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NancyLebovitz comments on A few misconceptions surrounding Roko's basilisk - Less Wrong Discussion

39 Post author: RobbBB 05 October 2015 09:23PM

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Comment author: NancyLebovitz 07 October 2015 02:19:10PM *  1 point [-]

Argument against: back when cities were more flamable, people didn't set them on fire for the hell of it.

On the other hand, it's a lot easier to use a timer and survive these days, should you happen to not be suicidal.

"I want to see the world burn" is a great line of dialogue, but I'm not convinced it's a real human motivation. Um, except that when I was a kid, I remember wishing that this world was a dream, and I'd wake up. Does that count?

Second thought-- when I was a kid, I didn't have a method in mind. What if I do serious work with lucid dreaming techniques when I'm awake? I don't think the odds of waking up into being a greater intelligence are terribly good, nor is there a guarantee that my live would be better. On the other hand, would you hallucinations be interested in begging me to not try it?

Comment author: itaibn0 07 October 2015 11:08:55PM -1 points [-]

Based on personal experience, if you're dreaming I don't recommend trying to wake yourself up. Instead, enjoy your dream until you're ready to wake up naturally. That way you'll have far better sleep.

Comment author: CAE_Jones 08 October 2015 01:10:18AM -1 points [-]

Based on personal experience, I would have agreed with you, right up until last year, when I found myself in the rather terrifying position of being mentally aroused by a huge crash in my house, but unable to wake up all the way for several seconds afterward, during which my sleeping mind refused to reject the "something just blew a hole in the building we're under attack!" hypothesis.

(It was an overfilled bag falling off the wall.)

But absent actual difficulty waking for potential emergencies, sure; hang out in Tel'aran'rhiod until you get bored.