jpaulson comments on Power and difficulty - LessWrong

21 Post author: undermind 22 October 2014 05:22AM

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Comment author: jpaulson 29 October 2014 04:43:04PM *  4 points [-]

This seems true, but obvious. I'm not sure that I buy that fiction promotes this idea: IMO, fiction usually glosses over how the characters got their powers because it's boring. Some real-life examples of power for cheap would be very useful. Here are some suggestions:

  • Stick your money in index funds. This is way easier and more effective than trying to beat the market.
  • Ignore the news. It will waste your time and make you sad.
  • Go into a high-paying major / career
  • Ask for things/information/advice. Asking is cheap, and sometimes it works.

Anyone have other real-world suggestions?

Comment author: TheOtherDave 29 October 2014 07:07:21PM 1 point [-]

Get enough sleep. Exercise regularly.

Comment author: Lumifer 29 October 2014 04:47:27PM 0 points [-]

None of your examples look like they provide power for cheap.

Comment author: jpaulson 30 October 2014 12:29:01AM *  0 points [-]

I disagree.

1 and 2 are "negative": avoiding common failure modes.

3 and 4 are "positive": ways to get "more bang for your buck" than you "normally" would.

Comment author: Lumifer 30 October 2014 12:33:18AM 0 points [-]

A list of useful things to do, or a list of effective ways to do something are not ways to get "power for cheap".

Avoiding minor failure modes does not get you power. Getting a little bit more bang for your buck is still not "power for cheap".

Comment author: jpaulson 30 October 2014 05:09:30AM 0 points [-]

I was using "power" in the sense of the OP (which is just: more time/skills/influence). Sorry the examples aren't as dramatic as you would like; unfortunately, I can't think of more dramatic examples.

Comment author: undermind 30 October 2014 05:30:35AM *  1 point [-]

I had that problem too (from the commentary here, this lack of specific examples is the post's biggest issue) -- whatever examples I could come up with seemed distinctly unspectacular.

However, I think avoiding common failure modes -- being less wrong -- is a decent way to increase the expected value of your power.

Comment author: jpaulson 30 October 2014 05:42:42AM -1 points [-]

Unfortunately, it seems much easier to list particularly inefficient uses of time than particularly efficient uses of time :P I guess it all depends on your zero point.

Comment author: Lumifer 30 October 2014 02:25:20PM 0 points [-]

unfortunately, I can't think of more dramatic examples.

I think that's the point :-)