komponisto comments on Mandatory Secret Identities - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 08 April 2009 06:10PM

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Comment author: JoshuaZ 29 September 2012 01:47:06PM 0 points [-]

His behavior is not consistent with what is generally described as sociopathy. Again, Ronson's book may help here.

Comment author: komponisto 29 September 2012 02:19:03PM 1 point [-]

So again, what would be the term for the (apparently distinct) phenomenon that I mean to refer to? Is this covered in Ronson's book as well (presumably for purposes of contrast)?

Comment author: JoshuaZ 29 September 2012 02:22:55PM 3 points [-]

I'm not sure that your phenomenon exists to any substantial extent in the real world. Also, keep in mind that categorizing mental illness is in general difficult. It isn't that uncommon to have issues where one psychologist will diagnose someone as schizophrenic, while another will say the same person is bipolar, etc even as everyone agrees there's something deeply wrong with them. So even if your people in your like-the-Joker category exists in some form, it may be that there isn't any term for them.

Comment author: wedrifid 29 September 2012 04:28:05PM *  -1 points [-]

So again, what would be the term for the (apparently distinct) phenomenon that I mean to refer to?

Apparently distinct? What do you mean by that? "A coherent concept that can be described as part of a counterfactual reality?" Sure, it just isn't something that is instantiated in an actual human being. That's what medical science deals with and that's where the term 'sociopath' is used and definied.

You're after "literary criticism". Or, given the subject matter, TVTropes. The best term among them is probably Chaotic Evil. The Joker even gives it the tagline. Laughably Evil also works. That trick with the pencil is one of Heath Ledger's best moments.

Is this covered in Ronson's book as well (presumably for purposes of contrast)?

If it does happen to be that would be a remarkable coincidence. It would be similar in nature but less extreme than Ronson happening to make comparison's to Yudkowskian "Baby Eaters".

Comment author: komponisto 29 September 2012 04:47:11PM *  0 points [-]

I'm afraid in this comment and in your other you are allowing your debating skills to obscure any substantive discussion that my original comment might have prompted.

And yes, I fully anticipate that your wit is sharp enough to offer a retort to the effect that the comment in question deserved no better response. Since I don't at this precise moment regard the topic as sufficiently interesting to justify the level of effort I am having to put into this conversation, I will simply note my disagreement and move on.