I don’t mean to say that causing suffering is an intended part of the course, just to state why I think learning to withstand pain is more important to becoming a formidable rationalist than it sounds like you do.
I agree with you that it is very important and a very valuable skill. What I was trying to get across is that the suffering faced by a solider and a rationalist are different kinds of suffering, and the same strategies may not be effective. Does the ability to continue pumping iron, despite your screaming muscles, translate into the ability to speak in public, despite your screaming brain?
Does the ability to continue pumping iron, despite your screaming muscles, translate into the ability to speak in public, despite your screaming brain?
Interesting. I haven’t had any fear of public speaking, and so I don’t know what it’s like to overcome it (while I do have difficulty motivating myself to continue exercising). Are there other mental fears / obstacles that seem like good examples?
I guess ‘noticing a bias’ might be an entirely orthogonal skill, but I’m not sure if that’s applicable.
Mind you I wouldn’t call pumping iron despite your screaming muscles a particularly efficient way to improve your ability to speak in public despite your screaming brain. But it certainly helps. Some relevant mediating factors:
Improved willpower and self control.
Decreased salience of psychological distress—you can feel the discomfort without it needing to control or define you.
Increased testosterone levels promote social risk-taking.
Physical conditioning increases self esteem—your perception of your own status. The instinct to not draw public attention—and not place yourself above your station—is intrinsically linked to your relative status levels.
Exercise changes posture. Even things as simple as standing differently change how difficult public speaking is!
I agree with you that it is very important and a very valuable skill. What I was trying to get across is that the suffering faced by a solider and a rationalist are different kinds of suffering, and the same strategies may not be effective. Does the ability to continue pumping iron, despite your screaming muscles, translate into the ability to speak in public, despite your screaming brain?
Thanks!
Yes.
Interesting. I haven’t had any fear of public speaking, and so I don’t know what it’s like to overcome it (while I do have difficulty motivating myself to continue exercising). Are there other mental fears / obstacles that seem like good examples?
I guess ‘noticing a bias’ might be an entirely orthogonal skill, but I’m not sure if that’s applicable.
Mind you I wouldn’t call pumping iron despite your screaming muscles a particularly efficient way to improve your ability to speak in public despite your screaming brain. But it certainly helps. Some relevant mediating factors:
Improved willpower and self control.
Decreased salience of psychological distress—you can feel the discomfort without it needing to control or define you.
Increased testosterone levels promote social risk-taking.
Physical conditioning increases self esteem—your perception of your own status. The instinct to not draw public attention—and not place yourself above your station—is intrinsically linked to your relative status levels.
Exercise changes posture. Even things as simple as standing differently change how difficult public speaking is!