I think your expectations about human nature were unusual, though typical for a nerd. They’re probably what everyone verbalizes, but you’re a nerd who is dominated by words, rather than paying attention to (and imitating) how people actually act. I think the answer to Psychohistorian’s question about where you got your standards is from other people, who described them in the language of Normal people, while you spoke only Nerd.
Also, your complaints are all phrased in terms of other people, not self-knowledge. It is compatible with your claims that you live up to your standards and other people just don’t hold them. In particular, you complain that you’re not important because people don’t act. But if most people don’t act, there’s little competition to be important! That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it means that it’s difficult in ways that are different than you thought before, and you have the advantage of knowing this.
Probably you don’t live up to your standards, but pay attention and check what you actually do. Don’t take ev psych’s word for it, since (I claim) you got in this mess by paying too much attention to words.
They’re probably what everyone verbalizes, but you’re a nerd who is dominated by words, rather than paying attention to (and imitating) how people actually act. I think the answer to Psychohistorian’s question about where you got your standards is from other people, who described them in the language of Normal people, while you spoke only Nerd.
So basically, the solution to the problem of being depressed because I now have too much knowledge about my own, and others’ flaws is to get one more piece of knowledge: nobody else really believes in these standards, and furthermore are are continually emitting Genuine BullShit (tm) when they speak about standards—i.e. they compartmentalize—abstract ethics goes in one compartment, actual criteria for taking actions go in another.
So basically, the solution to the problem of being depressed because I now have too much knowledge
Maybe my comment mislead because of the context. I didn’t say it was a solution. Mainly, I meant to unbundle “what” from “why.” I think it is what people do that bothers you. For people who are already disappointed by “what,” learning “why” might be a positive experience.
I didn’t say that self-knowledge makes you happy, though I agree with Kaj Sotala. And self-knowledge is necessary for self-improvement, for you produce your own happiness.
Mainly, I meant to unbundle “what” from “why.” I think it is what people do that bothers you. For people who are already disappointed by “what,” learning “why” might be a positive experience.
I think that people who do not know about human cognitive biases tend to hold lots of false beliefs on the “what” side, for example by employing various pieces of dark side epistemology to protect certain cherished false beliefs about human nature.
And self-knowledge is necessary for self-improvement, for you produce your own happiness.
yes but self-knowledge is not necessary for happiness—let us be clear, you might never get as much happiness back through effort as you lost through debiasing. Not that that bothers me, because I value truth very highly, but it would bother some people.
I think your expectations about human nature were unusual, though typical for a nerd. They’re probably what everyone verbalizes, but you’re a nerd who is dominated by words, rather than paying attention to (and imitating) how people actually act. I think the answer to Psychohistorian’s question about where you got your standards is from other people, who described them in the language of Normal people, while you spoke only Nerd.
Also, your complaints are all phrased in terms of other people, not self-knowledge. It is compatible with your claims that you live up to your standards and other people just don’t hold them. In particular, you complain that you’re not important because people don’t act. But if most people don’t act, there’s little competition to be important! That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it means that it’s difficult in ways that are different than you thought before, and you have the advantage of knowing this.
Probably you don’t live up to your standards, but pay attention and check what you actually do. Don’t take ev psych’s word for it, since (I claim) you got in this mess by paying too much attention to words.
So basically, the solution to the problem of being depressed because I now have too much knowledge about my own, and others’ flaws is to get one more piece of knowledge: nobody else really believes in these standards, and furthermore are are continually emitting Genuine BullShit (tm) when they speak about standards—i.e. they compartmentalize—abstract ethics goes in one compartment, actual criteria for taking actions go in another.
Maybe my comment mislead because of the context. I didn’t say it was a solution. Mainly, I meant to unbundle “what” from “why.” I think it is what people do that bothers you. For people who are already disappointed by “what,” learning “why” might be a positive experience.
I didn’t say that self-knowledge makes you happy, though I agree with Kaj Sotala. And self-knowledge is necessary for self-improvement, for you produce your own happiness.
I think that people who do not know about human cognitive biases tend to hold lots of false beliefs on the “what” side, for example by employing various pieces of dark side epistemology to protect certain cherished false beliefs about human nature.
yes but self-knowledge is not necessary for happiness—let us be clear, you might never get as much happiness back through effort as you lost through debiasing. Not that that bothers me, because I value truth very highly, but it would bother some people.