Nick_Tarleton comments on Pretending to be Wise - Less Wrong

27 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 19 February 2009 10:30PM

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Comment author: Nick_Tarleton 20 February 2009 12:44:11AM 5 points [-]

Paolo Freire said, "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral."

Consequences-wise, yes. But many people may not realize this fact, not realize its importance, or actually be working on something more important; and while pointing this out to them is good, doing so less than extremely carefully, I think, comes off as "you're with us or you're against us", and is alienating. (Especially if they think they do have something more important.)

Comment author: ABranco 30 March 2010 03:52:33AM 7 points [-]

There is a very similar quote from Ayn Rand as well:

It is not justice or equal treatment that you grant to men when you abstain equally from praising men’s virtues and from condemning men’s vices. When your impartial attitude declares, in effect, that neither the good nor the evil may expect anything from you—whom do you betray and whom do you encourage?

Your point is good. Sometimes it's just a matter of allocation of resources -- and yes, may sound like "you're with us or you're against us" depending on the tone.

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