James_K comments on Rationality Quotes: March 2011 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: Alexandros 02 March 2011 11:14AM

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Comment author: Alexandros 02 March 2011 11:15:08AM *  32 points [-]

Don't hate the playa, hate the game

-- Ice-T

Or, as the Urban Dictionary puts it:

Do not fault the successful participant in a flawed system; try instead to discern and rebuke that aspect of its organization which allows or encourages the behavior that has provoked your displeasure.

A meta-comment: It's always good to have an arsenal of mainstream-accessible quotes to use for those times when explaining game theory is just loo much of an inferential leap. I'd like to find more of these.

Comment author: James_K 03 March 2011 04:22:21AM 11 points [-]

I think this quote is especially apposite when your looking at ways of reforming a system. Attributing bad policy outcomes to the perfidy of individuals is generally unhelpful in designing a solution.

Comment author: BillyOblivion 08 March 2011 08:20:56AM 3 points [-]

Depends.

If the potential perfidy of humans is not counted for in your solution, then it's a fail.

Humans lie, cheat, and steal. Especially when the system is policy is designed to encourage that behavior.

Comment author: James_K 09 March 2011 04:03:32AM 4 points [-]

Yes, blaming the failure on self-serving behaviour is futile, but its imperative that you account for people's tendency to do this when you design a system.