thomblake comments on Less Wrong: Open Thread, September 2010 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: matt 01 September 2010 01:40AM

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Comment author: thomblake 16 September 2010 10:53:45PM 2 points [-]

I do have access to the forbidden post, and have no qualms about sharing it privately. I actually sought it out actively after I heard about the debacle, and was very disappointed when I finally got a copy to find that it was a post that I had already read and dismissed.

I don't think there's anything there, and I know what people think is there, and it lowered my estimation of the people who took it seriously, especially given the mean things Eliezer said to Roko.

Comment author: [deleted] 16 September 2010 11:06:05PM *  3 points [-]

Can I haz evil soul crushing idea plz?

But to be serious, yes if I find the idea is foolish, the people who take it seriously, this reduces my optimism as well, just as much as malice on the part of the Lesswrong staff or just plain real dark secrets since I take clippy to be a serious and very scary threat (I hope you don't take too much offence clippy you are a wonderful poster) . I should have stated that too. But to be honest it would be much less fun knowing the evil soul crushing self-fulfilling prophecy (tm), the situation around it is hilarious.

What really catches my attention however is the thought experiment of how exactly one is supposed to quarantine a very very dangerous idea. Since in the space of all possible ideas, I'm quite sure there are a few that could prove very toxic to humans.

The LW member that take it seriously are doing a horrible job of it.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 20 September 2010 04:24:12PM 1 point [-]

Upvoted for the cat picture.

Comment author: thomblake 16 September 2010 11:08:58PM 0 points [-]

Indeed, in the classic story, it was an idea whose time had come, and there was no effective means of quarantining it. And when it comes to ideas that have hit the light of day, there are always going to be those of us who hate censorship more than death.