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10 things I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving

Lex Fridman
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  • The speaker lists ten "seemingly insignificant" sources of gratitude that collectively inspire joy, reflection, or quiet heroism.
    • The horse Boxer from Animal Farm: Cited as a symbol of "quiet heroism" for the motto of working harder until death, even within a fundamentally cruel world.
    • Subtle love songs: Specifically Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight," which is praised for admiring mundane beauty rather than dramatic over-the-top expressions.
    • Neural networks and deep learning: Identified as the catalyst for reigniting the global dream of artificial intelligence; the speaker notes that while current networks may not achieve superintelligence, their existing "magic" will persist in future AGI systems.
    • Granny Smith apples: Served as a source of happiness during wrestling, judo, and jiu-jitsu weight cuts, and currently function as a rare "cheat meal" source of carbs for the speaker's keto diet, though the speaker admits a lack of ability to moderate consumption.
    • Regular expressions: Described as both powerful and painful, satisfying an "OCD brain" by unlocking the "secret code" behind language during data parsing tasks.
    • Fyodor Dostoevsky and Prince Myshkin (The Idiot): Valued for the lesson that loving the world is worthwhile regardless of the trouble or conflict such an approach may cause.
    • The academic research process: Encompassing the full lifecycle from initial idea with colleagues, experimentation, LaTeX typography, peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation, and future idea generation; this process is cited as the primary reason the speaker maintains an affiliation with MIT while currently working on two papers.
    • Dan Carlin's Hardcore History episode "Painful Tainment": A "dark episode" that reportedly changed the speaker's view of human nature and empowered them to forgive human flaws in themselves and others.
    • Mathematics and theoretical computer science: Described as a constant source of unexpected beauty and elegance inherent in algorithms and theorems.
    • Alcohol (vodka, whiskey, tequila): Characterized as a catalyst for "wild adventures," some previously regretted but now viewed with a "stupid smile."
  • The speaker concludes by thanking the audience for their support over the past couple of years and extending reciprocal well-wishes for the holiday.