I have not read all of PG&#x27;s essays, but the few things that I have read here, talking about Jessica Livingston, including this essay, set her up as a magic oracle, sitting in obscure silence, judging everyone (on which basis, it is never revealed, except for appeals to &quot;character&quot;, through a Social Radar).<p>I don&#x27;t disbelieve that is how it happens, but to me it just seems all a bit too magical. Like, founders should be betting their entire business that this person who won&#x27;t talk to you can correctly divine your entire past and future trajectories just by watching you talk to her husband? Otherwise, they won&#x27;t accept you into their family?<p>It&#x27;s a bit of a turn off and vaguely cult-like.