Two sources present largely identical commentary about a situation in Berkeley, describing it as “worse than you can believe.” The writer characterizes the people involved as a self-described or perceived “cult” of “atheistic hedonists,” claiming they frame AI-related “doom” as necessary for their worldview and personal choices. The commentary suggests the group’s belief in an imminent singularity functions as a rationale for wanting “impact,” including references to “acceleration” and broader ambition, while also attributing the behavior to “narcissism of small differences.” The author notes they have been in Berkeley for two weeks and have not been there in a while, using their return as the basis for their assessment. The piece also includes a stark hypothetical comparison—that if San Francisco were “nuked tomorrow,” the world would feel a “weight off their shoulders”—as part of the overall tone and critique. Across both sources, the main points are the portrayal of AI-doom narratives as personal justification and the author’s negative view of the local discourse.