John_Maxwell_IV comments on Don't Get Offended - LessWrong

32 Post author: katydee 07 March 2013 02:11AM

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Comment author: John_Maxwell_IV 10 March 2013 07:48:38AM *  11 points [-]

Last I checked (which was admittedly a while ago), there are a decent number of Less Wrong users who act obnoxiously high status in real life (including some who are quite prominent). I'd love to have the egalitarian norms you describe, but I think first we'd have to convince them to stop.

This may not be trivial. I've noticed that my high status behaviors often seem pretty instinctual, and I've also noticed that I have a fair amount of mental resistance to giving up status even if I'd like to in theory (ex.: apologizing).

Comment author: notsonewuser 22 March 2013 09:38:54PM 7 points [-]

...there are a decent number of Less Wrong users who act obnoxiously high status in real life (including some who are quite prominent). I'd love to have the egalitarian norms you describe, but I think first we'd have to convince them to stop.

The way you worded this makes it sound as if there are a few people ruining it for everyone. If this is actually the case, then the solution is, when these people begin acting obnoxiously high status, say "You're being obnoxious. Stop." Bystander effect, etc. If you try this and it doesn't work, let me know so I can update.

Comment author: RichardKennaway 22 March 2013 10:57:58AM 5 points [-]

Last I checked (which was admittedly a while ago), there are a decent number of Less Wrong users who act obnoxiously high status in real life (including some who are quite prominent).

Without identifying the people involved, can you describe in more concrete terms the behaviours you are talking about?

Comment author: Qiaochu_Yuan 10 March 2013 11:40:25AM -2 points [-]

Name three?

Comment author: wedrifid 10 March 2013 04:16:11PM *  16 points [-]

Name three?

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You are asking John to do something that is clearly unwise for him to do in a form typically used with the connotation that if the person does not comply it is because they can not. This is disingenuous.

Comment author: [deleted] 10 March 2013 04:45:38PM 3 points [-]

Good point, though he might reply to him in a private message.

Comment author: Qiaochu_Yuan 10 March 2013 07:33:30PM *  -2 points [-]

If John wants a problem to stop, it would be nice to first identify more clearly the source of the problem. Otherwise he's just doing the LW analogue of vaguebooking.

Comment author: evand 13 March 2013 04:46:56AM 5 points [-]

It's not obvious to me that "the source of the problem" and "the people most saliently exhibiting the symptoms" are the same thing. It's also not obvious to me that "the source of the problem" necessarily refers to any particular set of individuals.