I'm kind of over the whole "Anti-monopoly" movement
The struggle against excessive corporate power needs better standard-bearers.
Economics
Noahpinion.
Economics and other interesting stuff.
Recent essays
30 of 87How much more software do we really need?
Probably a lot, but not necessarily the kinds people have made money on so far.
The way we treat pigs is a sin
The practice of "crating" is torture, plain and simple. Voters want to end it, but Congress might not let them.
America needs liberal nationalism back
The most successful ideology of the 20th century is still right for the 21st.
Your future job will be to keep AI on task
The one thing humans will always be comparatively good at is knowing what we want.
Are you tired of the Trump era yet?
Every few weeks there's a new disaster that would have sunk any other president.
America is heading for a debtpocalypse
But if we act now, we can avert disaster.
Roundup #82: Staring in wonder at the world
Crime; ICE raids; AI hate; Oligarchy; AI math; Small businesses; Neoliberal Claude; Slacker AGI; The Technium
All non-drone militaries are obsolete
All warfare is drone warfare now.
Dating advice for men
Don't believe the incel stuff. Romance is very possible for regular, average men.
Yes, Europeans are poorer than Americans
Comfortable, leisurely, pleasant stagnation is just not good enough for the modern age.
Trump actually started to decouple America from China
The "economic divorce" between the two countries is proceeding slowly, but it is proceeding.
Tyrants are losing wars
Ruthlessness and machismo will only get you so far in a technological world.
Do billionaires earn their money?
That's probably the wrong question.
Barack Obama was a successful President
A repost, because I'm annoyed.
Could development economics be more useful?
What's really needed is humility.
AI's big messaging pivot
Some top AI leaders now say their technology will create jobs. Should we believe them?
California's "billionaire tax" is the wrong approach
Left-populist instincts are leading to silly policy ideas.
Roundup #81: Back to our regular programming
National debt; AI cyberattacks; Phone bans; AI and coding jobs; Millennials vs. Boomers; Public order; California YIMBYism
Scoring the Jensen-Dwarkesh debate
Export controls are holding back Chinese AI. Should we keep them?
The moderately easy problem of consciousness
Before deciding if computers are self-aware, let's figure out how humans become self-aware.
Why shoplifting is bad
It may feel like a small act of rebellion, but it hurts a lot of people who don't deserve it.
Is China's soft power really rising, or is America's just crumbling?
Chinamaxxing vs. Americaminning.
No, America is not in a "stealth manufacturing boom"
Tariffs are canceling out the tailwinds.
Updated thoughts on industrial policy
Economic consensus is changing, but it has a long way to go.
Hasan Piker is bad for the Democrats
Republicans embraced extremist ideology and it backfired on them. Democrats shouldn't follow suit.
You are what you consume
Personal identity should come from the things we get to choose for ourselves.
What if a few AI companies end up with all the money and power?
Contemplating the grim future of the "Robot Lords".
Will Americans want more housing if it looks prettier?
Maybe a little bit, but I have my doubts.
Yes, assimilation is good
Building a unified American culture isn't about bullying people; it's about living together in peace.