Multiheaded comments on I've had it with those dark rumours about our culture rigorously suppressing opinions - Less Wrong

26 Post author: Multiheaded 25 January 2012 05:43PM

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Comment author: Eugine_Nier 21 March 2012 03:59:14AM -2 points [-]

Suppose there's a research project to do something important, say cure cancer, build FAI, etc. You will agree that it's best for everyone if it's staffed by the best people, even though it's in some sense "unfair" to the people who will be denied the chance to participate in such a prestigious project because of their genes and/or upbringing.

The same principal applies to other projects where for the same reason it makes sense to assign people based to their comparative advantage. Now you may be asking, "Who decides what someone's comparative advantage is and what about their biases?" Turns out there is a system that does a reasonably good job allocating people base on their comparative advantage and also avoids the problem of having a central judge of people's value. It's called the free market.

Comment author: Multiheaded 21 March 2012 10:00:08AM *  3 points [-]

How the flying fuck does this have anything to do with publicly expressing disrespect and contempt for a genetically determined group of people, anyway? I agree that the issue of perceived fairness vs. market efficiency isn't clear-cut, but our attitude towards the people who get unlucky must be particularly sensitive.

Would you want Yudkowsky to call anyone who can't work on FAI or get qualified to do so a useless dullard whose only worth to society is donating to SIAI? If you wouldn't, why wouldn't you condemn Aurini's words?

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 21 March 2012 11:43:41PM *  0 points [-]

How the flying fuck does this have anything to do with publicly expressing disrespect and contempt for a genetically determined group of people, anyway?

Sorry, I was responding to your question about the difference between instrumental and intrinsic value.

As for Aurini's comment, he's arguing that people (ok in his case women, but I'm generalizing) should be disrespected and treated with contempt when they behave in histrionic or otherwise inappropriate ways, as this will cause them to stop it. Note that if someone is genetically or otherwise predisposed to act in such ways then it's necessary to apply even more pressure for them to stop.

Would you want Yudkowsky to call anyone who can't work on FAI or get qualified to do so a useless dullard whose only worth to society is donating to SIAI?

Well, he's more or less done something like that.

Comment author: Multiheaded 22 March 2012 10:14:49AM *  0 points [-]

As for Aurini's comment, he's arguing that people (ok in his case women, but I'm generalizing) should be disrespected and treated with contempt when they behave in histrionic or otherwise inappropriate ways

Hmm, let's see...

most women are incredibly stupid, and quite useless without a strong male presence guiding them (says nothing about inappropriate behavior, only judges ability and character in a very aggressive way)

So do you agree with the line above, or not? Do you think that this is a good thing to feel and believe?

People like you are savage and destructive, and a symptom of just how badly feminism has poisoned our culture... I'm glad I live in Canada; we have far fewer violent, passive aggressive, wrecks of masculinity here than there seem to be in the United States.

What about this style of "argument"? Do you endorse it?

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 23 March 2012 04:12:46AM -1 points [-]

most women are incredibly stupid, and quite useless without a strong male presence guiding them (says nothing about inappropriate behavior, only judges ability and character in a very aggressive way)

He goes on to talk about "histrionic behaviour" in the next paragraph.

So do you agree with the line above, or not?

I'd assign it a lower probability then Aurini but probably higher then you.

People like you are savage and destructive, and a symptom of just how badly feminism has poisoned our culture... I'm glad I live in Canada; we have far fewer violent, passive aggressive, wrecks of masculinity here than there seem to be in the United States.

What about this style of "argument"? Do you endorse it?

No, I don't like bulverism.