I could have conversations with just about anyone about evidence or entertaining an argument about almost anything. Most people would discuss whatever it was in good faith, and they almost certainly wouldn’t try to dox you and try to get you fired. (There were some exceptions, but they were exceptions and not the rule, they were usually scandals in communities when they happened and the predominant opinion was generally against the person doing it).
Now not only are there not many good faith discussion forums, so many topics are verboten and the consequences of discussing can be so dire.
If you post controversial things long enough in the wrong places and have a sufficiently large audience, you can expect real world consequences now. It’s not a “there’s a small chance you’ll have a minor disruption” it’s “if you haven’t bulletproofed your life, expect to lose your job—at least.”
There’s more to being an aspiring rationalist then having discussions about evidence. It’s also about actually doing things in real life because of what you believe.
Hey—started posting in January but haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m an old man, but trying to pretend that I’m younger.
Have read LW occasionally since the late 2000s and SSC since 2015 or so.
There are a few islands of the Internet left that feel like the Internet felt when I first experienced it in the 90s (called BBSes before that).
In some ways I feel like the Internet was mostly aspiring rationalists (and porn) until around 2007. Now we’re a minority.
I would guess more “Gray Tribe” ~ “increased likelihood of being technology early adopters” rather than “aspiring rationalist” specifically.
Not specifically by name. It was more of a world of mistake theorists rather than conflict theorists, or scribes rather than actors. http://benjaminrosshoffman.com/actors-and-scribes-words-and-deeds/
I could have conversations with just about anyone about evidence or entertaining an argument about almost anything. Most people would discuss whatever it was in good faith, and they almost certainly wouldn’t try to dox you and try to get you fired. (There were some exceptions, but they were exceptions and not the rule, they were usually scandals in communities when they happened and the predominant opinion was generally against the person doing it).
Now not only are there not many good faith discussion forums, so many topics are verboten and the consequences of discussing can be so dire.
If you post controversial things long enough in the wrong places and have a sufficiently large audience, you can expect real world consequences now. It’s not a “there’s a small chance you’ll have a minor disruption” it’s “if you haven’t bulletproofed your life, expect to lose your job—at least.”
There’s more to being an aspiring rationalist then having discussions about evidence. It’s also about actually doing things in real life because of what you believe.