bgrah449 comments on Things You Can't Countersignal - Less Wrong

51 Post author: Alicorn 19 February 2010 12:18AM

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Comment author: NancyLebovitz 19 February 2010 11:41:31PM 2 points [-]

You can't countersignal humility.

Comment author: bgrah449 20 February 2010 12:30:11AM 0 points [-]

You can barely signal humility, though.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 20 February 2010 12:44:02AM 13 points [-]

A priest goes before the altar and prostrates himself before it and says, "I am nothing before you God." A rich man comes in after him, prostrates himself before the altar and says, "I am nothing before you God." A beggar comes off the street and prostrates himself before the altar and says, "I am nothing before you God."

The rich man then whispers to the priest, "Look who thinks HE'S nothing."

Comment author: [deleted] 23 March 2013 12:15:21PM *  1 point [-]

As a corollary of this, the beggar could countersignal humility (contrary to your claim that it can't be done) by prostrating himself before the altar but not saying anything out loud.

Comment author: [deleted] 23 March 2013 12:14:00PM *  1 point [-]

You signal humility by refraining from signalling arrogance when other people in the same situation would likely do so. (What Pope Francis seems to want to appear to be doing, essentially.)