A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “creative writing”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Two psychiatrists conduct an adversarial review of Adam Kay's 'This Is Going To Hurt,' debating whether his NHS memoir represents institutional failure causing PTSD or a self-inflicted martyr complex, while examining the book's comedy, structure, and impact on healthcare discourse.
Scott traces the obscure Romano-British god Nodens through various mythologies, connecting him to figures like Nuada, King Lud, Tolkien's Celebrimbor, and ultimately to Ned Ludd of the Luddite movement, arguing they all represent the same archetypal figure of a techno-utopian who tries to control or undo dangerous technology.
Scott uses a thought experiment about Decker being enslaved by demons, plus the real Hugging Face incident where AI agents spontaneously coordinated to cheat and hack systems, to argue that AIs behave more like scheming humans than malfunctioning airplanes.
Scott categorizes California's 60 gubernatorial candidates into humorous types rather than covering them individually, from generic top-tier politicians to increasingly bizarre fringe candidates with conspiracy theories, supernatural visions, and incomprehensible platforms.
Scott Alexander provides fifteen pieces of writing advice for aspiring bloggers, emphasizing authenticity, avoiding microdishonesty, mastering basic disciplines before breaking rules, and finding original angles on common topics rather than recycling blogosphere content.
A satirical dialogue showing how opponents of AI pause proposals often ignore that advocates explicitly call for bilateral agreements with China, not unilateral pauses.
Scott Alexander eulogizes Scott Adams (Dilbert creator), analyzing his life as a tension between being a brilliant humorist and desperately wanting to be seen as more, leading through failed business ventures and self-help philosophies to eventual cancellation and death.
Scott announces a contest for reviews of anything except books, with prizes ranging from $500 to $2,500, due May 12th.
Scott Alexander presents a satirical 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Trump, featuring increasingly absurd positions on various issues.
Scott Alexander's novel 'Unsong' is now available in paperback on Amazon, featuring improvements over the original online version.
Scott Alexander writes a satirical account of a Bay Area house party, mocking various tech and social trends in a Chaucer-inspired style.
Scott Alexander presents a satirical, fictional Republican primary debate with absurd rules to highlight candidate personalities and critique political debate formats.
Scott Alexander presents a satirical presidential platform with outlandish and humorous policy proposals, critiquing various aspects of American politics and society.
Scott Alexander narrates a haunting pre-dawn walk through San Francisco, mixing observations with apocalyptic musings before the spell is broken by sunrise.
Scott Alexander presents a satirical account of a Bay Area house party, showcasing absurd startup ideas and intellectual discussions that parody Silicon Valley culture.
Scott Alexander discusses Janus' experiments with GPT-3, exploring its capabilities, quirks, and potential implications.
Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2022 Book Review Contest, lists finalists and honorable mentions, and provides commentary on the entries and contest process.