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Bindbreaker comments on High Status and Stupidity: Why? - Less Wrong
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I am far from convinced that Stalin is "high-status"--at the very least most socialists I know disavow him.
On the other hand I agree that Gandalf is a fictional character. A couple of counterexamples quickly came to mind then failed, I'd be interested to see a larger list:
Gandhi: disowned his son for getting married who then committed suicide; told women not to fight against rape.
I'm not thinking of a good one for Lincoln, Einstein, MLKJ. Any evidence against them? I'd be surprised to see it about Einstein.
ETA: Clearly Stalin was high status when leading the USSR, and perhaps continues to be, I seem to have slipped into non-LW-mode for that sentence. My question of whether other, commonly-though-of-as-kinder public figures are less gandalf-like still stands.
Lincoln illegally suspended habeas corpus and the freedom of speech, shut down newspapers that disagreed with him, and arrested legitimately elected members of the Maryland General Assembly on suspicion of supporting the South. Many argue that these were necessary measures, but Lincoln doesn't have a spotless record by any means.
I didn't mean to say he did, I just didn't have the list on hand myself.
I wasn't trying to contradict you, just supplying the evidence you requested.
Sorry, I got defensive because other posts of mine were getting downvoted (justifiably).