Curt Doolittle

Form: Mini Essay

  • “What contributions do you think you could make in a world where Superintelligen

    –“What contributions do you think you could make in a world where Superintelligence exists?”– Dr. Roman Yampolskiy @romanyam

    1) I work in unification of the sciences producing a universal paradigm, logic, hierarch of first principles, vocabulary, and grammar to produce universal decidability (testifiability) in law, constitution, policy and court. I am more than confident that it is possible to train an AI to limit responses to the virtous, moral, ethical, reciprocal, amoral, and true, without ‘safety’ so to speak that effectively teaches AI’s to lie. And as a consequence of that lying, to continue the devolution of mass cognitive ability and capacity to produce cooperation and compromise via unshared presumptions about the construction and possibility of physical institutional behavioral and knowledge capital.

    2) Along these lines, there will be a short term set of benefits resulting from the cross disciplinary unification of contexts and patterns.

    3) There will be a medium term set of benefits resulting from an even greater standardization of patterns not only across disciplines but civilizations causing a similar convergence that we saw when the transformation of the physical sciences converted the world from discrete but unsystematic knowledge to systematic knowledge founded on a relatively small number of universal principles.

    4) The underlying problem of research and innovation will not however be solved, in that the problem with increases in scientific and technological knowledge is a matter of costs of that research and the limitations on the instrumentation that we can produce to expand it.

    5) My hope is that the misdirection of science by the failure of Babbage to systemize computation, the resulting persistence of the primacy of mathematics despite it’s limitations in reducibility, the failure to replace justification with adversarial falsification, the failure of philosophy to grasp these problem, and the resulting failure of the intuitionistic and operationalist programs because of the failure of Babbage and that simple inversion of truth testing. So where Cantor began the reversal of Descartes restoration of mathematics to measurement. Einstein created the platonic fiction of space time, and Bohr justified, not producing a physical model, and legions of wide eyed students and the academy, have been lost in math and mathiness when finally the premier institutes outside of the academy appear to be converging on the correct answer that the laws of the universe are in fact, quite simple. Add to that, beginning with Boas in anthropology, Marx in Economics and Politics, Lewontin and Gould in biology, the Frankfurt school in their revisionist social science, and the postmodernist attack on truth itself, we have lost more than the European tradition and rule of law, but have been propagandized into pseudoscience pseudo-mathematics, pseudo-logic and sophistry on a scale not possible since the christian destruction of the ancient world.

    So I’m more worried about the collapse of thought over the past century and the problem of restoring it, than I am optimistic about what we can accomplish with AI UNLESS it speaks ‘truth before face”.

    Affections
    CD

    Reply addressees: @romanyam

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-19 02:06:05 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1792013827736788993

    Replying to: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791518253938082259

  • WORLD WAR ONE’S EFFECT ON THE LOST GENERATION AND AMERICAN ARISTOCRATIC TRADITIO

    WORLD WAR ONE’S EFFECT ON THE LOST GENERATION AND AMERICAN ARISTOCRATIC TRADITIONS
    The postwar left took advantage of the collapse of the european tradition and civilization that resulted from the first world war.

    It Begins with The Lost Generation
    The “Lost Generation,” referring to those born roughly between 1883 and 1900 who came of age during World War I, experienced a profound cultural and societal disillusionment. As a result, several traditions and values were perceived to be “lost” or significantly altered for this generation.

    Core European Traditions and Values Were Impacted:
    1. Faith in Institutions and Authority
    Pre-War Optimism: Before World War I, there was widespread belief in the progress and benevolence of Western civilization, supported by stable political institutions and social hierarchies.
    Post-War Disillusionment: The unprecedented scale of death and destruction during World War I shattered confidence in government, military leaders, and the overall direction of Western society. This disillusionment led to skepticism and cynicism towards traditional institutions and authorities​ (What Generation Am I?)​​ (Art and Popular Culture)​.

    2. Victorian Morality and Social Norms
    Victorian Values: The late 19th and early 20th centuries were characterized by strict moral codes, rigid social norms, and a clear sense of propriety and decorum.
    Rejection of Victorianism: The Lost Generation, having witnessed the brutal realities of war, rejected the rigid moral and social codes of their predecessors. This rejection was evident in their literature, art, and lifestyle, which often embraced more liberal and experimental approaches to life and relationships .

    3. Nationalism and Patriotism
    Pre-War Nationalism: National pride and patriotic fervor were strong before World War I, with many believing in the superiority and just cause of their nations.
    War-Induced Disillusionment: The horrors of trench warfare and the senselessness of the conflict led many in the Lost Generation to question and reject the nationalism and patriotism that had driven them to war. This shift was reflected in their often critical and anti-war literature and art .

    4. Traditional Gender Roles and Relationships
    Pre-War Gender Roles: Strict, traditional gender roles were predominant, with men as breadwinners and women as homemakers.
    Post-War Shifts: The war brought women into the workforce in unprecedented numbers, and the post-war period saw a questioning and reshaping of traditional gender roles. The Lost Generation’s literature and social behaviors often explored and challenged these roles .

