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Interpolate comments on Open Thread, August 2010 - Less Wrong
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Comments (676)
If he is gifted and interested in science, introducing him to lesswrong, rationality and the Singularity could have a substantial positive impact on his academic development. What would be the worst that could happen?
My concern is not just that it would be traumatic, but that it will be so traumatic that he'll rationalize himself into a "belief in belief" situation. I had my crisis of faith when I was close to his age (14) and I wasn't ready to accept something that would alienate me from my family yet, so I simply told myself that I believed, and tried not to think about the issue. (I suspect this is why most people don't come out as atheists until after they've established separate identities from their parents and families.
A lot of people never escape from these traps. I think waiting somewhat--until he's somewhat older and more mature--will make him more likely to come to the right conclusions in the end.
I had rather the opposite experience - don't recall ever really believing (though I went to Catholic elementary school and semi-regularly attended a church), and was shocked in 8th grade to find that people were really serious about that stuff. Ended up spending a lot of time pointlessly arguing.
How is the above wrong enough to be at -2? I nearly universally reject any assertions that people have a duty to interfere with others but even so I don't have a problem with the above.