Spectral_Dragon comments on Lesswrong 2016 Survey - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Elo 30 March 2016 06:17PM

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Comment author: Spectral_Dragon 02 April 2016 10:35:30AM 16 points [-]

I've said it before and I've said it again - this is mild cult behavior.

... That being said, bring on the low cost gratification! I've taken the survey!

Comment author: hg00 03 April 2016 05:00:46PM 2 points [-]

Fun traditions might be undignified by the standards of academia, but they're perfectly normal in many other social contexts (small company, group house, etc.)

You know what else exemplifies "mild cult behavior"? Burning Man! They give each other physical gifts instead of imaginary internet gifts. Even more problematic.

If you are willing to define "cult" broadly enough, you can use the term to shut down any kind of cultural development. (Of course, cultural development that's already happened will get grandfathered in, the same way we don't call religions "cults" because they are too dignified and established.)

Comment author: Lumifer 03 April 2016 10:51:05PM -2 points [-]

You know what else exemplifies "mild cult behavior"? Burning Man!

No, I don't think it does. Burning Man is an event and a community. I don't see any cultish tendencies around it.

Comment author: hg00 05 April 2016 03:15:18AM *  2 points [-]

I was being sarcastic. My point was that the "cult" label can be hard to shake whether or not it's deserved--I analogized to Burning Man since it shares characteristics with LW, but was lucky enough to avoid getting labeled a "cult".

Comment author: Lumifer 05 April 2016 02:37:26PM -1 points [-]

but was lucky enough

You really think it was just luck that BM didn't get a "cult" label and LW did..?

Comment author: hg00 06 April 2016 09:05:08AM 1 point [-]

I did not mean to say that it was "just" luck, but of course luck played a role (as it always does).