Overcoming Bias

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Blowhard Insight

www.overcomingbias.com

Blowhard Insight

Robin Hanson
Aug 3, 2009
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Blowhard Insight

www.overcomingbias.com

David Mazzotta gets me:

The trick when surfing these days is not to find curious bits of entertainment news that is ahead of the curve, but to find high quality thoughtful posting; things of intellectual or critical value that you can really sink your teeth into. In that respect, the web is no different than any other source of communication. So let me recommend four “blogs” where I regularly find thoughtful posts. Were I still an old school blogger, I bet 80% my posts would come from these places.  First and foremost is Overcoming Bias.

Yes, thoughtful is what I’m trying for.  One of the other three blogs is 2blowhards, where I find this insightful gem:

Killing time waiting for The Wife at the hair salon, I leafed through some women’s magazines. … I had a good time noting down some of the fantasies … these magazines’ readers enjoy indulging in:

  • Spend a year in a foreign country, and you’ll discover your true self. …

  • Embracing who and what you are — whatever that means — will make you look ten years younger.

  • Jobs aren’t about selling something others are willing to pay for. Jobs are about personal fulfillment. …

  • Emotions — no matter which, no matter when — need to be faced and worked-through. Then you’ll feel great.

  • Following your instincts and your feelings will always work out for the best. …

  • The troubles of movie stars are just like yours.

No doubt marketing to men involves similarly implausible fantasies.  Marketing seems all about identity, something economists know relatively little about. Makes me want to study the subject more.

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Blowhard Insight

www.overcomingbias.com
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