datadataeverywhere comments on More art, less stink: Taking the PU out of PUA - Less Wrong

66 Post author: XFrequentist 10 September 2010 12:25AM

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Comment author: datadataeverywhere 12 September 2010 10:55:51PM 6 points [-]

First of all, the phrase "it is not acceptable to criticize..." is kind of an alarm bell.

How about "it is hurtful and offensive to criticize..."? I realize that being hurtful and offensive is not a reason not to criticize something (see also: religion), but please recognize that I consider my freedom not to have sex with someone I don't want to have sex with sacrosanct, even above other freedoms that I also consider sacrosanct.

I took your original suggestion to mean that my preferences in that area should be up for debate. Since I am completely unwilling to debate whether or not I should be so reluctant to offer up "sexual favors", that makes me hurt and afraid.

If you had suggested that I might be happier if I was more willing to have sex with people, I might have bristled a little, but I would at least recognize ways in which that could be a defensible position. However, your initial suggestion came off as "the world would be better if women were altered so that they would be more easily convinced to have sex". Since you failed to mention any specific benefit to the women so altered, it sounds like coercion and is extremely offensive.

Comment author: komponisto 13 September 2010 12:04:10AM 3 points [-]

Given that this is your point of view, it is not possible for me to discuss this topic with you.

I cannot psychologically afford to have a bunch of people here calling me "extremely offensive". That isn't how I see myself. I'm not one of those people. A comment such as yours is already very distressing to me. Yet, it is now clear to me that if I were to honestly express myself, this is exactly what I would have to expect: more of this.

I stand to gain almost nothing from wading further into this minefield, and on the other hand risk losing almost everything. Except as incidental to other matters, on the topic of sex and gender on LW, I am officially finished.

Now, as they say, off to buy some strychnine....

Comment author: datadataeverywhere 13 September 2010 12:36:33AM 9 points [-]

I was offended by your original comment, but I don't want you to think that I translated being offended by your comment into finding you offensive. I've certainly found you reasonable, and you haven't yet seemed intentionally hostile. I don't by any stretch of the imagination consider you one of those people; if I did, I don't think I would feel that conversing with you would have any point.

I certainly understand you wanting to be finished with this topic. After being downvoted for nearly all my comments on this thread, I've begun to feel very unwelcome here, so I should probably take a break from this topic as well. Also, despite the fact that I feel like I've been arguing with you, I don't feel like you have been involved in making me feel unwelcome.

Comment author: pjeby 13 September 2010 12:48:12AM 7 points [-]

After being downvoted for nearly all my comments on this thread, I've begun to feel very unwelcome here

Don't give too much weight to early downvotes; they reflect only the opinion of the most active users, not necessarily most users. I've found it's best to give it a few days to see what LW in the large really thinks of what you said, and early trends sometimes reverse themselves on controversial topics.

Comment author: wedrifid 13 September 2010 02:56:16AM 4 points [-]

My experience is similar. On especially controversial or social-political subjects I've sometimes found an early downvote to be a predictor of a higher later karma score, a far cry from a negative spiral.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 13 September 2010 01:07:24AM 4 points [-]

I'm not feeling any too pleased with myself or the world, either.

I very tentatively suggest that this sort of discussion is made more awful than necessary (for all participants) to the extent that they think it's urgent to convince other people faster than one can reasonably expect for them to be convinced.

Comment author: wedrifid 13 September 2010 03:02:33AM 1 point [-]

I stand to gain almost nothing from wading further into this minefield, and on the other hand risk losing almost everything. Except as incidental to other matters, on the topic of sex and gender on LW, I am officially finished.

Kompo not being willing to discuss this 'minefield' of a topic on LW which is an indicator that other people will be similarly discouraged. If he and people like him aren't able to participate in the conversation we lose valuable perspective. I know, lets create another site where people like kompo will feel free to contribute!

Comment author: Alicorn 13 September 2010 03:43:09AM 0 points [-]

I know, lets create another site where people like kompo will feel free to contribute!

Is someone stopping you? What obstacle to your progress can I remove so I can stop seeing complaints about it?

Comment author: wedrifid 13 September 2010 06:37:04AM *  7 points [-]

Is someone stopping you? What obstacle to your progress can I remove so I can stop seeing complaints about it?

There is no complaint here. I am taking the opportunity to encourage XFrequentist to follow through with his proposal. I get the impression that he or she is better suited to the social engineering required to make the system a success. Since XFrequentist has actually made moves to test for support and interest he or she seems like the perfect person to take the lead here. I would, of course, be willing and able to provide technical support and hosting.

This is what this whole post was about. The tangent is, Cthulu forbid, interjecting something on topic.