by Keith McCammon

One of Paul Graham’s best. Labels are limiting, superficial, and one-dimensional. This is certainly true when we use them to describe ourselves to others, but this is equally true when they’re how we see ourselves.

If people can’t think clearly about anything that has become part of their identity, then all other things being equal, the best plan is to let as few things into your identity as possible.

Most people reading this will already be fairly tolerant. But there is a step beyond thinking of yourself as x but tolerating y: not even to consider yourself an x. The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you.

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Frontier AI models and regulatory capture

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