As part of my broader project of promoting rationality widely, I'm going to work on making rationality-themed merchandise with slogans. I'd appreciate any ideas on what slogans would be short (5 words or less), engaging, and accessible, and appealing for both aspiring rationalists and smart youth and young adults who are just starting to learn about rationality. As an example, slogans like "Growing Mentally Stronger" or "Updating My Beliefs" are good, but "Tsuyoku Naritai!" is not, however much I personally like that slogan.

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"Epistemic Status: Dubious"

"Can provide citations"

"Let's look it up first"

Nice, thanks, and the citations one gave me an additional idea: "Please give three examples"

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

Reversed Stupidity Is Not Intelligence.

Slightly more than 5 words:

The facts don't know whose side their on.

Every cause wants to be a cult.

I really like "The facts don't know whose side they're on", though the other two might require less wrong knowledge.

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

I like that too, but it's a bit long - is there a way to shorten the idea to get it across effectively?

[-][anonymous]9y10

Fact's don't take sides? Not as clear, but almost.

Maybe "Truth Doesn't Take Sides" - that's more clear, I think.

I think I like "The truth doesn't know whose side it's on", despite the length. However, if we want brevity, "Truth is not partisan" might work. If that's too political-sounding, there's always "Truth Don't care. Truth don't Give a Shit." (Front and back?)

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

I like "The facts don't know whose side their on," but it's a bit long - is there a way to shorten the idea to get it across effectively?

I feel like in a different language there might be words for those things, being (truth|facts|reality ++ Sides|Bias|preference)

The territory|map|truth|reality doesn't take sides...

Maybe "Reality doesn't take sides"?

yea could do

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

change your mind, get a cookie

admitting you're wrong = winning/learning

conservation of expected evidence (add formula)

The path to truth is a random walk

discussions are random walks

what is true is already so

rationality: outcomes > rituals of thought

what can be destroyed by truth, should be

update beliefs incrementally

beliefs should pay rent

the cat 's alive, curiosity got framed

optimize everything

delta knowledge = surprise

minimize future surprise

A diagram like this with some actual data e.g. about P(autism|vaccine) or P(violence|video games).

A matrix representation of the prisoners dilemma with an arrow pointing to (cooperate, cooperate) saying "let's meet here".

Thank you, these are some great ideas. For the broad audience, I think "What Is True Is Already So" and something about yay for changing your mind would work especially well.

Restricting to 5 words, and with some in-jokes:

Slightly Less Wrong Every Day

Tooth Paste Is Not Rational

Thank You For Being Right

Your Map Is My Territory

This Shirt Was Rationally Chosen

I think the five word limit is a little severe, so

Thank You for Being Less Wrong than I Was

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

What sounds better: "Slightly Less Wrong Every Day" or "Striving To Be Less Wrong"?

I like "Less Wrong Every Day".

I like that variation

Second one!

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

Thanks, I especially like the last one, very cute.

My map corresponds to the territory.

My map corresponds to the territory.

The more certain you are of this, the deeper into the MoreWrong territory you are :-/

Hm yes, I agree that the subtle humor might be lost too easily.

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

The map is not the territory.

How much do you actually know?

404, territory not found.

Actively seeking feedback.

Better hypothesis under development.

Evidence Based Living.

Logic is the best aphrodisiac.

Cognito, ergo cresco.

Mental hygienist.

This T-Shirt is signaling Rationality.

Nice, thanks! I especially like "Actively seeking feedback" and the last one about signaling

One of the key cultural values seems to be to be happy to be shown wrong and willing to change one's mind when presented with good information. Having clothing that signals that value would be nice.


From my perspective good merchandise would likely display institutational loyality. In your case the Intentional Insight logo looks well suited for that purpose.

Yup, we'll have a logo and website.

Good points about the cultural values: "Happy to Change My Mind" maybe a good slogan for this one?

How about "Evidence can change my mind"

Thanks, will add!

"Happy to Change My Mind"

Sounds good.

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

[-][anonymous]9y10

Always make new mistakes.

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

[-][anonymous]9y10

Unbiased, you can be kind.

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

Rationality: accurate beliefs + winning decisions!

The first set of rationality-themed merchandise is ready! Thanks for your suggestions :-)

I like the "winning decisions" phrase especially, I was looking for some way of combining the concept of wise decisions and reaching your goals, and winning decisions seems to hit the spot!

It's from RATIONALITY: From AI to Zombies which defines rationality as "forming true beliefs and making winning decisions."

Thanks for sourcing this for me :-)