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Emily comments on Lesswrong UK planning thread - Less Wrong
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Comments (47)
If you all wanted to come to Cambridge I could probably get you a seminar room for free...
A LW meetup is one of those things I'd kind of like to go to in the abstract, but in reality I think it would be much too terrifying.
Honestly, where do people get these ideas?
If I had to guess I'd say the beisutsukai series.
I'm shy at the best of times, and LW people are really smart. What if I had nothing remotely useful or interesting to say?
Yes, but you are one of the LW people.
:D
OK... if that's the worst thing that could happen I'll consider coming along...
-- Rudy Rucker, Software
I once attended a transhuman meetup group with the same mentality years ago. Yet, by the second visit I ended up being one of the highest contributors. I know LWers are levels above the average tranhumanist, but I now know that I’ll be intimidated by no one but the luminaries.
This is politically incorrect to acknowledge, perhaps, but since so many more men than woman go to these types of events, there's something of a bias towards being nicer to women. I'm sure your presence will be welcomed, even if you don't feel like saying much.
I'd go to another LWOB or such meetup if there was one near me... But speaking for myself, I can list some things that do make me hesitate to even post here:
Shame and guilt.
How shall I put this? I've contributed (usefully) here much less than many others. I may have managed to comprehend stuff, but that doesn't mean I've managed to add stuff.
Even more so, in general in my life, applied rationality, getting stuff done, etc, not so well.
Even more more so: Even though I want to, even though I promised I would, I have yet to do much to reduce x-risk, halt death, etc... Sure, I've dropped a little bit of money on SIAI and such, but no where near enough. I want to do more (more precisely, I want the problem to be solved. If giving some money is the best way I can conribute, well, I accept that, but I need to get more and give more in that case), I intend to do more (not just intend to try to solve the problem(s) but to actually, well, do so), but as of yet I have not. I can't even really be said to have done much at all other than "intending" to do so and I still hardly even know where to begin.
As I said, shame and guilt.
I have no idea to what extent any of these reasons apply to others here, but I figured I may as well list mine.
Social anxiety disorder?
Got it bad -- but went to a meetup once anyway, and had a great time. Let this serve as encouragement to similarly-afflicted others!
Nope.