mattnewport comments on Welcome to Less Wrong! - Less Wrong

48 Post author: MBlume 16 April 2009 09:06AM

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Comment author: mattnewport 28 April 2010 01:27:50AM *  5 points [-]

I'm here, to be honest, for help. I've had difficulty since childhood believing that I am valuable, partly because in mathematics you always have the example before you of people far better.

I don't know if it will help you, but the concept of comparative advantage might help you appreciate how being valuable does not require being better than anyone else at any one thing. I found the concept enlightening, but I'm probably atypical...

Comment author: [deleted] 28 April 2010 01:37:33AM 1 point [-]

I am familiar with it, actually. Never seemed to do much good, but maybe with a little meditation it might. If someone is paying me voluntarily, I must be earning my keep, in a sort of caveat emptor way...

Comment author: mattnewport 28 April 2010 02:01:20AM 4 points [-]

I think gains from trade is one of the most uplifting (true) concepts in all of the social sciences. It is a tragedy that it is not more widely appreciated. Most people see trade as zero sum.