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ChristianKl comments on Feedback requested by Intentional Insights on workbook conveying rational thinking about meaning and purpose to a broad audience - Less Wrong
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Comments (11)
That basically means that your best testimonial is from a person who didn't benefit much in her daily life. If that's honest description go ahead but if you can find people who actually benefited from your courses, than choose a different quote.
Just because a Soviet leader said that his events were very effective at making his citizens happy doesn't mean that's true. It shoud ring alarm bells in any rational reader.
If you want to get people to engage with academic research why do you advocate meaning based approaches for which you don't link studies that they work over CBT tools that have been shown in studies to be effectful?
It reminds me how David Burns used Frankl's book as a placebo when he tested whether his CBT book produces meaningful help.
That sentence triggers a "how do you know?" impulse.
Wow, thanks for this great feedback!
First, about the testimonial: how about this one, does it work better? It's a bit longish, so we weren't sure whether to put it in.
Good point about the Soviet leader. The reason the quote was in there is to tie the sentiment of meaning and purpose to someone that the general public would be aware of, and based on my research, Mikhail Gorbachev's response was typical of other Soviet citizens. I will make that more clear in the workbook, thanks!
I think we do link to studies using CBT tools, such as this one, but perhaps you're referring to something I don't know about - I'd be glad to update my beliefs.
The linked testimonial is better in such it actually speaks about the benefit the person received. On the other hand it's quite long. You could quote from it:
"I figured out that I wanted to build a life that was centered around bettering myself and other people. I wanted to be someone who constantly was learning and growing, while at the same time, being a teacher of sorts to help those around me. Not long after reaching these conclusions, did I discover a potential career choice that I felt fit me perfectly."
The problem is that this is no proof that their approach works. If you ask a member of a lot of non-evidence based methods you will also find them calling that their method brings happiness.
The fact that there research behind the scoring scheme that you use to measure meaning in life doesn't mean there evidence that the exercises you propose raise that score. At lesat you don't link to them. I don't see a reference to research for the exercises that you propose in that PDF.
Good point about quoting from the testimonial. Perhaps a combination of linking to it and quoting from it would be best, since this workbook will come out as an e-book. Appreciate the suggestion!
Agreed that Gorbachev's statement is not "proof" as such - it is weak evidence, but all that is available. Case study evidence is also evidence, even if weak. I'll make a note of that in the workbook, highlighting that it is weak evidence.
Good point about the exercises. I'll look for appropriate research to reference there. Thank you!
There's a difference between poltiical writing and independent case studies.
Even if Gorbachev did honestly believe the techniques worked, he might have gotten political power because he believed them to be good in an enviroment where most people considered them ineffective. He also doesn't had a good opportunity to compare.