A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “personal experience”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Daniel Böttger describes his experience after brain surgery for cancer removed his right amygdala, resulting in the complete elimination of visceral fear, depression, and most suffering, while also causing some social difficulties and autism-like symptoms.
A personal account of fighting as a foreign volunteer in Ukraine, from leaving a boring IT job to joining the International Legion and experiencing trench warfare firsthand.
Scott analyzes misophonia through new research and personal experience, suggesting it might be maintained by complex emotional and social networks rather than pure sound sensitivity.
Scott Alexander examines how investigative journalism can target unpopular individuals or groups, using recent examples to illustrate the potential chilling effects and biases in media coverage.
Scott Alexander recounts his journey to fatherhood, blending personal experiences with broader reflections on progress, rationality, and the future his newborn twins will face.
Scott Alexander recounts his experience donating a kidney, from initial motivation to post-surgery recovery, while discussing the broader context of organ donation.
Scott Alexander recounts his experience with Substack's advance payment offer, demonstrating that the company's strategy was likely motivated by genuine revenue predictions rather than sinister intentions.
Scott Alexander examines the ethics of sympathy for workers in difficult professions, exploring the tension between economic incentives and personal experiences in shaping our views on labor issues.
Scott Alexander shares his Cyber Monday product recommendations, focusing on items that have improved his daily life and work experience.
Scott Alexander explores the idea that people might be missing universal human experiences without realizing it, using examples from various senses and personal anecdotes.
Scott Alexander argues that virtue ethics is neither how people naturally think about morality nor an effective way to make people more moral, proposing alternative methods and using a grammar analogy to illustrate his point.
Scott Alexander shares his journey from skepticism to acceptance of polyamory, challenging common misconceptions and describing his personal experiences.
Scott Alexander announces his acceptance into a psychiatry residency in Michigan, reflecting on the competitive nature of medical residencies and his unexpected positive experiences following a previous rejection.
Scott Alexander discusses his brain's arbitrary division of sleep into 'sleep mode' and 'nap mode', which interferes with establishing a normal sleep schedule, and asks for others' experiences and solutions.