Open Thread 182

...

This is the weekly visible open thread. Odd-numbered open threads will be no-politics, even-numbered threads will be politics-allowed. This one is even-numbered, so go wild - or post about whatever else you want. Also:

1: Comment of the week is Matthew T here (and that comment subthread in general) giving a different angle on how to think about the costs/benefits of various coronavirus responses.

2: My friends Claire and Buck are trying to distribute money earmarked for rationalist/EA "outreach", and they've decided that the ACX community is close enough to count. If you're doing any ACX community work - for example, running a local meetup group, a podcast, a mailing list, etc - and you think you could do a better job with more money, consider getting in touch with them. It doesn't have to be ACX-branded in particular, it can also just be about related topics. Read https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/WAkvnzxvNfeTJL4BT/funds-are-available-to-support-lesswrong-groups-among-others for more information.

3: Speaking of meetups - it used to be that every autumn I’d do an advertising blitz for in-person SSC meetup groups - promote them on the blog, set a special date for new people to go, and attend as many as possible myself. I’m on the fence about whether to do it this year; the meetup groups definitely need some reinvigoration, but I don’t know how the COVID and lockdown situation is going to develop over the next few months. I’m interested in the community’s opinion: would you go to an in-person indoors ACX meetup in ~September? Would you consider it irresponsible to hold one? I’d especially like to hear from non-Americans whose countries might have situations I don’t know about - I was thinking of trying to go to European meetups this year since I did US ones last time, but I’ll pass if half the countries there are going to ban gatherings.