#+TITLE: Monday, 02/08/2021
** 18:56 some notes on various things, cleaning up
*** TODO
[[https://ava.substack.com/p/how-to-lobotomize-yourself?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTQ4ODUwNiwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIyNTYwMjYsIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNzU3NiwiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQxMTc2LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjM0MTciLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.PhiBt-iJeB0rNxTXK5sCwatTxS2Zl_ZOz4yeg4Db6Kw][how to lobotomize yourself]]: forgetting
[[https://ava.substack.com/p/commitment-as-a-defense-against-the?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTQ4ODUwNiwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIxMjk2NDUsIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNzQ5OCwiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQxMDk4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjM0MTciLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.wNJ0EADqQG5c5SbLmNxkp7ibwDufrPjPEEhMTiHRdhs][there is so much to do!]]
[[https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/journalism-and-legible-expertise?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTQ4ODUwNiwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIyNzk3MTIsIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNjczOCwiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQwMzM4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItODkxMjAiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.YgWqmg4tB6TSbPmChx8at9LFy5NDWhZED2QAZnGjS3w][under-reported covid opinions don't receive word]], because they don't want to contradict cdc narratives and make vaccines questionable entirely!
[[https://adlrocha.substack.com/p/adlrocha-my-learning-system?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMDY5MzAyMSwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIyMTgxMjUsIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNzQ3OCwiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQxMDc4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMTM3MDEiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.CqcAy7nfm9lZ-nQIJa9PFZXY-1hXAaAE4Fr1avMSYYk][quick learning article]]:
- stop consuming, stop producing! if you want to learn you have to put things into practice.
- Target something you want to replicate and reiterate it to others
[[https://gwern.substack.com/p/jan-2021-gwernnet-newsletter?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTQ4ODUwNiwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIyMDMzMDksIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNzUwMywiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQxMTAzLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItNDgwNDEiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.DG1NxLgRyAcCAoH6pC0pgL0rU0VWHqnh8vVq-TrDRHY][the genetics links are incredibly good here]]; the mechanisms of cult production, when prophecy fails, why we fight over fiction; everything is heritable!
*** Committment is a defense against the void
[[https://ava.substack.com/p/commitment-as-a-defense-against-the?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTQ4ODUwNiwicG9zdF9pZCI6MzIxMjk2NDUsIl8iOiI3Mk5YMiIsImlhdCI6MTYxMjgzNzQ5OCwiZXhwIjoxNjEyODQxMDk4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjM0MTciLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.wNJ0EADqQG5c5SbLmNxkp7ibwDufrPjPEEhMTiHRdhs][src]]
there is so much going on at once that it's hard to pace! we're driven to create and consume and keep up; it's nauseuous.
"the balance between willing to change and improve and knowing who you are is tricker than ever before". don't lose individuality by adopting the interests of others; copying the style of others means that you abandon your own. if you don't make a choice nothing ever happens - optimizing in the wrong way makes things existential!
committment isn't just necessary to get good; it's necessary for /peace of mind/ - it allows you to survive all of the optionality

you can't optimize perfectly for what people think - and as nice as email is it's hard to feel empty when feedback isn't empty! who are you with no notifications? if you know, you can't be disturbed.