https://thezvi.substack.com/p/simulacra-levels-summary >A key source of misunderstanding and conflict is failure to distinguish between combinations of the following four cases. > > 1. Sometimes people model and describe the physical world, seeking to convey true information because it is true. > > 2. Other times people are trying to get you to believe what they want you to believe so you will do or say what they want. > > 3. Other times people say things mostly as slogans or symbols to tell you what tribe or faction they belong to, or what type of person they are. > > 4. Then there are times when talk seems to have have gone strangely meta or off the rails entirely. The symbolic representations are mostly of the associations and vibes of other symbols. The whole thing seems more like a stream of words, associations and vibes. Level 2 in particular pairs with Straussianism, which is the bane of my existence. People should stop invoking it!!! See also Tal Yarkoni's "It's not the incentives, it's you" - Source: https://talyarkoni.org/blog/2018/10/02/no-its-not-the-incentives-its-you/ - Found via https://x.com/michael_nielsen/status/1916237879820562472 - Comment from @catehall suggested https://www.experimental-history.com/p/startling-differences-between-humans as well