Also. the hypothesis that meta-comments could improve the debate assumes that everyone else would agree with them. But if one person makes a meta-comment, and some other person disagrees with the meta-comment, they will soon have a meta-argument, and everyone else will be like “what happened to the original topic we wanted to discuss in the first place?”
Also, object-level disagreements can be “solved” by changing a topic. More difficult to do with a meta-level disagreement; the closest analogy would be to stop communicating (and find someone else to talk to).
But if one person makes a meta-comment, and some other person disagrees with the meta-comment, they will soon have a meta-argument, and everyone else will be like “what happened to the original topic we wanted to discuss in the first place?”
I think that’s definitely a failure mode that is likely to happen. However, I think that it’s also a failure mode that is avoidable.
The status claim thing seems true. In fact most status hierarchies, those with higher status have more control over a broader, more generalized realm: the lower levels debate, and the higher levels control the frame of the debate, so by meta-commenting you are implicitly claiming the higher spot.
Making meta-comments feels like a status claim.
Also. the hypothesis that meta-comments could improve the debate assumes that everyone else would agree with them. But if one person makes a meta-comment, and some other person disagrees with the meta-comment, they will soon have a meta-argument, and everyone else will be like “what happened to the original topic we wanted to discuss in the first place?”
Also, object-level disagreements can be “solved” by changing a topic. More difficult to do with a meta-level disagreement; the closest analogy would be to stop communicating (and find someone else to talk to).
Ah yeah that’s a great point. I agree.
I think that’s definitely a failure mode that is likely to happen. However, I think that it’s also a failure mode that is avoidable.
The status claim thing seems true. In fact most status hierarchies, those with higher status have more control over a broader, more generalized realm: the lower levels debate, and the higher levels control the frame of the debate, so by meta-commenting you are implicitly claiming the higher spot.