This is actually a very good channel, holy shit. Most of the content seems to boil down to "Clean Code sucks, so-called "10x developers" are primadonnas that make the world worse, testing is important, no, more important than that". Old dude in the trenches since the 80s spitting the same straight facts I've been trying to teach everyone who'd listen for the measly 7 years of my career.
Wasn't there a big deal about Kurzgesagt being associated with shady rationalist-like nonsense a long time ago? I remember my normie friends being like "what a shame, I thought it was such a good channel"...
Haven't heard about the other two but always happy to discover more popular wrong people to sneer at
They made a pro-longtermist video in association with open philanthropy a few years back, The Last Human or something like that, the summary was pretty open about the connection.
I don't think the shadiness is specific to rationalism, see also that bizarre KG video claiming it's scientifically impossible to lose weight by exercising that coincided with the height of Ozempic's hype.
edit: The Last Human came out at 2022, the same year the McAskill book arguing longtermism was published, what a coinkidink.
The author also proposes a framework for analyzing claims about generative AI. I don't know if I endorse it fully, but I agree that each of the four talking points represents a massive failure of understanding. Their LIES model is:
I would add to this a Plausibility or Personhood or Personality: the incorrect claim that the bots are people. Maybe call it PILES.
Call the last one A for Agency and turn the acronym into an AI history reference: ELISA.
Hey while we’re here, I propose two more letters:
S, standing for “stochastic parrot ignorance,”
C, standing for “Chinese room does not constitute thought,”
Now we can have ASS LICE
My favorite science Youtubers? Nah, those channels are IFLScience-tier, their intended audience is literally children.
Kurz “We’re Sorry for Summarizing a Pop-Sci Book” Gesagt
Geshundheit
Hurling ordure at the TREACLES, especially those closely related to LessWrong.
AI-Industrial-Complex grift is fine as long as it sufficiently relates to the AI doom from the TREACLES. (Though TechTakes may be more suitable.)
This is sneer club, not debate club. Unless it's amusing debate.
[Especially don't debate the race scientists, if any sneak in - we ban and delete them as unsuitable for the server.]
See our twin at Reddit