It may be superior for the individual, but it is often worse for the group’s ability to coordinate and get stuff done.
This may be a crux for our disagreement. I deny that the group has any moral weight, except as a sum of individual experiences. If it helps the individuals to find groups that fit better so they can coordinate better, that’s good.
Now you can certainly argue that some leavers are making a tactical mistake, and they would be better off staying. I don’t disagree, but I want to acknowledge that the opposite error also happens (staying when one should splinter), and it’s extremely idiosyncratic which one to weigh most heavily in any situation.
I deny that the group has any moral weight, except as a sum of individual experiences. If it helps the individuals to find groups that fit better so they can coordinate better, that’s good.
What about as a coordination mechanism that can make things better for individuals in the long term?
What about as a coordination mechanism that can make things better for individuals in the long term?
I think that falls under the “made a mistake” heading. The individuals are incorrect in thinking they’re better off with a different set of groups and coordination mechanisms.
I do think that sometimes people stay in things that they should split off from. However, I’ve noticed that locally there seems to be a lot of praise for the “archipelago” and the like, and also that the community seems to have been seriously damaged by splintering too much and losing its unity and sense of shared progress. I think these things are connected and that at least around here, people should be more wary about splitting off than they are by default.
This may be a crux for our disagreement. I deny that the group has any moral weight, except as a sum of individual experiences. If it helps the individuals to find groups that fit better so they can coordinate better, that’s good.
Now you can certainly argue that some leavers are making a tactical mistake, and they would be better off staying. I don’t disagree, but I want to acknowledge that the opposite error also happens (staying when one should splinter), and it’s extremely idiosyncratic which one to weigh most heavily in any situation.
What about as a coordination mechanism that can make things better for individuals in the long term?
I think that falls under the “made a mistake” heading. The individuals are incorrect in thinking they’re better off with a different set of groups and coordination mechanisms.
I do think that sometimes people stay in things that they should split off from. However, I’ve noticed that locally there seems to be a lot of praise for the “archipelago” and the like, and also that the community seems to have been seriously damaged by splintering too much and losing its unity and sense of shared progress. I think these things are connected and that at least around here, people should be more wary about splitting off than they are by default.