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WalterL comments on Rationality Quotes July 2016 - Less Wrong Discussion

1 Post author: bbleeker 01 July 2016 09:02AM

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Comment author: WalterL 01 July 2016 02:58:47PM 1 point [-]

-It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.

George Washington, letter to his niece Harriet Washington, October 30, 1791 First president of US (1732 - 1799)

Comment author: ChristianKl 02 July 2016 10:21:38AM 5 points [-]

There are studies about skipping lines in supermarkets that suggest that giving a bad excuse to skip the line quite often results in the person allowing you to skip a line while giving no excuse doesn't.

Comment author: Pimgd 01 July 2016 03:23:37PM *  0 points [-]

Contradicts "leave a retreat" - offering someone a bad excuse to get out of a situation "You're late. Was it traffic again?" might work better for the current situation than demanding why they are late.

But in politics it might make sense.

Comment author: WalterL 01 July 2016 04:23:01PM 1 point [-]

I don't think it is a contradiction. You can think excusing oneself is a weak move while giving other people the chance to do it. I don't smoke, but I'd sell cigarettes.