(I don’t know; my own life has gotten a lot better (not monotonically, but the trendline is clear) over the last five years as I’ve learned to think for myself more and more, and trust my unreflective moral instincts and the local authorities less and less. Moreover, this process seems likely to continue as long as I make sure to abandon contrarian strategies when it looks like they’re not working. But your mileage may vary.)
I like that metaphor, but, you know, decision under uncertainty: we’re on the railroad tracks already, and I’m going to pick up as much free money as I think I can get away with, because I no longer trust the schoolteachers and cops who taught me to sit still and wait for the train.
(I don’t know; my own life has gotten a lot better (not monotonically, but the trendline is clear) over the last five years as I’ve learned to think for myself more and more, and trust my unreflective moral instincts and the local authorities less and less. Moreover, this process seems likely to continue as long as I make sure to abandon contrarian strategies when it looks like they’re not working. But your mileage may vary.)
Implicit in Szabo’s argument is that you may be doing the equivalent of picking up pennies on railroad tracks.
I like that metaphor, but, you know, decision under uncertainty: we’re on the railroad tracks already, and I’m going to pick up as much free money as I think I can get away with, because I no longer trust the schoolteachers and cops who taught me to sit still and wait for the train.