Well, I think it’s true, interesting, and useful :)
The argument is a specific case of a more general form (explaining changing group dynamics by selection into the group, driven by the norms of the group, but without the norms necessarily causing a direct change to any individual’s behavior) which I think is a powerful pattern to understand. But like a lot of social dynamics, explicitly pointing it out can be tricky, because it can make the speaker seem snooty or Machiavellian or tactless, and because it can insult large classes of people, possibly including current group members. I felt that LW is one of the few places where I could voice this type of argument and get a charitable reception (after all, I’m indirectly insulting everyone who likes to talk politics, which is most people, including me :P)
To be clear: I don’t think lesswrong is currently being hurt by this dynamic. But I do see periodic comments criticizing the use of only internal risks (mind-killing ourselves) as the justification for avoiding political topics. I’m sympathetic to some of these critiques, and I wanted to promote a reason to avoiding political topics that didn’t imply that mind-killing susceptibility was somehow an insurmountable problem for individuals.
Homeostasis of social communities is a very interesting topic. Let me just point out that there are dangers on all sides—you don’t want to be at the mercy of every wandering band of barbarians, but you also don’t want to become an inbred group locked up high in an ivory tower.
Well, I think it’s true, interesting, and useful :)
The argument is a specific case of a more general form (explaining changing group dynamics by selection into the group, driven by the norms of the group, but without the norms necessarily causing a direct change to any individual’s behavior) which I think is a powerful pattern to understand. But like a lot of social dynamics, explicitly pointing it out can be tricky, because it can make the speaker seem snooty or Machiavellian or tactless, and because it can insult large classes of people, possibly including current group members. I felt that LW is one of the few places where I could voice this type of argument and get a charitable reception (after all, I’m indirectly insulting everyone who likes to talk politics, which is most people, including me :P)
To be clear: I don’t think lesswrong is currently being hurt by this dynamic. But I do see periodic comments criticizing the use of only internal risks (mind-killing ourselves) as the justification for avoiding political topics. I’m sympathetic to some of these critiques, and I wanted to promote a reason to avoiding political topics that didn’t imply that mind-killing susceptibility was somehow an insurmountable problem for individuals.
Homeostasis of social communities is a very interesting topic. Let me just point out that there are dangers on all sides—you don’t want to be at the mercy of every wandering band of barbarians, but you also don’t want to become an inbred group locked up high in an ivory tower.