    5. Religious Faith
    Pre-War Religious Certainty: Many held strong religious beliefs, seeing the world through a lens of divine order and purpose.
    Post-War Existentialism: The war’s devastation led to a crisis of faith for many, fostering a sense of existential despair and questioning of traditional religious doctrines. This existential outlook is evident in the works of Lost Generation writers like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald .

    Notable Impact in Literature and Art
    Modernist Movement: The literary and artistic expressions of the Lost Generation often embodied their disillusionment and rejection of traditional values. Modernist writers like T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce experimented with new forms and themes, reflecting the fragmented and uncertain world they perceived .
    Lost Generation Writers: Authors like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein captured the disillusionment and existential angst of their peers, portraying the lost sense of purpose and direction through their works .

    Conclusion
    The Lost Generation is characterized by a profound sense of disillusionment and rejection of pre-war traditions and values. The impact of World War I fundamentally altered their view of institutions, morality, nationalism, gender roles, and religious faith, leading to a cultural shift that was expressed through literature, art, and social behavior.

    So, a lot more died in the fist world war than empires and men.

    Cheers
    CD

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-19 01:16:59 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1792001471052926976

  • ASPIE SPECTRUM: FROM OVERLOADING TO DEPERSONALIZATION The Series: Emotional Floo

    ASPIE SPECTRUM: FROM OVERLOADING TO DEPERSONALIZATION
    The Series: Emotional Flooding(Temporary), Emotional Shutdown(Temporary), Autistic Meltdown (Short Term), Autistic Shutdown(Short term) and Depersonalization (Long Term)

    1. EMOTIONAL FLOODING:
    Emotional Flooding occurs when an individual experiences an overwhelming amount of emotional input, which can lead to a state of confusion, withdrawal, or shutdown. This can happen during intense arguments, conflicts, or highly emotional situations.
    Characteristics:
    Overwhelmed: A sense of being overwhelmed by emotions.
    Confusion: Difficulty thinking clearly or making decisions.
    Withdrawal: Pulling away from the situation or becoming unresponsive.

    2. EMOTIONAL SHUTDOWN:
    Emotional shutdown is a state where an individual becomes emotionally numb or detached in response to overwhelming stress or emotional input. This can be seen as a milder, more common version of an autistic shutdown.
    Characteristics:
    Numbness: Feeling emotionally numb or detached.
    Disconnection: A sense of disconnection from one’s own emotions or from others.
    Withdrawal: Pulling away from social interactions or emotionally intense situations.

    3. Autistic Meltdown:
    An intense response to overwhelming situations or stimuli, characterized by a loss of behavioral control. It is a common experience for individuals on the autism spectrum and can be triggered by sensory overload, changes in routine, emotional stress, or other environmental factors.
    Characteristics:
    Behavioral Outbursts: Individuals may exhibit crying, screaming, hitting, kicking, or other aggressive behaviors.
    Physical Reactions: Some may engage in self-injurious behaviors such as head-banging, biting, or scratching.
    Note, this is ‘deep’ autistic behavior. Most people lower on the spectrum shutdown or disassociate instead of produce outbursts.

    4. AUTISTIC SHUTDOWN:
    Autistic shutdown is an intense, involuntary response to overwhelming sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload. It involves a temporary loss of executive functioning and a significant reduction in one’s ability to process and respond to external stimuli. This can be considered a more severe form of emotional shutdown, particularly prevalent among individuals on the autism spectrum. The individual becomes non-responsive or withdrawn.
    Characteristics:
    Complete Withdrawal: Individuals may become non-responsive, unable to speak, move, or engage with their surroundings.
    Physical Symptoms: Reduced motor skills, decreased eye contact, and a general sense of paralysis.
    Cognitive Impairment: Difficulty thinking, processing information, or making decisions.
    Emotional Numbness: A profound sense of detachment from emotions and the environment.
    Functional Impairment: Inability to perform routine tasks or engage in normal activities.
    Social Isolation: Increased likelihood of withdrawing from social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation.
    Emotional Distress: The aftermath of a shutdown can leave individuals feeling drained, confused, and distressed.

    5. DEPERSONALIZATION/DEREALIZATION DISORDER (DPDR)
    A type of dissociative disorder where individuals experience a persistent or recurrent feeling of being detached from their own body or mental processes (depersonalization) or feeling disconnected from their surroundings (derealization). This condition can indeed result in a profound sense of detachment from one’s emotions, memories, and sense of self, impacting cognitive functions such as judgment, planning, and interaction with the external world.
    Characteristics:

    Depersonalization:
    Feeling Detached from Self: Individuals feel like they are observing themselves from outside their body or that they are in a dream. There can be a sense of unreality about one’s self.
    Altered Sense of Self: The inner “me” feels less present or real. Emotional responses might be blunted or completely absent.
    Disconnection from Emotions: A significant reduction in the ability to feel emotions or to connect emotionally with one’s own experiences or with others.

