MixedNuts comments on How to deal with someone in a LessWrong meeting being creepy - Less Wrong

16 Post author: Douglas_Reay 09 September 2012 04:41AM

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Comment author: MixedNuts 08 September 2012 10:28:04AM 7 points [-]

I suppose that these rules could move someone from "creepy" to "extremely awkward", which is probably an improvement. People never say no to "Would you like to talk to me?" or "You look kinda bored, do you want to continue this conversation?" (unless they take the latter to mean "I'm bored, go away").

Refusals are always at least a little rude. True opt-in forms use implications (things like "I like bowling, too bad my friends don't" vs "Want to go bowling?"), but they require social skills to generate and understand.

Comment author: [deleted] 08 September 2012 01:40:21PM *  4 points [-]

True opt-in forms use implications (things like "I like bowling, too bad my friends don't" vs "Want to go bowling?")

That sounds backwards to me: the former sounds like I really want to go play bowling with you, the latter (in certain contexts at least) like I'm just inviting you out for politeness' sake but not actually expecting you to come.

Comment author: Alejandro1 08 September 2012 02:46:16PM 4 points [-]

I think either of them could be the more pushy one, depending on the context, intonation, etc.

Comment author: [deleted] 08 September 2012 02:49:50PM 4 points [-]

Yes. OTOH, if you say the former in a context/intonation such that it doesn't sound like an invitation at all, it kind of defeats the point.

Comment author: Alicorn 08 September 2012 05:04:45PM 6 points [-]

If someone asked me point blank "would you like to talk to me?" I would evaluate the answer to this question and provide it, and sometimes it would be no.

Comment author: TheOtherDave 08 September 2012 05:37:07PM 8 points [-]

I will have to try that at a party now, just to see what kinds of reactions I get.

Comment author: JoeW 08 September 2012 11:28:50AM 0 points [-]

Possibly off-topic for the top-level post, but I don't agree opt-in requires implications or any great amount of social skills.