Has this line of thinking led you to consider whether it’s a good use of anybody’s time to pay attention to geopolitical events unless they are directly connected to their life in some way—through family or work, or (at a stretch) through participation in a forecasting tournament?
A minimal level of engagement is warranted simply because we want to be citizens of the world, but diminishing returns appear to set in incredibly quickly. It seems to be, as you imply, an inefficient use of time that can actually distract us from more important activities.
Hah! Yeah, stepping back, I think these events are a distraction for most people. Especially if they worsen one’s mental health. For me, reflecting on the war makes me feel so grateful and lucky to live where I do.
Another reason to pay attention is when it seems like it could shortly and sharply affect the chances of catastrophe. At the beginning of the war, I kept asking myself, “At what probability of nuclear war should I: make a plan, consider switching jobs, move to Argentina, etc.” But I think we’ve moved out of the scary zone for a while.
Has this line of thinking led you to consider whether it’s a good use of anybody’s time to pay attention to geopolitical events unless they are directly connected to their life in some way—through family or work, or (at a stretch) through participation in a forecasting tournament?
A minimal level of engagement is warranted simply because we want to be citizens of the world, but diminishing returns appear to set in incredibly quickly. It seems to be, as you imply, an inefficient use of time that can actually distract us from more important activities.
Hah! Yeah, stepping back, I think these events are a distraction for most people. Especially if they worsen one’s mental health. For me, reflecting on the war makes me feel so grateful and lucky to live where I do.
Another reason to pay attention is when it seems like it could shortly and sharply affect the chances of catastrophe. At the beginning of the war, I kept asking myself, “At what probability of nuclear war should I: make a plan, consider switching jobs, move to Argentina, etc.” But I think we’ve moved out of the scary zone for a while.