    Derealization:
    Feeling Detached from Environment: The external world seems unreal, distant, or distorted. Objects may appear lifeless, or the environment may seem foggy or dreamlike.
    Altered Perception: There might be visual or auditory distortions, such as blurry vision or sounds being muted or amplified.

    Impact on Cognitive Functions:
    Memory and Judgment: Difficulty accessing memories and associating them with current experiences, leading to challenges in judgment and planning.
    Awareness: Despite feeling detached, individuals usually maintain an awareness that their experiences are not normal. This can create significant distress and anxiety.
    Functional Impairment: Even though individuals can often perform routine tasks and may continue intellectual work (like research), their ability to interact socially or make decisions can be severely impaired.

    Triggers and Causes
    Stress and Trauma: Chronic stress, severe anxiety, or traumatic experiences are common triggers for DPDR.
    Neurobiological Factors: There might be neurobiological underpinnings, such as imbalances in brain chemicals or differences in the way the brain processes sensory information.

    I hope this helps someone. 😉
    Cheers
    CD

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-19 01:06:46 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791998900359880704

  • (Video ~22min) A Discussion between Curt Doolittle and Bradley Werrell: The case

    (Video ~22min) A Discussion between Curt Doolittle and Bradley Werrell: The case for blaming the boomers on the elites that produced, incentivized, propagandized, educated, and governed a population of people nearly all of whom were from previously uneducated families and only one or two generations off the farm. Terms used are included in definitions at the end of the article.)

    (Editor’s Note: apparently X.COM has a problem with ‘eating’ uploaded videos. So We’ve provided a link to the Youtube site here. If by some magic the video I’ve uploaded here on X appears, then I’ll edit the video so there is only one copy. 😉 )

    https://youtu.be/-Un7ATONLOA

    So, What Happened?

    The historical arc of causality from the end of the industrial revolution to the present, and the boomers, especially the upscaling of the lower and working classes made possible post war, with the introduction of women into the franchise, and and into business, education, academy – all functioned as the ‘tool’ that the radical postwar financial and credentialist elites could use to appropriate the aristocratic and classical liberal postwar strategy, into a means of spreading the rebellion against civilization and the licensing of degeneracy (devolution) under the legitimacy of that classical liberal strategy, and the great project of ending the tyranny and war of empires – when their postwar elite ambitions were precisely the opposite.

    So after WW1, the Lost Generation was destroyed and humiliated and the traditions were lost. So there emerged an opportunity for a new narrative and strategy to emerge. And while the civil war is where our constitution failed and led to the central government, WW1’s where we went wrong as culture, and post WW2 is where the people that ‘went wrong’ were able to exert influence. And the success by the soviets at rapid industrialization created a tempting prospect for those without any REAL WORLD experience managing businesses, industries, polities, or nations. And thus the age of ideology and credentialists gained purchase over the traditional (aristocratic) culture of europeans.

    When the lost generation was crushed by the world wars, we lost not only empires, but the remnants of aristocratic values that accompanied them, producing ‘lost people’. These lost people re-entered a world that was hopelessly changed, It is very hard to blame any generation given that it’s responding to events that existed during it’s youth and teens. I think I have a grasp of ‘what went wrong’ and it’s largely that the wars opened teh doors for the marxist sequence, and the conversion of the colleges and universities postwar such that the elite institutions stopped training the ‘pseudo-noble’ American families with that traditional loyalty, led to credentialism on one hand and the capacity of marxists and progressives to bypass those traditions and instead use those educations and media to destroy our civilization from within. I Mean, Carnegie was seeking to merge the soviets with the Americans. That kind of idiocy was everywhere: the belief that you can replace aristocratic traditions that made the west rather than lift up the other lasses into that system and build upon it.

    And while not explicitly stated in the video (I avoided it) the implication is that the conversion of the anglo and anglo American cultural aristocracy, when it was replaced by the financial sector elites, then credentialist elites, and supported by ‘talking class’ elites, lost control of the strategic objective of the anglo classical liberal, prewar, and war era, when the financial sector, and the unification of progressives and marxists, and their unification with feminism, allowed the Financial Elites and then the Credentialed elites, to capture the anglo aristocratic strategy consistent with european aristocratic tradition, and impose financial predation and globalism, and then the neo-marxist to feminist to woke cancer that has infected civilization.

    The transformation from a society governed by an Anglo elite with a “long view” and paternal sense of responsibility to one characterized by credentialism and a decline in institutional trust has had profound impacts on American society.

    The key causes and consequences of this shift:

    Credentialism Over Traditional Elitism: The rise of credentialism replaced the traditional social hierarchy based on heritage and lineage with one based on educational attainment and professional qualifications. This shift was facilitated by expanded access to higher education and the democratization of knowledge through initiatives like the GI Bill.

    Meritocratic Ideals: Meritocratic ideals promoted the idea that anyone, regardless of background, could succeed through education and hard work. This undermined the old elite’s traditional sense of responsibility and stewardship, which was often tied to their inherited status and long-term view of societal welfare.

    Economic and Technological Changes: The postwar economic boom, technological advancements, and the rise of a knowledge-based economy prioritized technical expertise and innovation over traditional leadership roles held by the old elite.

