The categorical goal should not be a “successful community”, but rather a truly rationalist community. As such the process of truth-finding should not be compromised by any social “niceties”.
Now, I can bear some extra effort on the writer’s part, but if you feel the pressure to please everyone, it is already a step in the direction of self-censorship, which should not be tolerated.
No policy here should step on such a slippery slope, for there is a reason why they are called such.
And an explicit ban on any topic is (of course) categorically not acceptable—be it PUA or whatnot; as such is already a huge slide down on said slope.
I am surprised there is not much more of an outcry following such a daring suggestion.
Rationality encompasses all—it has no taboo themes. Neither should you or this community.
There have already been explicit bans on topics. In the early days of Less Wrong, there were bans on discussing the Singularity and artificial intelligence, for fear that without such a ban the conversations about these topics would overwhelm the fledgling site and create an undesireable skewed tone. The ban was lifted after a certain amount of time, when the tone was supposedly established.
If pickup artist discussion is creating a tone that is skewed in ways we don’t like, it is not without precedent and not in opposition to rationality to end it.
The categorical goal should not be a “successful community”, but rather a truly rationalist community. As such the process of truth-finding should not be compromised by any social “niceties”. Now, I can bear some extra effort on the writer’s part, but if you feel the pressure to please everyone, it is already a step in the direction of self-censorship, which should not be tolerated. No policy here should step on such a slippery slope, for there is a reason why they are called such.
And an explicit ban on any topic is (of course) categorically not acceptable—be it PUA or whatnot; as such is already a huge slide down on said slope. I am surprised there is not much more of an outcry following such a daring suggestion.
Rationality encompasses all—it has no taboo themes. Neither should you or this community.
There have already been explicit bans on topics. In the early days of Less Wrong, there were bans on discussing the Singularity and artificial intelligence, for fear that without such a ban the conversations about these topics would overwhelm the fledgling site and create an undesireable skewed tone. The ban was lifted after a certain amount of time, when the tone was supposedly established.
If pickup artist discussion is creating a tone that is skewed in ways we don’t like, it is not without precedent and not in opposition to rationality to end it.
You might want to read Eliezer’s posts on the importance of a healthy community. I will link some later if noone’s done it before me.
Here’s the link, after a minute’s effort. Wasn’t it worth that?
Fixed it for you.