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Xachariah comments on Stupid Questions Open Thread Round 3 - Less Wrong Discussion
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Sorry. I think I communicated unclearly, which is the danger of using stories instead of examples and is my fault entirely. At the very start of the story, Julia learns about your wife at the same time she learns about the lottery. She had previously thought you were single and the new information shifted her preference ordering.
Regarding the example you used (oil company & energy), I also hold it is not blackmail. If I use the previous definition of Blackmail being the act of making an attempt to get money in exchange for not revealing information, then the attempt is the crucial part in this case (whether it succeeds or not). The oil company offering me money is okay; me trying to get money out of the oil company is blackmail.
And also sometimes okay. The distinction isn't "okay" vs blackmail. It is blackmail vs not-blackmail and "okay" vs not-okay.
(nods) As noted elsewhere, I missed this and was entirely mistaken about Julia's motives. I stand corrected. You were perfectly clear, I just wasn't reading attentively enough.
Re: blackmail... OK. So, if I develop the technology and I approach the oil company and say "I have this technology, I'll guarantee you exclusive rights to it for $N/week," that's blackmail?
I'd say it's much closer to blackmail than the original oil company scenario.
I suppose I agree with that, but I wouldn't call either of them blackmail. Would you?