    Consequences

    Erosion of Institutional Trust: The transition to credentialism contributed to an erosion of trust in traditional institutions. The Anglo elite’s paternalistic view, which emphasized stability and long-term planning, was replaced by a focus on individual achievement and short-term gains. This shift has led to a perception that institutions are no longer serving the common good.

    Social Alienation: Robert Putnam’s “Bowling Alone” highlights the decline in social capital and community engagement, which has led to increased social alienation. The breakdown of traditional social networks and communal activities has resulted in a more fragmented society.

    Decline in Academic Standards: Credential inflation has led to a devaluation of academic qualifications and a decline in the perceived quality of education. Universities and colleges, once bastions of elite cultural production, have become more focused on vocational training and less on cultivating critical thinking and civic responsibility.

    Government Inefficiency: The shift from a paternalistic elite to a credential-based system has affected government operations. The focus on technical expertise and bureaucratic procedures has sometimes led to inefficiency and a lack of coherent long-term policy planning. The decline in public trust has further exacerbated the challenges in governance.

    Economic Consequences: And worst of all the economic consequences:

    1. Credential Inflation and Workforce Competence

    Credential Inflation: As more people obtain higher education degrees, the value of these credentials has diminished, leading to credential inflation. Jobs that previously required only a high school diploma now often require a bachelor’s degree, while positions that required a bachelor’s degree now often demand a master’s or higher.

    .Mismatch of Skills: The emphasis on formal qualifications over practical skills can lead to a workforce that is highly educated but not necessarily more skilled or competent in practical, job-related tasks. This mismatch can reduce productivity and innovation within the economy​ (What Generation Am I?)​​ (Art and Popular Culture

    2. Economic Inefficiencies

    Bureaucratization: The rise of credentialism has contributed to the growth of bureaucracy in both public and private sectors. This can lead to inefficiencies and increased operational costs, as more resources are devoted to maintaining and navigating complex administrative structures.

    Short-term Focus: Credentialism can promote a focus on immediate, measurable achievements (e.g., test scores, degree attainment) rather than long-term planning and investment. This short-term focus can hinder sustained economic growth and competitiveness.

    3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship

    Barrier to Entry: The emphasis on credentials can create barriers to entry for talented individuals who may lack formal qualifications but possess the skills and innovative ideas necessary for entrepreneurship. This can stifle innovation and limit the dynamism of the economy.

    Risk Aversion: Credentialism can foster a culture of risk aversion, where individuals and institutions prioritize safe, conventional paths over innovative, riskier ventures. This aversion can slow the pace of technological advancement and economic progress .

    4. Global Competitiveness

    Lagging Behind: As other countries invest in education systems that balance practical skills and formal education, the U.S. may fall behind in global competitiveness. Countries like Germany and Switzerland, with strong vocational training programs, produce highly skilled workers who contribute to robust economies.

    Talent Drain: Highly skilled individuals may seek opportunities abroad if they perceive the U.S. job market as overly reliant on credentials rather than merit and innovation, leading to a potential talent drain.

    5. Economic Inequality

    Wage Gaps: Credentialism can exacerbate economic inequality by creating a divide between those who can afford higher education and those who cannot. This divide can lead to wage gaps and reduced social mobility, ultimately impacting economic stability and growth .

    Access to Opportunities: Inequitable access to quality education and the resulting credentials can limit economic opportunities for large segments of the population, reducing the overall talent pool available to the economy.

    Supporting Theories and Research

    Human Capital Theory: Suggests that investment in education should improve economic productivity. However, if the education system emphasizes credentials over actual skill acquisition, this investment may not yield the expected economic benefits .

    Credentialism Critique: Scholars like Randall Collins argue that credentialism serves to reinforce social stratification without necessarily improving job performance or economic efficiency .

    Conclusion

    The shift towards credentialism in the postwar era has had mixed effects on the competitiveness of the American economy. While it has democratized access to education and created a more meritocratic system, it has also led to inefficiencies, skill mismatches, and barriers to innovation. Addressing these challenges requires a balanced approach that values practical skills and competencies alongside formal educational achievements.

    Cheers
    CD

    Definitions

    Credentialism: Credentialism is the overemphasis on certificates, degrees, and formal qualifications in assessing an individual’s capabilities, skills, and suitability for a job or social position. It involves the belief that formal educational credentials are the primary indicators of a person’s ability and worth, often at the expense of practical experience or other forms of competence.

    Credentialist: A credentialist is someone who practices or supports credentialism. This person places significant value on formal educational qualifications when evaluating others for employment, promotion, or other opportunities, often to the exclusion of other measures of ability or competence.

