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gjm comments on Open thread, Jan. 26 - Feb. 1, 2015 - Less Wrong Discussion

6 Post author: Gondolinian 26 January 2015 12:46AM

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Comment author: gjm 28 January 2015 10:27:44PM 0 points [-]

the obvious next step

I really don't think we should be condemning people for doing something that could be followed by doing something else that could be followed by doing something else that would be bad. Not unless we have actual evidence that they intend the whole sequence.

(I also remark that what you originally said was that schools are encouraging children to be gay and transsexual. We've come quite a way from there.)

they are right to be afraid

Maybe they are. But being afraid of something doesn't, at least in my value system nor in theirs if they haven't that bit about not bewaring false witness against other people, constitute sufficient reason to claim it's already happened.

Elevatorgate

Yes, I have heard of it and I know enough about the story to know that your version of it is quite inaccurate. But that's not the point here. The point is that that kind of overreaction is silly and harmful, and it's what the school did in this case, and to my mind that means we should be cautious about trusting their account of what the inspectors did.

now the transphobes can launch a witch-hunt

Yes, that's a problem. For the avoidance of doubt, it's not my purpose to claim that the inspectors didn't do anything foolish or harmful. I am claiming only that your original characterization of the situation is wrong. Which I think you're not disputing at this point.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 28 January 2015 11:06:14PM 0 points [-]

I really don't think we should be condemning people for doing something that could be followed by doing something else that could be followed by doing something else that would be bad. Not unless we have actual evidence that they intend the whole sequence.

I'm not condemning it, at most I'm saying the school's head teacher is right to condemn it from within his value system. I'm slightly torn here between saying I understand why people might draw a line in the sand to avoid being defeated one step at a time, and realising that this would make organisations really inflexible.

Yes, I have heard of it and I know enough about the story to know that your version of it is quite inaccurate. But that's not the point here. The point is that that kind of overreaction is silly and harmful, and it's what the school did in this case, and to my mind that means we should be cautious about trusting their account of what the inspectors did.

Do you have a relatively short, unbiased version of elevatorgate you can link me to?

But yes, I take your point, and given that the school is biased they can't be trusted here.

I am claiming only that your original characterization of the situation is wrong. Which I think you're not disputing at this point.

Broadly speaking, yes. I mean, teaching children how lesbians have sex might have happened, and if it did then it might slightly increase the number of lesbians, but that's not nesscerly the intention. At the very least, I massively overstated the case.

Comment author: gjm 28 January 2015 11:22:10PM 1 point [-]

unbiased version of elevatorgate

ahahahahahaha hahaha hahahaaaa.

(On the substantive issues, I think we're basically done at this point.)

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 29 January 2015 12:15:06AM -1 points [-]

Agreed on both points.