The exceptions you made seem like a part of more general rule: “Unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise, act in a way that increases your future options and power”. (Or, quoting from Final Words: “If you don’t know what you need, take power.” Also, somewhat related: Convergent AI goals, but within human limits.)
Having a loyal group of friends increases your power. The key is to find people where the loyalty is mutual. (Not sure if this is more difficult for our kind, or not. Having more difficulty to find someone can actually encourage loyalty.)
Being known as a person who keeps their promises increases your options for making contracts in the future. Here the important part is that people must notice that you keep your promises. (If you never mention it, people may miss the fact, but if you mention it too much, it may backfire by seeming insincere.) But there is also value in the absence of being known as a person who breaks their promises.
Well, this seems like already quite enough of identity. One could build a curriculum on this stuff.
On reflection, seems like the kind of identity we are trying to avoid, is being attached to random beliefs, random habits, random hobbies, random goals, random people, random groups… simply things that happened randomly in our past and now we got stuck with them.
The exceptions you made seem like a part of more general rule: “Unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise, act in a way that increases your future options and power”. (Or, quoting from Final Words: “If you don’t know what you need, take power.” Also, somewhat related: Convergent AI goals, but within human limits.)
Having a loyal group of friends increases your power. The key is to find people where the loyalty is mutual. (Not sure if this is more difficult for our kind, or not. Having more difficulty to find someone can actually encourage loyalty.)
Being known as a person who keeps their promises increases your options for making contracts in the future. Here the important part is that people must notice that you keep your promises. (If you never mention it, people may miss the fact, but if you mention it too much, it may backfire by seeming insincere.) But there is also value in the absence of being known as a person who breaks their promises.
What could be other convergent goals?
eat healthy food;
exercise;
learn a martial art or buy a gun;
be nice and polite to people;
be curious and learn;
take care about your money;
know yourself (and avoid affective spirals).
Well, this seems like already quite enough of identity. One could build a curriculum on this stuff.
On reflection, seems like the kind of identity we are trying to avoid, is being attached to random beliefs, random habits, random hobbies, random goals, random people, random groups… simply things that happened randomly in our past and now we got stuck with them.