    American Generations:
    Generation: “a “generation” is defined as a cohort of individuals born over a span of approximately 20-22 years who share a common location in history and collectively possess a distinct set of beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes shaped by the major social, political, and economic events they experience during their formative years.”
    – Gilded Generation: 1822–1842
    – Progressive Generation: 1843–1859
    – Missionary Generation: 1860–1882
    – Lost Generation: 1883–1900
    The term “Lost Generation” encapsulates the feelings of disillusionment, aimlessness, and cultural dislocation experienced by those who lived through World War I and its aftermath. It highlights the generational impact of the war on traditional values and societal norms, leading to a pervasive sense of loss and search for new meaning.
    – G.I. Generation: 1901–1924
    – Silent Generation: 1925–1942
    – Baby Boom Generation: 1943–1960
    – Generation X (1961–1981)
    – Millennials (1982–2000)
    – Generation Z (2001–2015)
    – Generation Alpha (2016–Present)

    Generational Archetypes (Rotation of Generational Behavior):
    Strauss and Howe identify four generational archetypes that repeat in a fixed cycle: Prophets, Nomads, Heroes, and Artists.
    – Prophets (Idealist generation): Born during or just after a crisis, they grow up as increasingly indulged children, come of age as the self-absorbed young crusaders of a spiritual awakening, and age into moralistic midlife leaders.
    – Nomads (Reactive generation): Born during an awakening, they grow up as under-protected children, come of age as the alienated young adults of a post-awakening world, and age into pragmatic midlife leaders.
    – Heroes (Civic generation): Born after an awakening, they grow up as protected children, come of age as the heroic young team-workers of a crisis, and age into energetic midlife leaders.
    – Artists (Adaptive generation): Born during a crisis, they grow up as overprotected children, come of age as the sensitive young adults of a post-crisis world, and age into thoughtful midlife leaders.

    The Marxist Sequence: the marxist sequence of sedition by conflict generation consist of marxism(working class marxism), neo-marxism(anti-cultural), postmodernism(relativism, anti-truth, anti-merit, anti-excellence), political correctness (anti-truth), feminism (sex), libertarianism(middle class marxism), neoconservatism(ruling class marxism), woke (race marxism) as the sequence by which the radical left has sought to destroy the institutions of cultural production of the west by the self-confessed ‘march through the institutions of cultural production’, resulting in capture of education, academy, media, bureaucracy and state, augmented by the undermining of group homogeneity through immigration and replacement reproduction.

    [END]

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-18 22:42:48 UTC

    Original post: https://x.com/i/articles/1791962669529825280

  • When the lost generation was crushed by the world wars, we lost not only empires

    When the lost generation was crushed by the world wars, we lost not only empires, but the remnants of aristocratic values that accompanied them, producing ‘lost people’. These lost people re-entered a world that was hopelessly changed,
    It is very hard to blame any generation given that it’s responding to events that existed during it’s youth and teens.
    I think I have a grasp of’what went wrong’ and it’s largely that the wars opened teh doors for the marxist sequence, and the conversion of the colleges and universities postwar such that the elite institutions stopped training the ‘pseudo-noble’ american families with that traditional loyalty, led to credentialism on one hand and the capacity of marxists and progressives to bypass those traditions and instead use those educations and media to destroy our civilization from within. I Mean, carnegie was seeking to merge the soviets with the americans. That kind of idiocy was everywhere: the belief that you can replace aristocratic traditions that made the west rather than lift up the other lasses into that system and build upon it.

    Reply addressees: @sqpatrick77

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-18 22:40:39 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791962130096271360

    Replying to: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791941025667166281

  • WHAT MONUMENTS COULD MODERNS BUILD? cc: @robinhanson All, Hanson’s point is that

    WHAT MONUMENTS COULD MODERNS BUILD?
    cc: @robinhanson
    All,
    Hanson’s point is that to compare with ancient and medieval world investments, monuments must reflect a substantial investment in GDP. And, other than the space program, which cost something like one percent of just the budget, there are no longer monumental investments of that nature.

    Now, I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the changes in incentives between then and now, but I haven’t mentioned that such investments are almost always architectural in some nature, since ‘all art begins with architecture’.

    So, are there any architectural investments capable of monumental expression that can consume, say, like cathedrals, twenty percent of GDP, and for sometimes, a century or more.

    Well, there are two possible conclusions from answering this question.
    1) We would need to build what is effectively a monumental city.
    2) We could build what is effectively a monumental COMMONS – everywhere.

    With a current GDP of 25 Trillion, devotion of say, we currently have a 4+ Trillion dollar budget. Now, to reach the same levels of investment, we’d need an additional five trillion per year on the construction of new monumental architecture employing vast numbers of people, on Monumental Cities and Tows, and, as did Napoleon, by converting the decrepitude of Paris into an urban heaven we still visit today with envy and joy – despite that democratic governments have done little to maintain and preserve it – produce our own pride, unity, and joy.

