Do we have reason to believe that the kind of rationality promoted on LW, OvercomingBias, CFAR, etc. appeals to a fairly normal distribution of people around the IQ mean?
I think it appeals to some subset, notably those who want to win and have enough self-discipline to apply proper tools.
Otherwise it seems to me that the stupider you are, the harder it is for you to consciously use rationality and so you will value it less.
Ditto, except replace “being rational” with “celebrating rationality...
I don’t know what “celebrating rationality” means. Stories like HPMOR attempt to popularize rationality and spread it. That’s not celebration, that’s pushing a meme.
what are the implications for the movement in general?
I think it appeals to some subset, notably those who want to win and have enough self-discipline to apply proper tools.
I think that conflicts with our evidence. That subset is fairly large, yet (it seems) very few of them if any are on LW.
By “celebrating rationality” I meant something like what you meant by “popularizing rationality.” The difference isn’t important, but for what it is worth it has something to do with the intended effect of the art on people who already like the ideas it popularizes.
Which “movement”? There ain’t no movement.
What would you call it then? A trend? A faction? A meme? Any of those classifications would satisfy me; my question still stands as-yet-unanswered however you choose to phrase it.
I think it appeals to some subset, notably those who want to win and have enough self-discipline to apply proper tools.
Otherwise it seems to me that the stupider you are, the harder it is for you to consciously use rationality and so you will value it less.
I don’t know what “celebrating rationality” means. Stories like HPMOR attempt to popularize rationality and spread it. That’s not celebration, that’s pushing a meme.
Which “movement”? There ain’t no movement.
I think that conflicts with our evidence. That subset is fairly large, yet (it seems) very few of them if any are on LW.
By “celebrating rationality” I meant something like what you meant by “popularizing rationality.” The difference isn’t important, but for what it is worth it has something to do with the intended effect of the art on people who already like the ideas it popularizes.
What would you call it then? A trend? A faction? A meme? Any of those classifications would satisfy me; my question still stands as-yet-unanswered however you choose to phrase it.
You don’t imagine that LW is the only source of valid information about how to win at life, do you..?
Depends on what “it” are you talking about.