balajis

@balajis.eth

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We just launched the Network School Fellowship. Anyone from anywhere can apply for $100k in funding. Apply online at ns.com. https://x.com/balajis/status/1913280710531826057

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Come visit Network School. You can apply at ns.com/apply. We have a prototype of a startup society node and we can discuss.

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Just saw this. (1) Actually, I also completely agree with you that the US should stop interfering in LatAm. Now, I probably think they destabilize countries more to the left, and you might think they destabilize more to the right, but we both agree the US destabilizes LatAm countries. And this has been policy since the Monroe Doctrine. That’s why Porfirio Diaz said “Poor Mexico. So far from God. So close to the United States.” (2) Second, I also completely agree with you that we should not give up on democracy. I unironically believe in science too, and rule of law, and even in journalism via citizen journalism. The only question is the implementation mechanism. I believe in the network, more than the state. Yet at the level of principle I think we are aligned. Democracy is about the consent of the governed and without consent there is no legitimate government. In fact, I gave a talk on implementing digital democracy here which I call technodemocracy: https://youtu.be/AT3mwJOdSHQ?feature=shared

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I believe in global meritocracy. Always have, and always will. So we've now launched the Network School Fellowships. Anyone from anywhere can apply for $100k in funding. And Farcaster users are particularly welcome. Just include your Warpcast username when you apply! https://ns.com/apply

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As both user and developer, strongly agree with renaming Warpcast to Farcaster. One brand for discovery. You've built something amazing. We just need people to find it.

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aneri pfp

Insane opportunity: Join @base batches for an opportunity to win a funded spot in the network school by @balajis.eth https://linktr.ee/basebatches

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Xen Baynham-Herd

This is a partnership close to my heart. Enter @Base Batches 001 to earn your spot at the Network School created by @balajis.eth https://x.com/buildonbase/status/1911766402098450652

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I want a simple open source JS text widget that automatically detects and rejects AI input. - It constantly keeps up to date with the latest models - As the user types, it displays the probability that the input is AI - If the user pastes in text, the AI probability increases - It flat-out rejects input if AI probability is >50%, by graying out submit - It doesn't show anything unless the AI probability is high Basically, a good slice of people now paste in AI slop because they're lazy, can't write, or don't realize how detectable it is. I don't want to manually detect it with my eyes, I want AI to do that and reject it prior to submission. Put the widget up at noaijs.com or a similar domain. Allow developers to subscribe for a hosted version, or even perhaps buy a memecoin (ha!) to support.

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Yes to this. We need it culturally too. I went to see Trey Anastasio play an acoustic show the other night and I didn’t see a single phone up recording. I’m sure some people took some snippets but they did it very discreetly. It was a sign of respect from the audience and a collective commitment to being in the moment. It was cool

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🤝 This is what I’m talking about with startup societies!! I would love to see opt-in experiments like this that selectively constrain tech offline. Sort of like the 140 character limit for Twitter was so counterintuitive initially, but helped make the medium. Personally, I use pen/paper or whiteboard offline maybe 50% of the time and it’s extremely helpful for deep thinking.

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“The meme and the memo” is itself an excellent example of a meme that encapsulates the memo! Great write up by @jacob. We got a lot done together.

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What can’t AI do? Deterministic polish. Maybe it can get there for code. With formal verification. But then that’s not really pure AI.

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We need a movement for offline spaces, just like walkable cities. Faraday cage environments where phones and laptops simply don’t work. Libraries with pencil and paper and no distractions. Laptops without WiFi chips, so you can type offline and then sync back manually via USB or Ethernet when you want. Restaurants with phone lockers at the front, where everyone must check in devices beforehand. What else?

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DM and can chat about it! @dwr.eth

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Ah, I don't think it's beside the point at all. If the new government is crooks, and the old government was crooks, then it is just crook vs crook. In particular, the fact that the new government (which is, as you agree, also funded by drug dealers) is opposed to the old government is just a turf battle between different factions of drug dealers. And that's the unfortunate situation in much of Latin America. The people caught in the middle have to survive somehow. They themselves aren't committing crimes, but they have no choice but to interact with criminal governments. To escape, they only have a few options: (1) exit via emigration, (2) exit by negotiating a special economic zone, or (3) use the internet to call in reinforcements from abroad. Note that both (1) and (2) still require interacting with the criminal government. As for (3), that's why ZEDEs called on the global courts system, for a more fair hearing than they could get locally from Castro's crooks (which, again, we agree are crooks).

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Both. But especially engineers, when sifting through a large pool of applicants.

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I have some ideas for AI-proof interviewing. But I’d like to hear yours.

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I am happy to get into all that, but I did want to align first on one question: do you agree that Xiomara Castro and the family running the new Honduran government are crooks? https://apnews.com/article/xiomara-castro-coup-carlos-zelaya-honduras-corruption-60fc69e941f8b8ed55b770da530468bf

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(1) How does it stop being voluntary? No one is forced to live in Pennsylvania. (2) In terms of digital expansion, a modern startup society expands like any internet service. People voluntarily join the cloud community. Some join as individuals, while others come as families, companies, or groups. In terms of physical expansion, note that a tech company doesn't have to conquer anyone to build datacenters and offices around the world. Similarly, if someone doesn't want their investment, or if they hate immigrants and foreigners, a startup society just buys property elsewhere. This is 100% consensual.

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Let me start with two analogies and then go into the substance. (1) First: as the left puts it, Donald Trump is a convicted felon who attempted a coup. Does that mean every real estate deal signed during his first term is invalid? (2) Second: as the right puts it, Joe Biden is a senile warmonger who misused his autopen. Does that mean every pardon and visa issued during his term is invalid? Point: you can actually understand the dysfunction of Latin America through the increasingly dysfunctional North America. Yet every business has to play the game on the field, even as crazy instability rocks the center of government. (3) Next, on Honduras specifically: the new left-wing government that oppposes ZEDE is also reportedly connected to criminals. To wit: "the Castro-Zelaya family appears embedded in some of the same criminal networks as its predecessor" Point: the anti-ZEDE government is not good. Agree? https://www.csis.org/analysis/bad-worse-xiomara-castro-administration-begins-weaponize-honduran-state

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