JDM comments on Competent Elites - Less Wrong

46 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 27 September 2008 12:07AM

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Comment author: CCC 02 June 2013 04:38:36PM 0 points [-]

To a degree, charisma can be learned. Yes, there are some people with natural advantages (height, symmetrical face); but Napoleon is still revered as a leader, despite being famously short.

The right clothes, the right posture, the right attitude, and you could probably persuade most people to do just about anything that doesn't have immediate negative effects on them (you could probably even persuade some people to do things that do have minor immediate negative effects).

Take a look at the Real Life section on this tvtropes page for examples...

Comment author: JDM 02 June 2013 04:55:57PM *  0 points [-]

Absolutely. That is the reason for the speculation I provided in the second paragraph. Innate ability is also a large factor, and I think, while improving your charisma is useful for anyone, some intelligent people, primarily those without as much natural ability, pass this up as "not of value".