I think that to the extent we have a conflict between “pro-PUA” and “anti-PUA” camps on LW, most of the conflict consists simply in deciding whether to cheer “yay PUA” or “boo PUA”, and, relatedly, what specific memes to treat as central to the PUA memeplex. I suspect that if people were asked to endorse or repudiate specific pieces of concrete social advice, there’d be a lot less disagreement than there is over “yay PUA” or “boo PUA”.
“What specific memes to treat as central” is very important part. I would say this is the part where many memetic wars are won or lost.
If you allow pro-X people to design the official definition of X, every time you use the definition you automatically provide applause lights to X. If you allow anti-X people to design the official definition of X, every time you use the definition you automacally provide boo lights to X.
A typical pro-X definition of X is something like: “X is a movement of people who want happiness and cookies for everyone”. Far-mode applause lights; omitting the controversial details.
A typical anti-X definition of X is something like: “X is a movement containing evil low-status people (here are some extreme examples)”.
For any group consisting of humans, you can create both definitions, and then pro-X and anti-X people will disagree on which definition is the correct one. The group more successful in popularizing their message has essentially already won.
I’d love to see Yvain’s blog post you linked turned into a top-level LW post. I found it more elucidating that the Worst Argument in the World post, say.
I think that to the extent we have a conflict between “pro-PUA” and “anti-PUA” camps on LW, most of the conflict consists simply in deciding whether to cheer “yay PUA” or “boo PUA”, and, relatedly, what specific memes to treat as central to the PUA memeplex. I suspect that if people were asked to endorse or repudiate specific pieces of concrete social advice, there’d be a lot less disagreement than there is over “yay PUA” or “boo PUA”.
“What specific memes to treat as central” is very important part. I would say this is the part where many memetic wars are won or lost.
If you allow pro-X people to design the official definition of X, every time you use the definition you automatically provide applause lights to X. If you allow anti-X people to design the official definition of X, every time you use the definition you automacally provide boo lights to X.
A typical pro-X definition of X is something like: “X is a movement of people who want happiness and cookies for everyone”. Far-mode applause lights; omitting the controversial details.
A typical anti-X definition of X is something like: “X is a movement containing evil low-status people (here are some extreme examples)”.
For any group consisting of humans, you can create both definitions, and then pro-X and anti-X people will disagree on which definition is the correct one. The group more successful in popularizing their message has essentially already won.
I’d love to see Yvain’s blog post you linked turned into a top-level LW post. I found it more elucidating that the Worst Argument in the World post, say.