Qiaochu_Yuan comments on Think Like a Supervillain - Less Wrong

26 Post author: Qiaochu_Yuan 20 February 2013 08:34AM

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Comment author: Vree 30 March 2013 09:21:20PM 1 point [-]

But that's not being a supervillain, is it? That's being an ANTI-HERO.

I get what the article is saying (don't let your thinking become lazy by not going where conventional morality doesn't allow, even if that's what puts other people at ease and makes you accepted), but you're not advocating becoming a supervillain - abandoning all morality for selfish gain.

What you are saying that being an anti hero is better than a regular hero, ie. it is better to face possible orchestration for the sake of doing the truly right things and getting results.

What your saying about superhero comics always preserving the status quo is true, although this also comes from their format - nothing FUNDAMENTAL ever changes in these comics, Aunt May will never die, Lex Luthor will never be killed or redeemed for good, characters age once they reach adulthood and so on. Marvel and DC are just locked into that kind of thinking where they constantly repeat and revamp the same stories.

On the other hand, we have our fair share of anti-heroes - guys who set themselves up as the villain to change the world (Lelouch), who put themselves to the frignes of society for just a small gain.

So don't be a supervillain. Be an anti hero.

Comment author: Qiaochu_Yuan 30 March 2013 11:00:19PM *  0 points [-]

Maybe, but "supervillain" sounds better in the title and is more fun to say.

Comment author: Paamayim 28 February 2014 05:41:23PM 0 points [-]

It might be more fun to say, but "I think like a supervillian" seems like a particularly dangerous cached thought to have, in that it will inspire overconfidence if you /ever actually encounter a supervillian/. A very smart agent whose goals are in direct conflict with yours AND who has no scruples AND hasn't forsworn the dark arts is /not someone you think like/.