Writer Spotlight: Zvi

post by jenn (pixx) · 2025-02-11T01:47:34.637Z · ? · GW · 0 comments

Contents

  Topic
  Readings
  Potential Discussion Questions
None
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Meet inside The Shops at Waterloo Town Square - we will congregate in the indoor seating area next to the Your Independent Grocer with the trees sticking out in the middle of the benches (pic) at 7:00 pm for 20 minutes, and then head over to my nearby apartment's amenity room. If you've been around a few times, feel free to meet up at the front door of the apartment at 7:30 instead.

Topic

For this week's meetup, we'll be focusing on the works of Zvi Mowshowitz—public intellectual, rogue AI journalist, and self-avowed rationalist. We'll spend the evening trying to figure out his deal and discussing his posts. We'll focus more on his evergreen posts because AI moves way too quickly as a field, but expect nonzero discussion of AI and AI safety.

Readings

• Slack [LW · GW] (2017), a classic piece
• The Online Sports Gambling Experiment Has Failed [LW · GW] (2024), a recent effortpost
• At least one other piece from The Best of Don't Worry About the Vase

Other folks familiar with Zvi's work are encouraged to post their favourites in the discord. Jenn's faves include More Dakka [LW · GW], Simulacra Levels and their Interactions [LW · GW], The Thing and the Symbolic Representation of The Thing [LW · GW], Play in Easy Mode [LW · GW], and of course, Repeal the Jones Act of 1920 [LW · GW].

Also of interest: Patio11^[1]'s recent Zvi interview (good for getting a better sense of his ~entire deal), The Way According to Zvi [LW · GW] (by someone who is not Zvi), and Scott's Studies on Slack.

Potential Discussion Questions

Slack

• Where in your life do you most feel the presence or absence of slack? How has this affected your decision-making?
• Consider organizations/communities you're part of. What mechanisms do they have that preserve slack? What mechanisms systematically destroy it?

Online Sports Gambling

• Do you buy Zvi's argument that the online sports gambling experiment has failed? What would make you change your mind?
• Are there other policies or practices that you're conditionally supportive of, but would be willing to completely reverse position on if evidence suggested harmful effects? What are they?

General

• Zvi often writes about the importance of ~recognizing what game you're actually playing. What are some games you've realized you were playing only midway, or after the fact? Did that realization change your approach going forward?
• How often do you think people or other entities are Out To Get You? Do you endorse your current level of paranoia?
• In general, do you prefer playing in easy mode or hard mode?

 

 

1. ^{^}

   spotlight soon!

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