RolfAndreassen comments on Open thread, 18-24 March 2014 - Less Wrong

1 Post author: David_Gerard 18 March 2014 12:26PM

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Comment author: RolfAndreassen comment score below threshold [+] (23 children)

Comment author: shminux 19 March 2014 06:34:09PM * 4 points [-]

The topic "Is LW a cult?" has been discussed so much here and elsewhere that it is probably worth creating a LWiki page about it. Including the discussion of the term cult and when applying it constitutes a non-central fallacy.

Comment author: Luke_A_Somers 19 March 2014 05:57:28PM 2 points [-]

Polyphasic sleep, five times a day. An acceptable alternative is polyamorous sex, five times a day.

Can you mix and match? I don't think I could keep up with either of those by themselves.

Comment author: polymathwannabe 19 March 2014 01:06:59PM * 0 points [-]

"There is no God except the one we're going to build, and the sage Yudkowsky is Its prophet."

And this is why people mistake us for a cult.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 19 March 2014 02:00:16PM 7 points [-]

And this is why people mistake us for a cult.

I believe RolfAndreassen is being humorous.

Comment author: polymathwannabe 19 March 2014 02:03:07PM 11 points [-]

I get he is. But Poe's Law works both ways: there's no self-parody that some clueless outsider won't mistake for real lunacy.

Comment author: Lumifer 19 March 2014 03:55:58PM 5 points [-]

there's no self-parody that some clueless outsider won't mistake for real lunacy.

That's a good thing -- I would much prefer that somebody that clueless just shake his head and continue on his merry way.

Comment author: polymathwannabe 19 March 2014 04:13:58PM 3 points [-]

True, we don't want to attract that particular person. But the misinformation he/she's going to spread may discourage many potential desirables.

Comment author: amacfie 19 March 2014 03:30:49PM 1 point [-]

I'd say it's worth it to have some humor and somewhat self-deprecating fun here.

Comment author: Lumifer 19 March 2014 03:56:43PM * 4 points [-]

It's not only worth it, it is sorely needed. Taking yourself too seriously is a debilitating disease that can be fatal.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 19 March 2014 05:17:19PM 1 point [-]

One of the signs of a cult is "grimness" — "disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s)."

Comment author: polymathwannabe 19 March 2014 06:25:07PM 1 point [-]

How come that list doesn't mention hero worship?

Comment author: fubarobfusco 19 March 2014 08:11:00PM 0 points [-]

I don't know, and unfortunately the author is dead so we can't ask him.

That said, "hero worship" could mean a number of different things, not all of which might be symptomatic of a dangerous cult. Could you expand on what you mean by it?

Comment author: polymathwannabe 19 March 2014 08:45:21PM 4 points [-]

Eliezer Yudkowsky is one of the most accomplished, knowledgeable, and stimulating writers I've ever encountered, and if he ever were to visit my house, I'd buy a freezer large enough to accommodate his head, just in case he choked on my boiled chickpeas. That being said, I think elevating him to Chuck Norris status is decidedly harmful to the propagation of our cause. He himself has advocated that we don't worship Einstein, because it obscures the fact that he was just as human as we are, and discourages others from striving to achieve his level. Likewise, EY is no superhero, no demigod, no mythic savior, and it won't do to treat him like one. This is why, as much as I admire the guy's awesomeness, I'm against the existence of the "EY Facts" thread. I can't explain rationality to others and keep a straight face while thinking that the author I'm citing is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the last hope and salvation of humanity. Leave it to history books to sing his praises, but for the time being, it will be the opposite of helpful.

continue this thread »

Comment author: FiftyTwo 22 March 2014 01:30:47AM 2 points [-]

They're attempting it, but it isn't sufficiently amusing for the tradeoff to be worth it

Comment author: ChristianKl 19 March 2014 02:47:27PM 1 point [-]

Polyphasic sleep, five times a day. An acceptable alternative is polyamorous sex, five times a day.

As far as I know there Uberman with 6 times and Everyman with 4 I don't know a shedule to which people successfully adapted with takes 5 times.

Diet. Any unusual diet will do - paleo, four spoons of sugar in the morning, strict vegan, whatever; but it must be strictly adhered to between sunrise and sunset.

I don't think we care about the timeframe of runrise to sunset. It has to be the whole day but there might be one cheat day per week.

Comment author: RolfAndreassen 20 March 2014 03:53:34AM 3 points [-]

I would like to gently suggest that you may have missed the way my tongue was poking into my cheek.

RolfAndreassen comments on Open thread, 18-24 March 2014 - Less Wrong

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