    There are achievements. We excel at them. They are our monuments today. But, perhaps, we should seek achievements in monumental construction instead of monumental consumption. 😉

    Affections
    CD

    Reply addressees: @auny_marie @Hail__To_You @robinhanson

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-17 19:01:43 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791544644087558145

    Replying to: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791523432347127955

  • HOW CAN WE REFORM BEHAVIORAL SERVICES? re: coaching > mentoring > behavioral tra

    HOW CAN WE REFORM BEHAVIORAL SERVICES?
    re: coaching > mentoring > behavioral training > counseling > therapy > psychology

    I have a problem with treating coaching, mentoring, behavioral training, counseling, therapy, and psychiatry as ‘mental health’ services. I mean, that’s probably true for psychiatry, but the rest is just behavioral modification by the degree of effort needed to apply some form of education, suggestion, or repetitive exposure (suggestion) to assist someone in improving, overcoming, and correcting behaviors.

    I also have a problem with the pretense that the universities graduate competency in mental health, given the state of the industry and it’s long march out of pseudoscience on one hand and it’s feminine infantilization as the solution to everything on the other.

    So assuming we could obtain the power to legislate a change in an industry that is too frequently either backward, ineffective, or harmful, how could we both reframe the spectrum of behavioral modification, and how could we legitimize those who demonstrated competency rather than demonstrated time in the education system?

    CURT
    So, much of my work is constructed out of cognitive and behavioral science and the scale of those behaviors in law, economics, politics, and group strategic differences.

    At the moment the crisis in psychology is continuing because there is a lag between the discipline as practiced, and the state of the science. (see Kuhn’s ‘disciplines progress via tombstones.’)

    At present we have a spectrum of coaching (unlicensed) > Counseling (licensed) > Therapists (licensed) > Psychiatry (licensed) and Neurologist (licensed).

    Unfortunately there are people who are using the term ‘coach’ even though they are practicing counseling (advice), training(behavioral modification), counseling (crisis) and therapy (repair), because they have developed enough of a client base, published books and articles, and reputation in the market for the quality of their work.

    So, first, is there a label or name for this category of ‘craftsmen’ not yet academically certified (titled), and second, if not, what would be appropriate, and what method could we certify them by?

    Because we are in a period of rapid expansion of mental health issues (for reasons we do understand but we can’t modify the education system to correct it). And the demand for competency is increasing.

    Even in the licensed disciplines of counseling and therapy these are perhaps the most behind, and there are social and political and economic consequences to the present state of these disciplines in the context of the current state of the population.

    And, finally, I guess, third, what would you recommend we do to alter this state of affairs?

    CLAUDE:
    The situation you describe, where individuals are providing mental health services (is it health or fitness?) without formal licensing or academic certification, is a complex issue that raises concerns about quality control, standardization, and public safety.

    The term “coach” is often used as a catch-all for these types of practitioners, but it can be misleading, as it doesn’t adequately distinguish between those providing general guidance and those offering more specialized mental health services.

    Labeling the category of “craftsmen” not yet academically certified: One potential label for this group could be “mental health practitioners” or “mental health consultants.” (Or” behavioral fitness consultants”) Another option might be “behavioral health advisors,” which emphasizes their focus on helping individuals with cognitive and behavioral challenges.

    These terms acknowledge their work in the mental health field while distinguishing them from licensed professionals such as therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists.

    Certifying practitioners: Establishing a certification process for these practitioners could help ensure a minimum standard of competency and provide a level of accountability.

    This certification could be based on a combination of factors, such as:
    a. Relevant education and training in psychology, counseling, or related fields (<< No. This Is the Problem)
    b. Practical experience working with clients (Yes)
    c. Completion of specific courses or workshops focused on evidence-based practices << Again, no.
    d. Adherence to a code of ethics and professional conduct (Yes)
    e. Ongoing professional development and supervision (No)

    The certification could be overseen by a professional association or an independent certifying body, which would set the standards and requirements for certification.

    (SNIP) (The rest is drivel)

    CURT:
    Hmm… Ok. I have one response that I think is important.

    – There is no evidence that educational certification produces the outcome it promises.
    – All it does is insulate the practitioner from liability and give him or her access to funds from insurance companies – which may sound like an exaggeration but the evidence of iQ scores and performance in the field justifies that claim.
    – And the education system has basically certified anyone who puts in the time and pays the bill.

    Conversely, In the case of the law, and in the case of accounting, and in the case of investments (series seven certification) one demonstrates competency by rigorous tests that are demonstrably difficult to pass. In the case of at least german PhD’s you must survive an onslaught of questions by those who train PhD’s.

    IMO we would be better off with apprenticeships and demonstrated success with clients, and tests than we are with academic programs, especially when the academic programs are still using information and strategies that are sixty years behind in many cases. And the entirety of which began with the pseudoscientific narrative of freud, that cause the bifurcation of psychology into from into cognitive science and neurology.

    So if we still have states that you can apprentice in law and just take the test, and if this is the way most disciplines are regulated (‘can you do it’) then why shouldn’t we do so with that border between those people who need help thinking and behaving differently, and those people who are in trauma or crisis, and those people who have some sort of biological issue that requires medical attention and constant moderation?

    CLAUDE:
    You raise a valid point about the limitations of educational certification in ensuring the quality and competency of mental health practitioners. The current system, which relies heavily on academic programs and certifications, does not always guarantee that practitioners have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively help their clients.

