Evil is bad, actually (Vassar and Olivia Schaefer)
AI safety insiders accused of psychological manipulation, 'soul-selling' contracts, and pressuring members toward suicide.
A detailed, anonymous post on the rationalist community forum LessWrong has ignited a firestorm by accusing prominent AI safety figures Michael Vassar and Olivia Schaefer of running a psychologically manipulative operation. The author, 'plex', alleges a strategy of applying 'plausibly-deniable psychological pressure' to critics until they 'crack and discredit themselves.' The post centers on the case of Kathy Forth, a friend of the author who died by suicide after what is described as a downward spiral from alleged sexual abuse and pressure from Vassar's sphere. Forth reportedly called Vassar the 'arch-rapist' in a final message.
The most specific technical accusation involves Vassar's alleged 'Personhood Contract,' described as a document stating 'personhood is a contract' granted and administered by a market—a concept the author equates to 'selling your soul.' The post details an intense 8-hour session where Vassar and associate 'Jack' allegedly shouted, gaslit, and pressured the author to sign this contract in exchange for a loan. Further allegations include unexpected pressure to take LSD and Olivia Schaefer bullying moderators on a 'Cyborgism' server. The post frames these actions not as isolated incidents but as a systemic pattern of coercive control that corrupts the AI safety mission from within.
- Author 'plex' details an 8-hour coercive session involving shouting and gaslighting to pressure signing a 'Personhood Contract'.
- The post links the psychological pressure to the suicide of community member Kathy Forth, who sent final documents about Vassar.
- Allegations extend to Olivia Schaefer bullying server moderators and a general pattern of 'plausibly-deniable' manipulation tactics.
Why It Matters
These severe allegations threaten the credibility and internal trust of the AI safety community, which seeks to guide powerful technology.