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Lumifer comments on Open Thread, Apr. 27 - May 3, 2015 - Less Wrong Discussion

3 Post author: Gondolinian 27 April 2015 12:18AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 27 April 2015 08:22:11PM *  2 points [-]

So, do you think this reflects some intrinsic property of {left|right}-wing opinions or do you think this reflects the attitudes of your social circle?

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 27 April 2015 09:14:51PM 3 points [-]

Probably both. My social circle is very left wing, but when I occasionally read newspapers, the arguments against the right wing seem to be ad hominem "your politicians are evil" while the arguments against the left seem to be "your policies are stupid".

Comment author: VoiceOfRa 28 April 2015 02:37:19AM 7 points [-]

against the right wing seem to be ad hominem "your politicians are evil" while the arguments against the left seem to be "your policies are stupid".

Which of these two stereotypes sounds like its coming from someone who hates his opponent?

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 28 April 2015 06:41:09AM *  5 points [-]

The first. The second sounds more condescending than hatred.

Unless you mean do I hate left wing people, in which case the answer is no, I'm just kinda exasperated with the style of debate.

Comment author: VoiceOfRa 28 April 2015 06:48:36AM *  3 points [-]

The first. The second sounds more condescending than hatred.

That's my point, i.e., the left sure sounds like it's motivated by hate.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 28 April 2015 06:58:37PM 0 points [-]

Well, if you believe your opponents are mistaken, then rational debate seems like a sensible response. If you believe your opponents are evil, then hatred seems like a more reasonable response. So, I'd say that the left's hate is more motivated by their view of the world, rather then their being hateful people per se.

Comment author: Lumifer 28 April 2015 07:06:29PM *  2 points [-]

If you believe your opponents are evil, then hatred seems like a more reasonable response. So, I'd say that the left's hate is more motivated by their view of the world, rather then their being hateful people per se.

I don't think the direction of causation is obvious. If you start as a hateful person, you would naturally begin to believe that you opponents are evil pretty fast.

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 28 April 2015 07:19:52PM 0 points [-]

Sure, the causality could be in either direction, but my impression is that they are not inherently hateful.

I know people who believe that the countries' defence should be handled by people meditating and sending out telepathic waves of love so that no-one wants to invade. Delusional? Yes. Hateful? No.

Comment author: Lumifer 28 April 2015 07:33:13PM *  3 points [-]

my impression is that they are not inherently hateful

Your social circle, probably not. Something like the left twittersphere? Oh, boy. How do they feel about Sarah Palin, for example? Or Scott Walker?

Comment author: skeptical_lurker 28 April 2015 07:52:21PM 0 points [-]

I used to get annoyed at the stupidity and hate of SJWs. But just because they shout the loudest doesn't make them representitive of the left as a whole. Maybe the left acts more hateful on average, because they can get away with it.