Firstly, I have always said (and this incident has once again reinforced my view of this) that “we”, which is to say “rationalists”, should not be a “community”.
But, of course, things are what they are. Still, it is hardly any of my business, as a participant of Less Wrong, what discussions you have elsewhere, on some other forum. Why should it be?
Of course, it would be quite beyond the pale if the outcomes of those discussions were used in deciding (by those who have the authority to decide these things—basically, I mean the admins of Less Wrong) how to treat someone here!
In short, I am saying: in other places, discuss whatever you want to discuss (assuming your discussions are appropriate thereto… but, in any case—not my business). None of that should affect any discussions here. “I propose to treat <Less Wrong participant X> in such-and-such a way—why? because he said or did so-and-so, in another place entirely”—this ought not be acceptable or tolerated.
Firstly, I have always said (and this incident has once again reinforced my view of this) that “we”, which is to say “rationalists”, should not be a “community”.
Well, that is a legitimate opinion. I just want to point out that it did not appear to be the consensus so far. If it is the consensus (or becomes such) then it seems fair to ask to make it clear, in particular to inform’s people’s decisions about how and whether to interact with the forum.
I won’t go so far as to say there should be no community, but I do believe that it (or they; there are likely lots of involved communities of rationalists) is not synonymous with LessWrong. There is overlap in topics discussed, but there are good LW topics that are irrelevant to some or all communities, and there are LOTS of community topics that don’t do well on LW.
And that includes topics that, in a vacuum, would be appropriate to LW, but are deeply related to topics in a community which are NOT good for LW. Sorry, but that entanglement of ideas makes it impossible to discuss rationally in a large group.
Firstly, I have always said (and this incident has once again reinforced my view of this) that “we”, which is to say “rationalists”, should not be a “community”.
But, of course, things are what they are. Still, it is hardly any of my business, as a participant of Less Wrong, what discussions you have elsewhere, on some other forum. Why should it be?
Of course, it would be quite beyond the pale if the outcomes of those discussions were used in deciding (by those who have the authority to decide these things—basically, I mean the admins of Less Wrong) how to treat someone here!
In short, I am saying: in other places, discuss whatever you want to discuss (assuming your discussions are appropriate thereto… but, in any case—not my business). None of that should affect any discussions here. “I propose to treat <Less Wrong participant X> in such-and-such a way—why? because he said or did so-and-so, in another place entirely”—this ought not be acceptable or tolerated.
Well, that is a legitimate opinion. I just want to point out that it did not appear to be the consensus so far. If it is the consensus (or becomes such) then it seems fair to ask to make it clear, in particular to inform’s people’s decisions about how and whether to interact with the forum.
I think it is fairly clear that it’s not the consensus; I alluded to this in my comment (perhaps too obliquely?).
The rest of my comment should be read with the understanding that I’m aware of the above fact.
I won’t go so far as to say there should be no community, but I do believe that it (or they; there are likely lots of involved communities of rationalists) is not synonymous with LessWrong. There is overlap in topics discussed, but there are good LW topics that are irrelevant to some or all communities, and there are LOTS of community topics that don’t do well on LW.
And that includes topics that, in a vacuum, would be appropriate to LW, but are deeply related to topics in a community which are NOT good for LW. Sorry, but that entanglement of ideas makes it impossible to discuss rationally in a large group.