You’re confusing the superficial expressions of high-status and the nature of normal human interaction, which is nothing but status games. Your texts, this and others, very clearly signal high-status in this context. It is clearly not your sole motivation, not perhaps even a major one, but status moves are apparent throughout your texts.
“Having achieved some small degree of status in certain very limited circles, here’s what I do to try to avoid the status-makes-you-stupid effect”
Seriously, you saying that you have achieved “some small degree of status” is a huge understatement. If you used that expression, because stronger statement would make you vulnerable, I guess it makes sense, but do realize that it’s just another move in status-games. It’s basically a defensive move to counter possible attacks against your status. Ie. it lowers your status so that no one can make threats to your status. Had you said that “I am practically a Jesus in some circles”, which would have been close to the truth, this could have been challenged very easily. When it’s put the way you said it, it’s more of an compliment to yourself.
If you really think that you have achieved “some small degree of status”, I think you have a huge blind spot in the area of human social interaction.
“I try to feel a small flash of self-satisfaction whenever I publicly admit that I am wrong, over what a good rationalist I am being and what a good impression I am making.”
Perhaps I should clarify one thing before anyone comments:
I said that you made a status move that lowers your status, which might seem contradictory to my other claims. But it is not. Our motivation in our normal status games is not to have as high status as possible. It is one motivation, but it is much more important that your status isn’t lowered. In other words, EY is not high-status enough in this community to be able to say that he is very high-status. The status difference between him and other people is not big enough to make such claim safely. It could be challenged very easily.
The point being that status games are everywhere. They just aren’t aimed to higher and higher status.
It is true that status games are exaggerated, when it is the only game in town. But it is ignorant to think that they only happen in certain positions or communities. Status games are everywhere.
(The only exception perhaps are people who are far to the autistic spectrum.)
You’re confusing the superficial expressions of high-status and the nature of normal human interaction, which is nothing but status games. Your texts, this and others, very clearly signal high-status in this context. It is clearly not your sole motivation, not perhaps even a major one, but status moves are apparent throughout your texts.
“Having achieved some small degree of status in certain very limited circles, here’s what I do to try to avoid the status-makes-you-stupid effect”
Seriously, you saying that you have achieved “some small degree of status” is a huge understatement. If you used that expression, because stronger statement would make you vulnerable, I guess it makes sense, but do realize that it’s just another move in status-games. It’s basically a defensive move to counter possible attacks against your status. Ie. it lowers your status so that no one can make threats to your status. Had you said that “I am practically a Jesus in some circles”, which would have been close to the truth, this could have been challenged very easily. When it’s put the way you said it, it’s more of an compliment to yourself.
If you really think that you have achieved “some small degree of status”, I think you have a huge blind spot in the area of human social interaction.
“I try to feel a small flash of self-satisfaction whenever I publicly admit that I am wrong, over what a good rationalist I am being and what a good impression I am making.”
This is a status move to make your status higher.
Captain obvious to the rescue...
If it is obvious to OP too, then the post is basically hypocritical. He’s trying to higher his status by saying that he doesn’t want high status.
Perhaps I should clarify one thing before anyone comments:
I said that you made a status move that lowers your status, which might seem contradictory to my other claims. But it is not. Our motivation in our normal status games is not to have as high status as possible. It is one motivation, but it is much more important that your status isn’t lowered. In other words, EY is not high-status enough in this community to be able to say that he is very high-status. The status difference between him and other people is not big enough to make such claim safely. It could be challenged very easily.
The point being that status games are everywhere. They just aren’t aimed to higher and higher status.
It is true that status games are exaggerated, when it is the only game in town. But it is ignorant to think that they only happen in certain positions or communities. Status games are everywhere.
(The only exception perhaps are people who are far to the autistic spectrum.)