This post feels to me weirdly bloodless. As if there were no way to make decisions other than Verifiable Documented Evidence. And only accepting Verifiable Documented Evidence is a great way to allow predators to keep getting away with it.

I understand this is written from the perspective of a meetup czar who does not & cannot attend most meetups, but in an ideal world the solution would be:

Czar becomes aware of a potential problem 

Czar visits the area, talks to people 

Czar makes a decision 

You only need Verifiable Documented Evidence if no one actually has the power to make a decision based on intuitive knowledge.

Definitely. Let’s not imitate the deceptive headlines in mainstream media

Medicine has solved this problem for the majority of mystery illnesses that are psychosomatic. But it's a difficult cure because it requires the sick person's cooperation. And people don't often talk about this because of the misconception that considering psychosomatic illness is insulting to the sick person. 

There is probably a niche for a prominent person or doctor to explain psychosomatic illness and work on getting people to consider that possibility and accept treatment. But that is a task suited more to influencers and those with a lot of tact than for nerds. 

I’m guessing it’s meant for group houses or other meeting spaces based on the emphasis on floor chairs and rugs. Good stuff if you’re sitting on a floor, but if you’re not in a crowded group situation, most people would prefer sitting on real chairs or couches.

Re the point that mania is very bad, I agree, but people should know that not all mania is associated with bipolar disorder.

It might be a good idea to point out that there is substantial individual variation in how individual women experience their menstrual cycle. Knowing the averages does not enable you to draw conclusions about what any individual is experiencing. If you find yourself saying, "You must be [X] because of your menstrual cycle," stop. Do not lecture women about their menstrual cycle, do not assume you know more than they do about how their bodies work.

I gather there wasn't any data about cyclic changes in sex drive, but that would be an interesting one to study too.

Do people in your bubble generally find it difficult to make decisions that might seem "selfish," or might be disapproved of by their peers?

It's very strange to me that a group of people who are, on average, very well informed about COVID, and who are probably aware that the risk of death for healthy non-elderly people is incredibly low, would so often go completely overboard on precautions. Is it hyper-altruism?

I’ve got to ask, what is the most locked-down person you know doing? It’s hard to imagine being more locked down than you are!

How much of your stress do you think was the result of living in a group house, and thus feeling that you had to get roommates’ consent to very normal things like going on a date or a walk? I know some people seem to like the group house thing, but damn, I like making my own decisions.

I’d like to see survey data on rationalists’ responses to the pandemic. Does this exist (should i make it exist?) I suspect the incredibly super-cautious are more vocal, thus distorting our perception of what others are doing.

Personally, I’m avoiding indoor restaurants/bars and indoor socializing and I wear masks when required. But I have no problem with outdoor socializing, going to restaurants and stores, and I’ve gone on several pandemic vacations.