ThisSpaceAvailable comments on Open Thread, Jun. 1 - Jun. 7, 2015 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: Gondolinian 01 June 2015 12:45AM

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Comment author: ThisSpaceAvailable 02 June 2015 03:49:08AM 0 points [-]

Consequentialist thinking has a general tendency to get one labeled an asshole.

e.g.

"Hey man, can you spare a dollar?" "If I did have a dollar to spare, I strongly doubt that giving it to you would be the most effective use of it." "Asshole."

Although I think that it's dangerous to think that you can accurately estimate the cost/benefit of tact; I think most people underestimate how much effect it has.

Comment author: [deleted] 02 June 2015 02:46:02PM 0 points [-]

Except if the priority of consequences is ranked as 1. prevent x-risk 2. be popular and you act accordingly :)

Comment author: chaosmage 02 June 2015 11:08:07AM *  0 points [-]

I agree and you shouldn't be downvoted.

The flip side is that if you're not consequentialist, consequentialists will label you a fool.

When I'm labeling myself, "fool" feels less punishing than "asshole", but I think when it's coming from others I'd rather look like an asshole than like a fool. I do wonder how much that is an influence on my consequentialist leanings.