tim comments on Happiness interventions - Less Wrong

-5 Post author: Clarity 20 June 2015 11:39AM

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Comment author: tim 21 June 2015 06:21:14AM *  4 points [-]

Re: the linked site. Browsing the homepage raises so many red flags that it's borderline overwhelming.

  • Offering me a free 45-page report? - Awesome, what do I get if I pay you money?

  • 16 Happiness Ideas That Really Work! - Um, good? Is this seriously BuzzFeed style clickbait?

  • Direct Brain Stimulation, a Trillion Dollar Invention? - Wow that's a lot of money, I'd better start reading right now!

And this overtly manipulative style continues for basically the entire first page of posts.

Admittedly everything that I've pointed out is entirely unrelated to the actual content - it may be well researched and worthy of a second chance. But there are so many blatant attempts to manipulate the reader to click click click that I find it extremely difficult to take seriously right from the start. The broken links in the OP don't help at all.

Comment author: amitpamin 27 June 2015 02:47:21AM 1 point [-]

If only everyone else had the same aesthetics as you. It's probably possible to make money in the space without being blatantly manipulative, but that's much much harder. I'm glad I'm not working in the space anymore.

Comment author: Clarity 09 November 2015 09:03:42AM 0 points [-]

Almost six months on from my original post, with some contemplating in a dark mood about when I've been happiest, I thought back to when I used to visit your website. I thought back to the changing of my attitude to the site based on the negative unfair comments here, I've reconsidered and realised that it's really had an incredible positive impact on me. I call bullshit on all ya'll calls of bullshit. Happier Human is amazing and Amit you're a top bloke. I was just about to call you out on pussying out when all these intimidating rationalists called you out on stuff. But now, as I write this, I suspect you conceded to being less well research and such not because you're work is bad, as people might infer, but because you're humble, non-confrontational, and lowering your expectations is all part of the recipe for happiness you taught me. Once again thank you so much for your content. You almost certainly saved my life. I owe you an apology and I'm very grateful.