This post was sitting at −3 karma after 5 votes when reading so I strongly upvoted because it does bring up an important point.
Namely, in ensuring the energies and efforts of the more volatile are directed towards productive ends.
There is quite a famous quote touching upon this theme by a former Prussian general, who undoubtedly had excellent opportunities for assessing the diversity of human psychology as he served as the last Chief of the Army High Command of the Weimar Republic:
I distinguish four types. There are clever, hardworking, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and hardworking; their place is the General Staff. The next ones are stupid and lazy; they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the mental clarity and strength of nerve necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is both stupid and hardworking; he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always only cause damage.
Ah, you probably meant it as four types of LW readers/commenters, but I first interpreted it as four types of artificial intelligences (replace “clever” with “aligned”) and it almost made sense (definitely the “unaligned and hardworking” is the worst kind).
Do you have any ideas for how we could direct these folks to productive ends?
Maybe some of that could be community support, whether to give support to members of our community that are psychologically vulnerable directly, or giving them a way that they can help others. I’m not sure what that would look like though.
This post was sitting at −3 karma after 5 votes when reading so I strongly upvoted because it does bring up an important point.
Namely, in ensuring the energies and efforts of the more volatile are directed towards productive ends.
There is quite a famous quote touching upon this theme by a former Prussian general, who undoubtedly had excellent opportunities for assessing the diversity of human psychology as he served as the last Chief of the Army High Command of the Weimar Republic:
Ah, you probably meant it as four types of LW readers/commenters, but I first interpreted it as four types of artificial intelligences (replace “clever” with “aligned”) and it almost made sense (definitely the “unaligned and hardworking” is the worst kind).
Do you have any ideas for how we could direct these folks to productive ends?
Maybe some of that could be community support, whether to give support to members of our community that are psychologically vulnerable directly, or giving them a way that they can help others. I’m not sure what that would look like though.