Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Based Beff Jezos and the Accelerationists, published by Zvi on December 6, 2023 on LessWrong.

It seems Forbes decided to doxx the identity of e/acc founder Based Beff Jezos. They did so using voice matching software.

Given Jezos is owning it given that it happened, rather than hoping it all goes away, and people are talking about him, this seems like a good time to cover this 'Beff Jezos' character and create a reference point for if he continues to come up later.

If that is not relevant to your interests, you can and should skip this one.

Do Not Doxx People

First order of business: Bad Forbes. Stop it. Do not doxx people. Do not doxx people with a fox. Do not dox people with a bagel with creme cheese and lox. Do not dox people with a post. Do not dox people who then boast. Do not dox people even if that person is advocating for policies you believe are likely to kill you, kill everyone you love and wipe out all Earth-originating value in the universe in the name of their thermodynamic God.

If you do doxx them, at least own that you doxxed them rather than denying it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a pseudonym with a cumulative reputation, if you feel that is necessary to send your message. Say what you want about Jezos, he believes in something, and he owns it.

Beff Jezos Advocates Actions He Thinks Would Probably Kill Everyone

What are the things Jezos was saying anonymously? Does Jezos actively support things that he thinks are likely to cause all humans to die, with him outright saying he is fine with that?

Yes. In this case it does. But again, he believes that would be good, actually.

Emmet Shear: I got drinks with Beff once and he seemed like a smart, nice guy…he wanted to raise an elder machine god from the quantum foam, but i could tell it was only because he thought that would be best for everyone.

TeortaxesTex (distinct thread): >in the e/acc manifesto, when it was said "The overarching goal for humanity is to preserve the light of consciousness"… >The wellbeing of conscious entities has *no weight* in the morality of their worldview

I am rather confident Jezos would consider these statements accurate, and that this is where 'This Is What Beff Jezos Actually Believes' could be appropriately displayed on the screen.

I want to be clear: Surveys show that only a small minority (perhaps roughly 15%) of those willing to put the 'e/acc' label into their Twitter report endorsing this position. #NotAllEAcc. But the actual founder, Beff Jezos? I believe so, yes.

A Matter of Some Debate

So if that's what Beff Jezos believes, that is what he should say. I will be right here with this microphone.

I was hoping he would have the debate Dwarkesh Patel is offering to have, even as that link demonstrated Jezos's unwillingness to be at all civil or treat those he disagrees with any way except utter disdain. Then Jezos put the kabosh on the proposal of debating Dwarkesh in any form, while outright accusing Dwarkesh of… crypto grift and wanting to pump shitcoins?

I mean, even by December 2023 standards, wow. This guy.

I wonder if Jezos believes the absurdities he says about those he disagrees with?

Dwarkesh responded by offering to do it without a moderator and stream it live, to address any unfairness concerns. As expected, this offer was declined, despite Jezos having previously very much wanted to appear on Dwarkesh's podcast. This is a pattern, as Jezos previously backed out from a debate with Dan Hendrycks.

Jezos is now instead claiming he will have the debate with Connor Leahy, who I would also consider a sufficiently Worthy Opponent. They say it is on, prediction market says 83%.

They have yet to announce a moderator. I suggested Roon on Twitter, another good choice if he'd be down might be Vitalik Buterin.

Eliezer Yudkowsky notes (reproduced in full belo...