If an idea isn’t obviously crazy, then the fact that it has problems seems to call for a discussion into the nature of the problems and possible solutions, instead of ridicule. In this case, b) and c) both seem surmountable. For b, many people are apparently able to tell when it is a “stretch” that some hobby offers rationality benefits, and appropriately discount such claims. For c, perhaps a warning to avoid rationalizing would be sufficient.
But your original post listed video games as a rationalist hobby. That certainly felt like a “stretch” to me, and to many other commenters too, I think. (Crypto, on the other hand, sounds like a very good recommendation.)
The title said “rationalist hobbies” (which I now think was a big mistake) but the post explained that these are hobbies that teach rationality lessons. I rarely play video games anymore, but I still think the lesson that hobby taught was a very valuable one that I may not have gotten from any other source. Most of us here probably do not need that specific lesson at this point, but I thought I’d include it to help explain how some of us got to where we are today.
If an idea isn’t obviously crazy, then the fact that it has problems seems to call for a discussion into the nature of the problems and possible solutions, instead of ridicule. In this case, b) and c) both seem surmountable. For b, many people are apparently able to tell when it is a “stretch” that some hobby offers rationality benefits, and appropriately discount such claims. For c, perhaps a warning to avoid rationalizing would be sufficient.
Overall you’re right. I apologize.
But your original post listed video games as a rationalist hobby. That certainly felt like a “stretch” to me, and to many other commenters too, I think. (Crypto, on the other hand, sounds like a very good recommendation.)
The title said “rationalist hobbies” (which I now think was a big mistake) but the post explained that these are hobbies that teach rationality lessons. I rarely play video games anymore, but I still think the lesson that hobby taught was a very valuable one that I may not have gotten from any other source. Most of us here probably do not need that specific lesson at this point, but I thought I’d include it to help explain how some of us got to where we are today.