Viliam_Bur comments on Rationality Quotes October 2012 - Less Wrong
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Well, yes, but the invertibility is conditional.
Compassion is easier with a concrete person for a target. As is... idk. There's probably some (respect? romantic love? Loyalty?).
Hate is easier with a diffuse target. As is, say, idolizing love, disgust, contempt, superiority, etc.
The invertibility isn't in that you can flip "harder" to "easier" and then have it make just as much sense. You have to change the emotion too, which signifies that there is a categorization of emotions: useful!
If you insist that this is invertible wisdom, then I must say you are misapplying the heuristic.
It is easier to <far-mode emotion> <vaguely defined group> than to <same far-mode emotion> <specific person>.
It is harder to <near-mode emotion> <vaguely defined group> than to <same near-mode emotion> <specific person>.
Isn't the <far-mode emotion> actually a <signalled emotion> and the <near-mode emotion> an <actual emotion>?