I adore many individual humans, and considering even complete strangers one at a time, I can offer the benefit of the doubt to a considerable degree. I abhor us as a species, and when large groups of humans do stupid or evil things, my benefit-of-doubt mechanisms stop working and I fall back on “we suck”.
There’s no question that Eliezer wants humans to change. But he wants them to change in accordance with a coherent extrapolation of their values as they are now.
I’m still so baffled by this post.
Eliezer, do you like human beings? As they are, or do you want to change them?
Please: recognize the motive in asking this question, and give me a square answer.
http://books.google.com/books?id=MK0-GY5Ak7MC&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=%22sock+full+of%22+%22ozy+and+millie%22&source=bl&ots=f0DznsbBEK&sig=oXYyvFEDclrOajLIz7kdKI6oC0k&hl=en&ei=GGNaS-exFISksgPps6zMBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Second comic from the top.
Backup link: http://dergeis.livejournal.com/319819.html
Original link: http://www.ozyandmillie.org/d/20030324.html
I’m rather the opposite. My feelings can best be summed up by a Pirates of Penzance quote rather than a webcomic:
Or Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins: “Though we adore men individually, we agree that as a group they’re rather stupid.”
What does that mean in practical terms?
I adore many individual humans, and considering even complete strangers one at a time, I can offer the benefit of the doubt to a considerable degree. I abhor us as a species, and when large groups of humans do stupid or evil things, my benefit-of-doubt mechanisms stop working and I fall back on “we suck”.
“A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it.”—Agent K, Men in Black
(In other words: “I love humanity. It’s people I can’t stand.”—Linus van Pelt)?
There’s no question that Eliezer wants humans to change. But he wants them to change in accordance with a coherent extrapolation of their values as they are now.