Existential Hope Drop #16: Liv Boeree
On Game Theory, Moloch & Our Hopeful Future
August 2023
In this Hope Drop we welcome former professional poker player, Liv Boeree.
We explore the intellectual and ethical journey of Liv, as she has recently transitioned from her poker career to find paths for meaningful social impact. We discuss her early interest in science, the competitive allure of poker, and the ethical questions that led her to reevaluate the zero-sum dynamics of the game.
Liv's recommended resources:
Win-Win - This is Liv Boeree's podcast where she delves into topics like the win-win potential of competition and its benefits and shortcomings.
Meditations on Moloch by Scott Alexander - This is the blog post by Scott Alexander that Liv Boeree found insightful about misaligned incentives in competition.
Raising for Effective Giving - Liv Boeree is a co-founder of this organization that applies the principles of Effective Altruism to poker.
Liv Boeree's YouTube Videos - Here, you can find the videos Liv Boeree made about Moloch.
Interviews with Daniel Schmachtenberger - Daniel Schmachtenberger offers valuable insights into systems thinking and related topics.
Interviews with Jordan Hall - Jordan Hall is another thought leader in systems thinking and related fields.
Samantha Sweetwater - She is a noted figure in exploring indigenous wisdom.
Backlist Podcast - This podcast was mentioned by Liv Boeree as an example of a collaborative effort.
Eucatastrophe: A Worldwide Celebration
Liv's idea for an Xhope scenario is a global celebration day, where everyone on Earth decides that no one will work on this particular day, and for a few hours on a certain day of the year, everyone, regardless of their location, engages in a festive activity simultaneously. The sheer knowledge that everyone around the globe is partaking in this celebration at the same time creates a unique moment of unity and joy. This could potentially be an interesting consideration for anyone looking to organize such a unique event...
About the artist
This art piece was created by Minh Nguyen (@menhguin), using generative AI. Minh is the cofounder of FridaysForFuture Singapore, worked on a peer support subreddit used by 80% of teenagers in Singapore, and has done policy advocacy since high school. After interning at Nonlinear, he's exploring AI Safety (AIS) advocacy, launching an AIS online university and startup ideas that aid AIS research. Minh is an optimist because "if not, work would be way too depressing".
Related Xhope Library Recommendations: Metatools for Progress
Astral Codex, Astral Codex Podcasts - A blog on science, futurism, and rationality.
Panpsychism & Protopanpsychism - David Chalmers. Contra Dennett, panpsychism is the idea that all things have a mind-like quality. Chalmers also wrote Moving Forward on the Problem of Consciousness, an updated take on his “hard problem of consciousness”.
The Ego Tunnel - Thomas Metzinger. About consciousness, the sense of self, and whether it exists.
NEWS FROM THE XHOPE ECOSYSTEM
New AI safety grant focusing on undervalued approaches to AI safety
The Foresight Institute has launched a new grant program that seeks to support projects working to make progress on three areas they consider underexplored when it comes to AI Safety. If this is within your domain of expertise, make sure to apply!
The Base Rate Times
Discover news through prediction markets. What do superforecasters believe will happen in the future? This platform collects forecasting predictions on big questions, describing themselves as "The Economist meets Metaculus".
Rethink Priorities is expanding their Existential Security Work
Rethink Priorities is a research organization looking into the biggest challenges facing us. They now have several job opportunities across their cause areas. For example, their Existential Security Team’s Incubation Program, RP is currently seeking a founder, or founding team, for a university field-building project focused on AI policy careers in the US.
Learn more about our work at existentialhope.com.