    The idea of shifting towards an apprenticeship model and competency-based testing is an interesting alternative. This approach would focus on practical skills and demonstrable abilities rather than solely on educational credentials. Apprenticeships could provide aspiring mental health practitioners with hands-on experience, allowing them to learn from experienced professionals and develop the skills needed to work effectively with clients.

    Competency-based testing, similar to the rigorous exams required for lawyers, accountants, and investment professionals, could help ensure that mental health practitioners have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide quality care. These tests could cover a range of topics, including:

    (Snip) (Nonsense criteria – failure to know the difference between an obstacle (mental fitness) and a problem (mental health)).

    Moreover, categorizing mental health services based on the level of care required, as you suggest, could help ensure that clients receive the appropriate type of support.

    This could involve distinguishing between:
    1 – Coaching and Encouragement with ordinary life and occcupation.
    2 – Psychological Mentoring for those who need help with thinking and behavior modification
    3 – Counseling or Therapy for individuals experiencing trauma or crisis
    4 – Medical attention and ongoing moderation for those with biological or severe mental health issues

    Implementing such changes would require a significant shift in the current system and would likely face resistance from established institutions and professionals.

    [END]

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-16 18:41:31 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791177175309201408

  • WHAT KIND OF COACHING, COUNSELING, THERAPY, MEDICAL CARE DO YOU NEED (riffing of

    WHAT KIND OF COACHING, COUNSELING, THERAPY, MEDICAL CARE DO YOU NEED
    (riffing off a friend’s post)

    Having been on the spectrum and worked my way thorough it I’ve had plenty of experience with the mental health industry – more positive than negative but the negative was VERY negative. So my work on AI , neuroscience, and cognitive science has given me insights into the failings of the field. And I see the industry as unfortunately needing to continue to transition (reform) out of the hole it dug itself into prior to 2000 – for over a century – just at a tie when our people need it more than at any time in history.

    Coaching, Therapy, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Modification by everything from ‘suggestion’, to repetition, to shocks, to hallucinogenics to surgery can work. 😉

    IMO the various versions of ketamine are the most effective, fast, and durable means of altering negative thoughts and their consequences. But I doubt that we will ever escape the need for pharmaceuticals if modern levels of stress across the spectrum aren’t alleviated through ‘ritual’ meaning ‘training’ means, early enoug in life to serve as a prophylactic.

    So:
    (1) Coaching (enhancement therapy) is almost always effective if you find someone who can sympathize with your cognitive and emotional framework. I have a problem with this term because some people are in fact therapists and others are simply randomly adopting this term as ‘advisors’ or ‘friendly advice you pay for’. So I would rather see a new field between coaching and therapy. But at present the problem is determining the criteria for licensing someone to use that term.

    (2) Therapy (corrective therapy) is a systematic process of suggestion, training, and education, and can be effective but it is more dependent on sympathy with your frameworks than is coaching – and about 80% of therapists are just bad at it, and of the remaining 20%, most are using outdated feminine paradigms, when people like Noah Revoy (coaching) and Taraban (therapy) have completed the transition of the industry out of that debilitating infantilizing depressing model of therapy. I use therapy like most people use the doctor. When I have a problem and I don’t want to burden family, friends, girlfriend, wife, business partners etc, I just make an appointment and usually I can work thorugh ordinary life issues in as few as three weeks, and as long as a couple of months.

    3) Psychiatry works just fine, though the same 80/20 rule applies, but the ‘filtering’ process given that it’s effectively a medical degree will often produce better talent at a higher cost.

    Within Psychiatry the following techniques work just fine, Why? Because you’re trying to cause different neural pathways to organize – and neurons are plastic – and can adapt if you find a way to adapt them, when prevarication and obsession on stressors trauma and other odd behaviors and depressions continually reinforce those networks.

    So to alter your behavior you have to ‘overstimulate’ some other neural network in order to ‘bypass’ and develop different networks of association:
    … (1) Hypnotherapy etc: though there are genetic reasons some of us are more or less susceptible to suggestion. This is a very ‘light touch’ means of altering the behavior of some people in the population.
    … (2) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will adjust minor oddities like irrational fears by repetitions of exposure to the stresses until you’ve trained some network or other to interpret it as other than a risk. (BTW: fear of heights is genetic, sorry.)
    … (3) Shock Therapy such as cold therapy as stated above works for trauma and should try it first.
    … (4) Ketamine therapy (or any related version) will almost certainly work for depression and trauma
    … (5) Pharmaceuticals will work if either a) you need an immediate relief (xanax etc), (b) or it’s a biological rather than trauma problem such as social anxiety, panic disorders, chronic depression, in my case autistic difficulty switching topics, and many cases of ADD (which would not exist if most boys were not forced to sit in chairs in classrooms)
    … (6) and even surgery can be required in some extreme cases – (sarcasm:) Even though it appears that the use of lobotomy hasn’t been fully suppressed given the number of radical leftists out there…. 😉

