Do you live in Berkeley? Are you feeling particularly anxious or depressed? Consider moving to SF or elsewhere. I’ve heard from so many people that the AI safety community in Berkeley is particularly damaging to mental health. I’ve only felt depressed about AI safety once & it was when I was in Berkeley for a few weeks. It went away after I left.
From what I’ve heard it seems to be from a mix of:
- Lots of gossip and anxiety about results of said gossip, which often lead to losses of invitations, funding, and job opportunities
- A gloomy vibe, where a critical mass of people think it’s an incredibly high chance of doom
- Escalating purity testing cycles
Remember: you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. You might be depressed or anxious because of objective facts about the world. But you might also be depressed or anxious because you’re surrounded by depressed or anxious people
I’ve heard good things about the SF AI safety community. London’s EA community was also far less neurotic in my experience than many others. Felt much more balanced and less insular.
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