Hard to tell if this is deliberate fine tuning or a strange product of how Chinese models need to be tuned so as to NOT disagree with the stance of the CCP🇨🇳

But underscores some of the risks associated with using Chinese models

Turning 40 is a milestone that should come with a manual. All I got were these lessons instead -- hopefully they help (or at least amuse) you

Read all about the 7 lessons in full here: benjamintseng.com/2025/10/seve...

Lesson 7: Play stupid (status) games, win stupid prizes

Status games are everywhere (ask any parent of young kids the last time an ad or article made them feel guilty).

Recognize them and consciously decide which ones are actually worth your time and energy

Lesson 6: Good taste is overrated

In your career, good taste is an asset

In life? It’s better to have low standards. Being easy to please (ie with wine, movies, food) is a superpower for everyday contentness. It saves you time, money, and mental energy for what truly matters.

Lesson 5: Genius doesn't generalize

In an age of influencer marketing & interview podcasts, its important to remember what it takes to be brilliant at one thing comes at the expense of others

TLDR: don't ask a gymbro for relationship advice or a VC about how to help the poor

2020 was a hard year. I was unemployed w a young son & aging parents I couldn't see

But it was also the year I built a telemedicine operation 0-to-1, built AI models which made it into academic papers, and did policy work which led to new friends & opptys

Embrace the unlikely

Lesson 4: Embrace the unlikely

My 30s included my getting fired, a pandemic, 9% inflation, US political re-alignment, my being put on a legal witness stand — all things I thought were unlikely.

Prepare for what you can, but also learn to embrace the unlikely...

Lesson 3: There’s little upside in talking about politics

Modern political discourse is about tribal outrage. It leads to bad policy and bad behavior.

Disengage from the daily outrage cycle and focus on *policy*. It's boring, but that's a feature, not a bug

Knowing someone is a doctor tells you a great deal about their education, income, and views on risk & credentials.

Knowing someone is a politician tells you they're professional fundraisers and popularity contest winners, and that they're structurally surrounded by flatterers

Lesson 2: A profession gives an oddly effective read on a person

Careers shape our incentives, skills, and definitions of success/failure. While not the whole story, knowing what someone does for a living offers a surprisingly useful set of heuristics for understanding them.

Lesson 1: Don't partner with someone until you've seen them in a crisis

It’s easy to be open & giving when things are good. It's the bad times that reveal value & priorities. Before you enter a partnership (💰 or ❤), see how they handle a storm