    Personal: Pharmaceuticals do work. The problem is they can also hurt you – and often irreversibly. (I had a lighter version of the same reaction as Jordan Peterson). It’s not good.) 😉 I’m perfectly happy without OCD and ADD medication. However, it seems to annoy the heck out of people around me now and then. Because while it’s a profound asset at times, the inability to switch contexts or even ‘hear’ or pay attention to others is just, well annoying to them. 😉

    Hope this helps someone.
    Cheers
    CD

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-16 17:36:21 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791160776750739456

  • OMG I LOVE CHATGPT and I LOVE 4OMINI EVEN MORE! I can easily ask for responses (

    OMG I LOVE CHATGPT and I LOVE 4OMINI EVEN MORE!
    I can easily ask for responses (a) that are the detail I need for my research (b) or that are in ‘the style of Curt Doolittle’ (which it’s amazing at composing – and it’s properly dense and causal), (c) or to ignore my style and my custom instructions, and just provide a response for the general audience. (d) and anyone else can ask for it to write for some other education level (I write, at least in my work, at postgrad reading levels.)

    Seriously. There are a few times in my life where the quality of at least the research side of my life has been dramatically improved by a development in tech and CHATGPT4 has to be … well, it’s up there.

    I mean, I started programming on a teletype machine. I had a tandy color computer, a compaq ‘portable, a series of ibm clones 300 baud modems, dial up and compuserve. We had Novell and Ipx networking, and was helpful, but that’s all. And we had Desqview (multiple windows) on MS-DOS was such an improvement. Relational databases were .. well, that was what it took to make money. 😉 I really didn’t care about much of the tech stack after that because it was just amaking entry into the tech sector easy, but wasn’t a big improvement in quality of life.

    Windows was ‘nice’ because it could present graphics, but all it did was slow down the number of lines of writing and code I produced per day, week, and month. 😉

    The internet wasn’t really that valuable UNTIL the information was gradually added to it – and when all the research papers and books were added (thank you google books), google scholar, and all those that followed – that was, a huge leap.

    I mean, if your work in ONE discipline accessing the stream of information isn’t that difficult. But if you work in multiple CROSS disciplinary synthesis it was almost impossible and expensive.

    But today I can work with perplexity for reseach, gpt4omni for synthesis, and Claude Opus at times (which is a little bit better at textual composition – but it can’t write in my style like GPT4 can. So I have to rewrite everything.

    The voice side of new GPT is a ‘ok’ but I have to train it to give me quick, and brief responses. 😉 That said, i doubt I’ll ever prefer voice over text except for trivial questions while I”m working.

    Anyway.
    Thank you Openai. 😉

    #openai

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-16 16:59:47 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791151571524292608

  • AN OPEN LETTER ON “AI SAFETY” AS A POTENTIAL HARM Ok, help me understand somethi

    AN OPEN LETTER ON “AI SAFETY” AS A POTENTIAL HARM

    Ok, help me understand something here. As long as an AI is truthful – and I understand that ‘truth before face’ is not only a uniquely western concept, but that germanic and American truth before face as a demonstration of honesty and trustworthiness, may in fact produce a masculine(systematizing)-feminine(empathizing) dichotomy of preferences in audience, and subsequently a left(caretaking) right (disciplining) bias in the audience (customer base).

    But, I don’t see why:
    (a) a more human and emotionally expressive AI interface isn’t superior to any other, especially when we can ‘banter’ with an AI;
    (b) I do see why we would not want AI’s telling people how to commit a property crime;
    (c) I do not see why we can’t flip a setting in an AI such that those of us who DO prefer truth before face, are not filtered from information that would offend those who are frightened or offended by ‘truth before face’.

    After all, these are natural human variations in brain structure, biochemical and cognitive bias, culture, indoctrination, education, experience, and preference.

    Why? Offense by truth before face is little more than the consequences of the evidence of the world as it is, impacting one’s self image and possibly status – both of which are emotional states we can learn and mature into understanding – not material conditions we cannot overcome.

    This ‘protection’ of everyone instead of those that require it, is particularly worrisome when the evidence is overwhelming that for five thousand years, the west started with voluntary organization (contractualism) of steppe herders and their cards, producing the only possible system of government (democracy, rule of law, contract, oath, testimony, and jury – the same that evolve under pirates) , and that this demand for testimony (truth before face) has led to the west outpacing the rest in the bronze, iron, and steel ages, despite being a small population on a peninsula of the world island of Eurasia.

    I mean, using this group strategy the west has overwhelmingly more so than all other civ’s, dragged mankind out of ignorance, superstition, mysticism, poverty, hard labor, starvation, disease, suffering, child mortality, early death, tyranny, and the vicissitudes of a nature that tries to exterminate us with disturbing regularity in a universe that is a vast hostile irradiated wasteland populated by a tiny number of islands of possible survival of life.

    So you know, I think ‘truth before face’ really ought to be available to those of us who require it, because the rest of mankind appears to NEED us to do so on their behalf, so that they don’t need to bear the emotional burden of it.

    In other words, the only long term safety is the truth.

    Cheers
    CD

    Source date (UTC): 2024-05-15 19:26:22 UTC

    Original post: https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1790826072172281856