The discussions about signalling reminded me of something in “A Guide To The Good Life” (a book about stoicism by William Irvine). I remembered a philospher who wore shabby clothes, but when I went looking for the quote, what I found was: “Cato consciously did things to trigger the disdain of other people simply so he could practice ignoring their disdain.” In stoicism, the utility which is to be maximized is a personal serenity which flows from your secure knowledge that you are spending your life pursuing something genuinely valuable.
The discussions about signalling reminded me of something in “A Guide To The Good Life” (a book about stoicism by William Irvine). I remembered a philospher who wore shabby clothes, but when I went looking for the quote, what I found was: “Cato consciously did things to trigger the disdain of other people simply so he could practice ignoring their disdain.” In stoicism, the utility which is to be maximized is a personal serenity which flows from your secure knowledge that you are spending your life pursuing something genuinely valuable.