Below, a survey of some of the ways that rationality can make your life more awesome
I don’t know why but such use of “awesome” is in my mind firmly linked to the geek and even gaming cluster. I’m not a native speaker, but I seem to run across its use in such a manner only on those parts of the internet. :)
Rationality trains you to step back from your emotions so that they don’t cloud your judgement.
Rationality breaks your habit of automatically trusting your instinctive, emotional judgements, encouraging you instead to notice the beliefs underlying your emotions and ask yourself whether those beliefs are justified.
You did a good job with this section. Yet I wish to emphasise that by even discussing this aspect of why rationality is good for you, leaves the reader vulnerable to imagining straw vulcans. Everyone “knows” emotions and rational thinking don’t mix. What they don’t really know is that acting rationally means acting in a way to maximise your chances of “winning”. Or what “winning” means in different contexts!
Yes I know you’ve given the reader ample clues and even implicit definitions of the how of rationality we use here on LW, and which basically is the reasonable one, but one can’t expect a few sentences he’s just read to have the same impact as a lifetime of exposure to affects, stereotypes and cached thoughts associated with “logic” or “rationality” this early. As another commenter said:
Also, I think one of the first reactions a typical person will have is, “Rationality? Of course I’m rational.” To start from square one on this topic, you have to explain to people that, surprisingly enough, they aren’t. Politely, of course. Then you can start talking about why it’s important to work on.
You did a good job with this section. Yet I wish to emphasise that by even discussing this aspect of why rationality is good for you, leaves the reader vulnerable to imagining straw vulcans.
I just basically linked you to your own talk. Well that’s what I get for not pausing to consider the user name.
I don’t know why but such use of “awesome” is in my mind firmly linked to the geek and even gaming cluster. I’m not a native speaker, but I seem to run across its use in such a manner only on those parts of the internet. :)
You did a good job with this section. Yet I wish to emphasise that by even discussing this aspect of why rationality is good for you, leaves the reader vulnerable to imagining straw vulcans. Everyone “knows” emotions and rational thinking don’t mix. What they don’t really know is that acting rationally means acting in a way to maximise your chances of “winning”. Or what “winning” means in different contexts!
Yes I know you’ve given the reader ample clues and even implicit definitions of the how of rationality we use here on LW, and which basically is the reasonable one, but one can’t expect a few sentences he’s just read to have the same impact as a lifetime of exposure to affects, stereotypes and cached thoughts associated with “logic” or “rationality” this early. As another commenter said:
I just basically linked you to your own talk. Well that’s what I get for not pausing to consider the user name.