michael_vassar comments on Feeling Rational - Less Wrong

76 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 26 April 2007 04:48AM

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Comment author: michael_vassar 26 April 2007 02:47:27PM 39 points [-]

Well, at the very least women constitute half of society, it's certainly acceptance within that half. I actually think that it's actually acceptance more broadly though. Women are arguably not accepted my men in general, but in so far as they are accepted it is only in a few narrow domains, primarily science, engineering, and big business that women do best by adhering to men's norms. Actually though, emotional suppression is only normative among men in science, in the military, and in low status positions. Enthusiasm (irrational exuberance) is the ultimate business virtue. If one doesn't claim a level of confidence that can't possibly be justified one is simply not a contender for venture capital or angel investor money. In a hierarchy, one's not suitable for upper management or sales. Beyond that, almost all social elites are, in large measure, "emotional expression professionals". Actors and actresses are the most obvious example of this, but I would say that this is also true of athletes, artists, and other performers and entertainers, religious leaders, and politicians. Al Gore was dismissed with a characterization of "wooden". Hitler practiced his emotional expressions for hours in front of a mirror.

Comment author: akshatrathi 10 August 2010 04:32:20PM *  3 points [-]

That's a really nice view to have on emotions. And frankly, I've known it all along but never put it the way you have. Cheers!

What bothers me is that in case of 'emotional expressions' in a profession, it is possible to fake it and am sure we have seen examples of such (hypocrites) in our life. But may be in a given situation it is rational to fake it.

PS: Could you give the source of the Hitler example?

Comment author: iii 21 June 2011 05:01:09PM 2 points [-]

It sounds plausible, but I think its something of a premature conclusion. Consider how one would best fake an emotion: simply by motivating oneself to feel that way. Faking an expression is much much harder than simply choosing a field that matches your own moods and preferences. The reason we see people who don't appear genuine in high ranking positions as well as very low ones is that they are motivated by something other than the above, a drive for excellence or desperation where feelings do become a tool, but thinking in terms of the majority its easier to assume convention and self-discipline makes most peoples professionalism indistinguishable from any other motivator they might feel.

Comment author: DSimon 22 July 2011 06:12:39AM 3 points [-]

"Consider how one would best fake an emotion: simply by motivating oneself to feel that way."

Brilliant. I need to remember this phrase.

Comment author: amya1989 02 October 2011 02:51:17PM 0 points [-]

I'm considering this quote, and also wondering how it would be possible, as most people hold the belief that you can't feel anything that your heart doesn't want to feel. Is it irrational to 'listen to ones heart'? Can you really change your thinking, motivate yourself to change your thoughts and thus change your feelings?

Comment author: DSimon 02 October 2011 08:42:02PM 1 point [-]

Yep.

Comment author: hannahelisabeth 13 November 2012 08:42:43PM 2 points [-]

Yes. This is called Rational Emotive Behavior Theory, and it was developed by Albert Ellis.

Comment author: Mqrius 28 January 2013 05:07:07AM 2 points [-]

Whenever I notice myself thing "I knew that all along," it reminds me to check for hindsight bias. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

It's one of the easier biases to catch, once you have that cached pattern set up.