TimFreeman comments on The 5-Second Level - Less Wrong

111 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 07 May 2011 04:51AM

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Comment author: roland 08 May 2011 04:19:45AM 8 points [-]

I know that I'll probably be downvoted again, but nevertheless.

Which in practice, makes a really huge difference in how much rationalists can relax when they are around fellow rationalists. It's the difference between having to carefully tiptoe through a minefield and being free to run and dance, knowing that even if you make a mistake, it won't socially kill you.

Sorry, but I don't feel that I have this freedom on LW. And I feel people moralize here especially using the downvote function.

To give a concrete example of Eliezer himself

http://lesswrong.com/lw/1ww/undiscriminating_skepticism/

I don't believe there were explosives planted in the World Trade Center. ... I believe that all these beliefs are not only wrong but visibly insane.

I politely asked for clarification only to be not only ignored but also downvoted to -4:

Eliezer, could you explain how you arrived at the conclusion that this particular believe is visibly insane?

http://lesswrong.com/lw/1ww/undiscriminating_skepticism/1t7r

On another comment I presented evidence to the contrary(a video interview) to be downvoted to -15: http://lesswrong.com/lw/1ww/undiscriminating_skepticism/1r5v

So when just asking the most basic rationality question(why do you believe what you believe) and presenting evidence that contradicts a point is downvoted I don't feel that LW is about rationality as much as others like to believe. And I also feel that basic elements of politeness are missing and yes, I feel like I have to walk on eggs.

Comment author: LHJablonski 08 May 2011 05:47:37AM 4 points [-]

And I feel people moralize here especially using the downvote function.

Do you think that people use the downvote to tell another user that they are a terrible person... or do they simply use it to express disagreement with a statement?

I think probably both happen, but it's tilted heavily toward the latter. Feel free to downvote if you disagree. :)

Comment author: TimFreeman 08 May 2011 07:58:30PM 5 points [-]

Do you think that people use the downvote to tell another user that they are a terrible person... or do they simply use it to express disagreement with a statement?

There's another possibility. I downvote when I felt that reading the post was a waste of my time and I also believe it wasted most other people's time.

(This isn't a veiled statement about Roland. I do not recall voting on any of his posts before.)

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