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Signalling

Much of what people do is a message about themselves, and a signal is believed only when it costs something to send.

Our reading of the idea · 5 claims from 5 people, in their own words

Who thinks with this

Adam ToozeBryan CaplanDaniel CoyleDaniel LemireTyler Cowen

The main function of education is signalling rather than building skill, so subsidising it mostly inflates credentials.

  1. Bryan Caplan Since signaling, not building human capital, is the main function of education, the main effect of government subsidies is credential inflation. Selfishly Speaking, Who Should Skip College?betonit.ai · 19 Feb 2025All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsSince signaling, not building human capital, is the main function of education, the main effect of government subsidies is credential inflation.

    ↗Selfishly Speaking, Who Should Skip College?betonit.ai

    19 Feb 2025

Publicly embracing a taboo, extremist identity can function as a costly signal that builds political authenticity and loyalty.

  1. Adam Tooze Economic historian, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis… People who act and speak in public as right-wing extremists and are labeled as such, establish a claim to authenticity. Chartbook 473 Germany’s democratic earthquake: the AfD breakthrough in Sachsen-Anhalt and the question of an “alternative to the Alternative”.adamtooze.substack.com · 7 Sept 2026All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsPeople who act and speak in public as right-wing extremists and are labeled as such, establish a claim to authenticity.

    ↗Chartbook 473 Germany’s democratic earthquake: the AfD breakthrough in Sachsen-Anhalt and the question of an “alternative to the Alternative”.adamtooze.substack.com

    7 Sept 2026

Culture is not a set of traits but a contest of signals; improving the signals improves the culture

  1. Daniel Coyle Author of The Talent Code In other words, culture is not a set of traits — it’s a signaling contest. Improve your signals, improve your culture. How to Think About Culturedanielcoyle.com · 6 Feb 2018All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsIn other words, culture is not a set of traits — it’s a signaling contest. Improve your signals, improve your culture.

    ↗How to Think About Culturedanielcoyle.com

    6 Feb 2018

Guests who answer by signalling empathy instead of saying something substantive are a reason to turn a bit more against empathy.

  1. Tyler Cowen Economist at George Mason University The signaling-empathy answers I find quite uninteresting, and I think a lot of my listeners do, too. Yet people will just keep on doing this, and I get frustrated. Then I think, “Well, Tyler, you should turn a bit more against empathy for this reason.” And I think that’s correct. Paul Bloom on the Psychology of Children, and the Morality of Empathy and Disgust (Conversations with Tyler, Ep. 218)conversationswithtyler.com · 13 May 2024All korrents from this piece
    Their wordsThe signaling-empathy answers I find quite uninteresting, and I think a lot of my listeners do, too. Yet people will just keep on doing this, and I get frustrated. Then I think, “Well, Tyler, you should turn a bit more against empathy for this reason.” And I think that’s correct.

    ↗Paul Bloom on the Psychology of Children, and the Morality of Empathy and Disgust (Conversations with Tyler, Ep. 218)conversationswithtyler.com

    13 May 2024

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