common_law comments on Mandatory Secret Identities - Less Wrong

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

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Comment author: wedrifid 29 September 2012 03:58:05PM 1 point [-]

The reply is a non-sequitur, because even if one accepted the implied unlikely propsition that no such persons exist or ever have existed, the terminological question would remain.

Your understanding of the "non-sequitur" fallacy is evidently flawed. You asked a question. The answer you got is not only a literally correct answer that follows from the question it is practically speaking the It isn't non-sequitur. It's the most appropriate answer to a question that constitutes a rhetorical demand that the reader must generalize from fictional evidence.

But you want another answer as well? Let's try:

What then do you call someone like the Joker from Batman -- someone who cares not at all how they fit into or are perceived by human society

This question does not make sense. The Joker isn't someone who doesn't care how they are perceived. He is obsessed with his perception to the extent that he, well, dresses up as the freaking Joker and all of his schemes prioritize displaying the desired image over achievement over pragmatic achievement of whatever end he is seeking. No, he cares a hell of a lot about status and perception and chooses to seek infamy rather than adoration.

except as instrumental to gaining whatever (non-human-relationship-based) thrill or fix they are after?

Thrill seeking fix? That's a symptom of psychiatric problems for sure, but not particularly sociopathy.

Some labels that could be applied to The Joker: Bipolar, Schizophrenic, Antisocial Personality Disorder. Sociopath doesn't really capture him but could be added as an adjunct to one (probably two) of those.

Comment author: common_law 29 September 2012 08:37:43PM *  5 points [-]

It's the most appropriate answer to a question that constitutes a rhetorical demand that the reader must generalize from fictional evidence. (Last four words hyperlinked.)

There was no demand to "generalize" from fictional evidence, except to recognize the theoretical possibility a sociopathic character who is indifferent to status concerns.

The intended question is whether such characters can exist and if so what's their diagnosis. Your response "fictional" would be reasonable if you went on to say, "that's a fiction; such a pathology doesn't exist in the real world." Or at least, "It's atypical" or "it's rare''; "sociopaths usually go for status." Or, to go with your revised approach, "psychopaths go for status as they perceive it, but it doesn't necessarily conform to what other people consider status." (This approach risks depriving "status" of any meaning beyond "narcissistic gratification.")

The answer, anyway, is that psychopaths have an exaggerated need to feel superior. When they fail at traditional status seeking, they shift their criteria away from what other people think. They have a sense of grandiosity, but this can have little to do with ordinary social status. Psychopaths are apt to be at both ends of the distribution with regard to seeking the ordinary markers of status.

Objectionable personal psychological interpretation removed at 2:38 p.m.

Comment author: wedrifid 29 September 2012 09:43:40PM 2 points [-]

Objectionable personal psychological interpretation removed at 2:38 p.m.

Thankyou.

Comment author: wedrifid 29 September 2012 09:15:40PM *  1 point [-]

As far as I can tell, you didn't know the answer and were oddly embarrassed about your uncertainty.

That's an untenable interpretation of the written words and plain rude. (Claiming to have) mind read negative beliefs and motives in others then declaring them publicly tends to be frowned upon. Certainly it is frowned upon me.

Comment author: JoshuaZ 30 September 2012 04:20:51PM 0 points [-]

Your response "fictional" would be reasonable if you went on to say, "that's a fiction; such a pathology doesn't exist in the real world."

The simplest minimally charitable interpretation of the remark seems to be saying that in a slightly snarky fashion.

Comment author: common_law 30 September 2012 06:28:18PM 2 points [-]

In my humble opinion, snarkiness is a form of rudeness, and we should dispense with it here.

Moreover, since we have a politeness norm, it isn't so clear that the interpretation you offer is charitable!