(Self review) Do I stand by this post? Eh. Kinda sorta but I think it’s incomplete.
I think there’s something important in truth-telling, and getting everyone on the same page about what we mean by the truth. Since everyone will not just start telling the literal truth all the time and I don’t even particularly want them to, we’re going to need to have some norms and social lubricant around how to handle the things people say that aren’t literal truth.
The first thing I disagree with when rereading it is sometimes even if someone is obviously and straightforwardly feeding me bullshit, I keep trying to tell the truth. Sometimes I try even harder to be precise and truthful. In a conversation with friends, I might say “that game’s no fun” when the true and accurate statement is “I don’t find that game fun.” In a heated internet argument, I think it’s useful to check my stance and use the latter kind of statement, even if the other person is saying things like “everyone who doesn’t like that game is a moron.”
Short of a complete guide to Truth, I’d settle for a practical “Here’s how Screwtape regards the truth, read it and you’ll understand when he’d say false things.” This essay falls short of that.
I’d love more things in this genre. Meta-Honesty: Firming Up Honesty Around Its Edge Cases and The Onion Test For Personal And Institutional Honesty are both good examples of the genre. Even personal versions seem useful.
I think that makes this a replaceable essay. It would be fine in a Best Of collection, but it’s not adding too much other than a few intuition pumps.
(Self review) Do I stand by this post? Eh. Kinda sorta but I think it’s incomplete.
I think there’s something important in truth-telling, and getting everyone on the same page about what we mean by the truth. Since everyone will not just start telling the literal truth all the time and I don’t even particularly want them to, we’re going to need to have some norms and social lubricant around how to handle the things people say that aren’t literal truth.
The first thing I disagree with when rereading it is sometimes even if someone is obviously and straightforwardly feeding me bullshit, I keep trying to tell the truth. Sometimes I try even harder to be precise and truthful. In a conversation with friends, I might say “that game’s no fun” when the true and accurate statement is “I don’t find that game fun.” In a heated internet argument, I think it’s useful to check my stance and use the latter kind of statement, even if the other person is saying things like “everyone who doesn’t like that game is a moron.”
Short of a complete guide to Truth, I’d settle for a practical “Here’s how Screwtape regards the truth, read it and you’ll understand when he’d say false things.” This essay falls short of that.
I’d love more things in this genre. Meta-Honesty: Firming Up Honesty Around Its Edge Cases and The Onion Test For Personal And Institutional Honesty are both good examples of the genre. Even personal versions seem useful.
I think that makes this a replaceable essay. It would be fine in a Best Of collection, but it’s not adding too much other than a few intuition pumps.