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V_V comments on Dark Arts: Defense in Reputational Warfare - Less Wrong Discussion

1 Post author: OrphanWilde 03 December 2015 03:03PM

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Comment author: V_V 05 December 2015 03:51:47PM 2 points [-]

If you're accused of something, admit to the weakest and least harmful version of that which is true (be specific, and deny as necessary), and say you're aware of your problem and working on improving. This works regardless of whether there's an audience or not, but works best if there is an audience.

I don't think is necessarily good advice. Admitting that you're aware of your problem and working on improving can be seen as a form of weakness. In some cases it may be better to categorically deny the accusation and immediately counterattack, for instance by accusing your attacker of having ulterior motives.

Comment author: OrphanWilde 05 December 2015 04:36:35PM -1 points [-]

Admitting that you're aware of your problem and working on improving can be seen as a form of weakness.

Which would have been a disadvantage thirty years ago.

Comment author: V_V 05 December 2015 04:55:31PM 4 points [-]

While it isn't now?

Comment author: OrphanWilde 07 December 2015 09:20:57PM 0 points [-]

No.

Thirty years ago, you had to be fairly skilled to use a perceived weakness to your advantage, using it to direct/anticipate and redirect. Today, using weakness as a weapon is a standard item in the average person's social toolkit, and the society we live in expects weakness to be catered to.

Comment author: VoiceOfRa 08 December 2015 05:20:49AM 4 points [-]

Rather using a "weakness" in the sense of belonging to an officially approved "victim group" is an advantage. Actually showing weakness in a fight will be exploited even more ruthlessly than before.

Comment author: OrphanWilde 08 December 2015 03:25:27PM -2 points [-]

How do you "exploit" somebody in a reputational fight, pray tell?

Comment author: VoiceOfRa 09 December 2015 02:01:48AM 2 points [-]

You exploit the weakness by demanding more concessions. To use an example strait from today's headlines the Christakises' showing of weakness by apologizing was exploited by the BLM thugs putting pressure on her to resign.

Comment author: polymathwannabe 07 December 2015 09:29:00PM -1 points [-]

What exactly changed in these last 30 years that made weaknesses function differently?

Comment author: OrphanWilde 07 December 2015 09:35:55PM 0 points [-]

Society and technology. Somebody perceived as "punching down" in public is liable to be attacked en masse via social media, which makes it undesirable to do so.

This is not to say that this makes you invulnerable, but it provides a pretty strong disincentive for those who might be inclined to attack on that basis.

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