I had a discussion with a German LW’er who described how “productivity” and things generally targeted towards productivity are frowned upon because the in-group condition in the culture is that “you already got that shit covered”. So telling someone to be more productive was like saying, “you are not productive enough right now”. And doing so was discouraged. Makes it hard to say why LW is good if you have to avoid the word productivity (and similar words)
Is this hinting to a general bias of sufficient self-competence in every area? Also, devaluing can be relative: this could be why close relative resists to you improving your life (you show them there’s space for improvement) and distant acquaintances attributing it to unfair advantages.
I think it would be more fitting to say that while productivity is more like a terminal value in the US with the American dream it’s not a terminal value in Germany to the same extend.
Makes it hard to say why LW is good if you have to avoid the word productivity
That seems to me to be flawed reasoning. LW is not good at getting it’s members to be productive given that a lot of them suffer from akrasia.
On the other hand LW is good at getting people to have sophisticated intellectual views on issues. That’s more valued in Germany than it is in the US.
I had a discussion with a German LW’er who described how “productivity” and things generally targeted towards productivity are frowned upon because the in-group condition in the culture is that “you already got that shit covered”. So telling someone to be more productive was like saying, “you are not productive enough right now”. And doing so was discouraged. Makes it hard to say why LW is good if you have to avoid the word productivity (and similar words)
Some people get insulted when you say their cognitive biases is something they should pay attention to and not just psychology trivia.
Is this hinting to a general bias of sufficient self-competence in every area?
Also, devaluing can be relative: this could be why close relative resists to you improving your life (you show them there’s space for improvement) and distant acquaintances attributing it to unfair advantages.
I’d call it a cultural bias.
I think it would be more fitting to say that while productivity is more like a terminal value in the US with the American dream it’s not a terminal value in Germany to the same extend.
That seems to me to be flawed reasoning. LW is not good at getting it’s members to be productive given that a lot of them suffer from akrasia.
On the other hand LW is good at getting people to have sophisticated intellectual views on issues. That’s more valued in Germany than it is in the US.
admitting to the fact; and then declaring you are trying things. is already uncomfortable. (in that culture)
It being uncomfortable is no proof for it being useful.
See also Valentine’s post on Why Yin