Brandon Romauld

@DaveShapi My problem with many non-fiction books is that many take an idea that could easily be an article or blog post and bloat it into 300 pages of unnecessary stories, asides, examples, etc. Get to the point.

I (embarrassingly) majored in "women's studies" in college and I can tell you firsthand, this is exactly the epistemic emptiness they teach you from day 1 Everything is "rooted in" something "systemic" Systemic racism. Systemic oppression. Systemic harm What’s missing (and what you see exposed when Peter starts asking basic questions) is that students are never even taught how to reason about systems. They’re not taught to define what a system is, what its components are, how those components interact, or how causality flows through it In an actual systems framework, you would be expected to specify mechanisms: inputs, incentives, feedback loops, constraints, failure modes. You’d have to explain how a policy, law, or institution produces a measurable outcome, and why. You’d have to show at least some kind of work! Instead, students are taught a style of communication that substitutes vocabulary for explanation. “Systemic” becomes a conversation stopper rather than a starting point. It signals moral seriousness while insulating the claim from scrutiny. If someone asks for clarification, that’s treated as hostility rather than curiosity So when this kid confidently says “America is systemically racist” but cannot answer the simplest follow-up — what is the system, exactly? — it's not even really his fault It’s the predictable result of a pedagogy that rewards moral fluency over analytical thought They're really, really good at invoking the word “system” to explain everything, while explaining absolutely nothing (For what it's worth: teaching myself about systems is how I thought my way out of feminism... and then eventually left the left. I cannot believe "women's studies" is a real academic program. It's bananas)

The first question of any conversation (or interview) matters. A lot. It builds rapport and sets the tone for everything that follows.

If you believe free speech is for you but not your political opponents, you're illiberal. If no contrary evidence could change your beliefs, you're a fundamentalist. If you believe the state should punish those with contrary views, you're a totalitarian. If you believe political opponents should be punished with violence or death, you're a terrorist.

A mark of wisdom is being quick to change your opinions but slow to change your principles. It takes openness to update your views. It takes integrity to uphold your values. A key to growth is raising your understanding without lowering your standards.

It sounds counterintuitive, but doing hard things actually makes life easier. The more you push and grow, the better and more fulfilling life becomes.

This is what we call being a maniac 😂

Wow very good!

Worth listening.

James Clear on building identity around what we love:

The assumed perfectibility of human societies has caused more needless suffering than any other meme. Comparing reality to a utopian image in one's mind––an image untethered from reality's constraints––produces toxic resentment that rapidly destroys one's capacity for gratitude.

The strongest signal of credibility is not how much people know. It's how much they care about accuracy. Trustworthy sources don't have an agenda. They pursue the truth even if it counters their hopes and beliefs. The most reliable voices are the ones most invested in learning.

The answer to bad ideas is refutation or ridicule, not censorship. Bad ideas will win, though, if reasonable people censor themselves for fear of starting a fight. Moral clarity and courage have to work together — the former without the latter is practically worthless.

A friend in LA just took this video

Self-victimization isn’t unique to any situation, ideology, or identity. It’s a universal trap that preys on the desire to absolve ourselves of any responsibility for a problem through blame. It’s dangerous because it actually perpetuates the problem in order to avoid it.

“Nobody has the right to live their lives being protected from offense or from insults or from hurt feelings. It is an occupational hazard of living in society.” — Ann Widdecombe

the reason to share your creations publicly isn’t to convince the world that you are brilliant, it is to show yourself that it is safe to be seen