Hi, I'm David Youssef. on Podcasts. leading Workshops. writing. presenting. for Hire.
I'm on Podcasts
I'm on Podcasts
The Oasis of Rest
A podcast designed to give you the space to catch your breath and think deeply in a world a world that tries to make you rush. Hosted by David Youssef and Richard Acton.
Episode 189 - AI Bloomer David Youssef (The Bayesian Conspiracy)
David Youssef from The Guild of the Rose has great ways to integrate ChatGPT into your work, and also thinks AIs will keep humans around.
Episode 117 - The Guild of Servants (The Bayesian Conspiracy)
Alex and David are launching The Guild Of Servants — an outward-facing Rationalist organization for engaging and optimizing your local social enviroment.
Episode 64 - Magick with David Youssef (The Bayesian Conspiracy)
It's only almost as crazy as it sounds.
I'm leading Workshops
I'm leading Workshops
Cyborgs, Centaurs, AI, and You: Unleashing the Power of AI
Welcome to the future, friends! In this exciting workshop, we'll help you understand how AI tools can supercharge your personal and professional lives, banish monotony, and boost efficiency. Our mission is to introduce you to a variety of AI technologies and inspire you to adopt these tools, so you can experience the fantastic compounding returns and enjoy the perks of staying ahead of the technological curve.
Developing an Aesthetic 1-4
Learn to develop a personal aesthetic to enhance your style, improve communication, and present yourself authentically through examining examples and activities. This workshop has pre-session homework. Make sure to have a collection of photos of yourself in your “regular” clothing.
Emergency Preparedness
The objective of this workshop is to give all Guild members the basic skills and tools of emergency and disaster survival.
How to Be Fun at Parties
Partying seems like it should be one of the easiest things for people to do but time and time again, we see that it is actually a great source of anxiety. Despite that, most of us have a deep need for social connection.
Molochian Systems
Many of the problems with systems and institutions we encounter in daily life can be traced to breakdowns in the system not attributable to any particular person or any single mistake. Rather, the true problem can only be understood at a systems level. We refer to this class of problems as Molochian, in reference to Scott Alexander's classic Meditations on Moloch.
New Year's Resolutions
This workshop provides tools and strategies for setting and achieving New Year's goals, including aligning them with your emotional and intuitive self (the "Elephant") and making them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Practical Social Networking 1-6
This workshop will teach you the mechanics of social networks, how to build them, and the rich value that they bring to your lives. More importantly, this workshop will help you find people that you care enough about to spend your time and effort helping.
Prompt Engineering
Discover the magic of prompt engineering and learn how to summon and direct your AI minions effectively. Uncover the secrets to creating a system for better future prompts in our hands-on class. Unleash your inner wizard and join the revolution in AI communication.
Resolve Cycles
Crush akrasia, procrastination, and planning confusion with the CFAR technique known as Resolve Cycles.
Taste and Shaping
Procrastination is the soul rebelling against entrapment. This workshop gives you the tools to align your reward system with your goals and defeat akrasia.
Trigger Action Planning
Also known as implementation intentions, trigger-action plans are a good way to deliberately create a new habit one atomic part at a time.
Using Your Voice
Many people think that their voice is "bad", which should be surprising because almost nobody has an objectively bad voice. But many people use their voices unskillfully, which can be improved.
I'm writing Articles
I'm writing Articles
The Influence of Cultural Subconscious on AI Language Models: A Comprehensive Analysis of Archetypes and Communication, written with GPT4
The cultural subconscious represents an aggregation of tropes and ideas that humans share within their respective communities (Jung, 1968). These ideas and archetypes have evolved over time, adapting to advancements in communication technology (McLuhan, 1964). This essay explores the role of the cultural subconscious in shaping artificial intelligence (AI) language models, drawing on insights from AI research and psychological perspectives, and discusses the potential impact on their resulting personalities and behaviors.
Insect Wing Nanostructure and its Inhibitory Effect on E. coli Growth
In this study, the antibacterial properties of the spotted lanternfly wings were investigated. The wings were found to possess a unique structure consisting of nanopillars of varying heights, which were believed to be the functional component of their antibacterial properties. The effect of these nanopillars on the growth of E. coli was tested using an optical density assay. The results showed that the nanopillars inhibited the growth of E. coli, suggesting that they could be a promising candidate for non-chemical or biological interventions for biofilm-related infections. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the antimicrobial properties of the nanostructures.
Fragility, Robustness, and Antifragility
No one escapes the cruel hands of probability. Yet we often only use the most shallow tools to think about fate's grasp on our life. Nassim Nicholas Taleb has categorized the goddess of chance in his series Inconcerto. This article is a summary and toolset for three of those books: Fooled by Randomness, The Black Swan, and Antifragility.
A Guide for Workshop Leaders: Pre-Workshop Planning
As a workshop leader running a workshop from The Guild of the ROSE, it's essential to have a well-organized plan in place before conducting one. Here are six things to consider during the pre-workshop planning stage.
I'm presenting
I'm presenting
The Genedrive
In nature, certain genes ‘drive’ themselves through populations by increasing the odds that they will be inherited. In this presentation, I explain the mechanism behind this drive.
Metaphysical Demons in Organizational Theory
Moloch is introduced as the answer to a question – C. S. Lewis’ question in Hierarchy Of Philosophers – what does it? Earth could be fair, and all men glad and wise. Instead we have prisons, smokestacks, asylums. What sphinx of cement and aluminum breaks open their skulls and eats up their imagination?
Cryo-EM reveals the structural basis of long-range electron transport in a cytochrome-based bacterial nanowire
Groundbreaking cryo-EM study reveals the structural basis of long-range electron transport in Geobacter sulfurreducens bacterial nanowires, where tightly packed heme cofactors in OmcS filaments enable efficient biological electron conduction, opening up exciting possibilities for sustainable bioelectronics and expanding our understanding of microbial electron transfer capabilities.