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taryneast comments on Leveling IRL - Less Wrong Discussion

33 Post author: cousin_it 05 August 2011 09:35PM

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Comment author: taryneast 07 August 2011 08:54:55PM 0 points [-]

I don't think we'll have a problem with system-gaming as long as nobody "wins" anything real. It's all about self-improvement. If somebody wants to lie and say they self-improved, that's their own (screwed up) business... it makes no difference to me, or anybody else. People will still be supportive of each other's efforts, even that of the liar.

Comment author: AdeleneDawner 07 August 2011 09:26:21PM 3 points [-]

It seems pretty unavoidable to me that people will 'win' status this way. On the other hand, if 'level 4 programmer' means something specific, and someone claims to be one, that claim should be falsifiable, and they should lose a significant chunk of status if it's falsified - more than they'd gain from the lie in the first place, in fact. So it's still unlikely to be a problem.

Comment author: Pavitra 08 August 2011 01:53:45AM 1 point [-]

Experience suggests that people will in fact game systems to win fake rewards.

Comment author: taryneast 08 August 2011 09:26:40AM 0 points [-]

Yes of course they will.

My point being that it won't make any difference to the rest of us even if they do.

Comment author: Pavitra 08 August 2011 03:14:55PM 0 points [-]

That's probably mostly right. It does mean that public leaderboards are unlikely to help, though.