationality.
I’d expect that if you’re different from me in these respects—not a techie or in love with Bay Area culture, but believe strongly that you can contribute to the “art of rationality”—then Kernel is potentially a good choice, and I really do hope it succeeds.
So, you’re right that the Bay is not a great place unless you are (or are in a domestic partnership with) someone in or adjacent to the tech industry. The truth is that my husband and I would probably have moved here even if the rationalist community was highly concentrated in some other location, because we do work in tech startups. That’s not true of people who moved to the Bay specifically for the community, and maybe they should move.
I wasn’t trying to put down Manchester as a city; I don’t know much about it, but I trust your judgment.
I’m unusual here, but I’m actually not that into rationalism in the sense of “the content of the Sequences”; I’m here for all the associated stuff that you’re not crazy about. (The company of smart people, who have a lot in common with me, who want to do experimental science/tech and/or set up non-mainstream living arrangements.) You might say I’m more of a Bay Arean than a rationalist at this point. Reasoning well is a useful skill, but I’m beginning to suspect I’m worse than average rather than better than average at being reasonable, so I’m naturally not going to think it’s a great idea for me to participate in a project to create a system of exceptional rationality.
I’d expect that if you’re different from me in these respects—not a techie or in love with Bay Area culture, but believe strongly that you can contribute to the “art of rationality”—then Kernel is potentially a good choice, and I really do hope it succeeds.