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Oligopsony comments on A Kick in the Rationals: What hurts you in your LessWrong Parts? - Less Wrong Discussion

24 Post author: sixes_and_sevens 25 April 2012 12:12PM

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Comment author: RobertLumley 25 April 2012 01:04:13PM 7 points [-]

I wrote a short seven-point response in the comments lucidly explaining its most obvious problems, and signed it Summer Glau. It got removed, and I learned a valuable lesson about productively channeling my anger.

I'd look at what you would have spent your time doing otherwise before you necessarily say (you didn't, but implied) that was a waste of time. Even if exactly 1 person read it (the one who deleted it), you got practice expressing yourself and (hopefully) coherently forming an argument.

Comment author: sixes_and_sevens 25 April 2012 02:30:04PM 9 points [-]

Horrible lurching realisation: over the past couple of years, I've avoided unproductive online arguments. This has made me happier. I've also felt, over the past 18 months or so, that my general argument-forming faculties have gotten a little bit shoddy.

This is worrying.

Comment author: Vaniver 25 April 2012 02:38:47PM *  21 points [-]

that my general argument-forming faculties have gotten a little bit shoddy.

So long as your truth-discovering faculties are getting enough exercise, that seems like a fair trade.

Comment author: Fhyve 25 April 2012 11:39:48PM 3 points [-]

Since reading Lesswrong, I try to argue more. But not to win, rather, from the point of view that I am trying to understand how they think and to modify how they think. Lesswrong has allowed me to concede points that I don't agree with, because I know that I can't change their mind yet. It's fun.

Comment author: RobertLumley 27 April 2012 12:26:20PM 0 points [-]

My experience tends to be in line with yours.