Let’s be blunt here: the NYT article is pure, unbridled outrage bait dressed up as journalism. It’s not trying to solve a problem, and it doesn’t have any agenda other than to pack as much outrage as possible into the publication form factor so as to maximize eyeballs. It simultaneously craps on EA, the tech industry, SSC, rationalists, MIRI, tech investors and a stack of others. (I’m surprised that they didn’t also include jordan peterson, because hey, why not?) That’s not the sign of someone being honest.
IMO the correct response here is to recommend that friends and family unsubscribe or avoid the NYT. As far as as creating/finding a rebuttal and explaining things to others, don’t. Instead, say the article was a hit piece designed to make everyone look bad, and shrug. Give it the kind of attention you give to crazy preachers on street corners. Let it fade into obscurity.
Remember that with outrage bait, you being outraged and complaining about the article to others is entirely the point. The only winning move is not to play.
I also think a lesson to take away here is that, assuming we agree pseudonymity is generally considered a desirable option to have available, it falls on us to assert the right to it.
Good question. I hadn’t defined it in any more detail in my mind. But my basic thought is that someone should be able to build an online presence under a pseudonym (from the beginning, without having revealed their real name publicly like Scott had) as long as they comply with the rules of the communities they choose to join, without legal obligation to declare their real name. I would imagine some exceptions would have to apply (for example, in the case of a legally enforceable warrant) but others, including journalists, would refer to the pseudonym if they wanted to report on such a person.
But of course there could be unintended consequences of this sort of rule that I haven’t considered.
Let’s be blunt here: the NYT article is pure, unbridled outrage bait dressed up as journalism. It’s not trying to solve a problem, and it doesn’t have any agenda other than to pack as much outrage as possible into the publication form factor so as to maximize eyeballs. It simultaneously craps on EA, the tech industry, SSC, rationalists, MIRI, tech investors and a stack of others. (I’m surprised that they didn’t also include jordan peterson, because hey, why not?) That’s not the sign of someone being honest.
IMO the correct response here is to recommend that friends and family unsubscribe or avoid the NYT. As far as as creating/finding a rebuttal and explaining things to others, don’t. Instead, say the article was a hit piece designed to make everyone look bad, and shrug. Give it the kind of attention you give to crazy preachers on street corners. Let it fade into obscurity.
Remember that with outrage bait, you being outraged and complaining about the article to others is entirely the point. The only winning move is not to play.
Strongly agree with your analysis.
I also think a lesson to take away here is that, assuming we agree pseudonymity is generally considered a desirable option to have available, it falls on us to assert the right to it.
What does asserting the right to pseudonymity mean?
Good question. I hadn’t defined it in any more detail in my mind. But my basic thought is that someone should be able to build an online presence under a pseudonym (from the beginning, without having revealed their real name publicly like Scott had) as long as they comply with the rules of the communities they choose to join, without legal obligation to declare their real name. I would imagine some exceptions would have to apply (for example, in the case of a legally enforceable warrant) but others, including journalists, would refer to the pseudonym if they wanted to report on such a person.
But of course there could be unintended consequences of this sort of rule that I haven’t considered.