There seems to be an anti-pattern for certain kinds of problems that involve one’s habits, lifestyle, or emotions. The anti-pattern is that many people who do not experience the problem claim that the problem is easily solvable; whereas many people who do experience the problem claim that it is not easily solved.
People who have previously experienced the problem may fall into either category; whether they do seems to have something to do with how much continuity (or compassion?) they feel between their current self and their problem-having past self; or whether they have retained awareness of the specific transitions involved in solving the problem. (Kinda like some of the difficulties moridinamael recently pointed out regarding programming tutorials. Just because you’ve achieved X does not automatically make you a good guide for others who want to achieve X.)
This seems related to one of the things that folks who use the word “privilege” mean by it sometimes. We can probably come up with some less politically charged word for this specific anti-pattern, though.
Good point. It seems pretty common for people who study social phenomena — even heavily moralized ones, like crime — to have more compassion for the people involved in them than the “conventional wisdom” does.
There seems to be an anti-pattern for certain kinds of problems that involve one’s habits, lifestyle, or emotions. The anti-pattern is that many people who do not experience the problem claim that the problem is easily solvable; whereas many people who do experience the problem claim that it is not easily solved.
People who have previously experienced the problem may fall into either category; whether they do seems to have something to do with how much continuity (or compassion?) they feel between their current self and their problem-having past self; or whether they have retained awareness of the specific transitions involved in solving the problem. (Kinda like some of the difficulties moridinamael recently pointed out regarding programming tutorials. Just because you’ve achieved X does not automatically make you a good guide for others who want to achieve X.)
This seems related to one of the things that folks who use the word “privilege” mean by it sometimes. We can probably come up with some less politically charged word for this specific anti-pattern, though.
I don’t think that personal experience with the problem of wanting to lose weight is the only factor.
This is also a tribal conflict of academia vs. internet wisdom.
Stop eating so much carbohydrates isn’t much more complex than, saying eat less calories.
Good point. It seems pretty common for people who study social phenomena — even heavily moralized ones, like crime — to have more compassion for the people involved in them than the “conventional wisdom” does.