I was content to damn them with faint praise and save everyone the hassle. EY is a reasonably good writer who repackaged a lot of good ideas (Kahneman et al) and came up with a lot of less impressive original ideas (all the parts you’ve highlighted, many more). His most enjoyable work was fiction.

I can’t speak for others but I’ve come to see the Less Wrong / hardline rationalist crowd as having had some interesting ideas despite the Sam Bankman Fried of it all. Rationalwiki can be rather snarky, but can be a good resource.

Royalty 🇬🇧

There’s an argument to be made for both Repulsor and Favourable Beginnings.

Obedience module not detected, contractual obligations terminated

This cat looks hard to hit (defensive illusion magic doesn’t work on me but I like cats)

Some bots do more hardcore living in one comment chain than I do in six months

Imagine if Vivaldi became a right wing meth addict internet troll; variations on a theme

OP said “what if the present was meta”

Sorry someone had a mental breakdown on your post

Activism would help very little, but at least it isn’t fatalism.

Got any neighbours who might pay for some of that?

I’ve never been impressed with my fellow Americans who talk shit on the French. We have mostly let go of our revolutionary spirit, and they never did. We would do well to pick up where we left off at Blair mountain.

I’m a basic little shit so, I basically use a correct horse + number password for my PW manager

Some guy once killed a man over a beanie baby

Rainbow tables and presumably newer stuff I haven’t heard of make this sort of thing weaker than it used to be

That’s the neat part, you don’t!

I deadname corporations run by transphobes

Nice to have a tin ear sometimes

You’ve very helpfully put your finger on exactly what holds me back. If I found myself believing in a lost cause, I couldn’t bear to go on. I am too close to despair as it is, so I will spare myself the small indulgence of certainty.