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Wei_Dai comments on How can we get more and better LW contrarians? - Less Wrong
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I don't see a problem with driving "contrarians" away. That is what we should be doing.
To be a "contrarian" is to have written a bottom line already: disagree with everything everyone else agrees with.
To be a "contrarian" among smart people is to adopt reversed intelligence as a method of intelligence.
To be a "contrarian" among stupid people is, like American football, something that you have to be smart enough to do but stupid enough to think worth doing.
To be a "contrarian" is to limit oneself to writing against. I am not interested in what anyone is against until I have seen what they are for.
To be a "contrarian" is the safe and easy path. It is easy, because you can find good arguments against everything, as nothing is perfect. It is safe, for you can take agreement and disagreement alike as confirmation. Like most safe and easy paths, nothing is achieved along it.
To style oneself a "contrarian" is a giant red warning light that the person has nothing useful to say. That rule has not failed me yet.
Yes, being a "contrarian" is irrational for the individual, but may be good for the group. I wouldn't try to turn someone into a "contrarian" for my own benefits, but I don't feel qualms about making better use of people who already are.