Three Model Organisms For Taste - By Scott Alexander episode artwork

EPISODE · May 13, 2026 · 13 MIN

Three Model Organisms For Taste - By Scott Alexander

from AI Article Readings · host Askwho Casts AI

In this post Scott Alexander uses flags, movie plot holes, and tech-company names as “model organisms” for thinking about taste: small, familiar examples where broader arguments about rules, context, elegance, novelty, and cliché become easier to see. It’s a sharp, funny exploration of why some aesthetic rules feel obvious, when they may just be inherited habits, and why “easy wins” can sometimes feel suspiciously tasteless.* 00:00 - Introduction* 00:09 - Reddit Vexillology* 07:49 - 2: Movie Plot Holes* 10:12 - Tech Company Nameshttps://open.substack.com/pub/astralcodexten/p/three-model-organisms-for-taste?r=67y1h&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web Get full access to Askwho Casts AI at askwhocastsai.substack.com/subscribe

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Three Model Organisms For Taste - By Scott Alexander

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In this post Scott Alexander uses flags, movie plot holes, and tech-company names as “model organisms” for thinking about taste: small, familiar examples where broader arguments about rules, context, elegance, novelty, and cliché become easier to...

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