Yup, even a business shirt and tie. But I think the point is that it’s the consistency which creates the vulnerability. Suppose we took the look of anyone in our organization, including say Lukeprog, and duplicated it on all the members...
Yet Mormon missionaries act on the official behalf of an organization that cares very much about being perceived as beneficent and wholesome; if they didn’t have a dress code someone in their employ would offend someone and there would be kerfluffle about it. Albeit perhaps this portion of the purpose could be served by a less narrow dress code.
Eliezer uses the word ‘vulnerability’. I think this is close to what they are trying to signal, which is ‘harmless’. It is a good strategy to have a very disciplined dress code, and build a brand as having a ‘dorky’, squeaky-clean manner, so that people feel comfortable allowing the missionaries in their home. In my home town anyway, they went door to door and I had no qualms about inviting them in, knowing that any odd behavior would be newsworthy, and quickly become widely known, exactly because the branding is so strong.
I’m not sure that we should adopt any kind of dress code at all, other than not offending the fashion sense of others inadvertently. Perhaps something small, like a sigil that people could wear as jewelry would be sufficient?
Branding ourselves should only be done after we become an effective group, and one that is admired. We want to be known as ‘those sensible people that get things done’, not ‘that group of nerds that talks way too much about how my thinking sucks’. Eventually we’d like everyone to aspire to rationality, not just the people that test over some arbitrary IQ score.
I’m pretty sure people would make fun of any consistent look adopted by Mormon missionaries.
Yup, even a business shirt and tie. But I think the point is that it’s the consistency which creates the vulnerability. Suppose we took the look of anyone in our organization, including say Lukeprog, and duplicated it on all the members...
Yet Mormon missionaries act on the official behalf of an organization that cares very much about being perceived as beneficent and wholesome; if they didn’t have a dress code someone in their employ would offend someone and there would be kerfluffle about it. Albeit perhaps this portion of the purpose could be served by a less narrow dress code.
Eliezer uses the word ‘vulnerability’. I think this is close to what they are trying to signal, which is ‘harmless’. It is a good strategy to have a very disciplined dress code, and build a brand as having a ‘dorky’, squeaky-clean manner, so that people feel comfortable allowing the missionaries in their home. In my home town anyway, they went door to door and I had no qualms about inviting them in, knowing that any odd behavior would be newsworthy, and quickly become widely known, exactly because the branding is so strong.
I’m not sure that we should adopt any kind of dress code at all, other than not offending the fashion sense of others inadvertently. Perhaps something small, like a sigil that people could wear as jewelry would be sufficient?
Branding ourselves should only be done after we become an effective group, and one that is admired. We want to be known as ‘those sensible people that get things done’, not ‘that group of nerds that talks way too much about how my thinking sucks’. Eventually we’d like everyone to aspire to rationality, not just the people that test over some arbitrary IQ score.
Edit—please disregard this post
It does probably help make them Those Silly Outgroup People, yes.