Information gaps that harm people are not to be less hated for being commonplace. However it does imply is that the person isn’t as likely to be the problem. And I can see how the reaction of condescension towards the person might be less likely to result in productive reforms than another reaction.
But if not condescension, then what? How can this gaping hole in the knowledge of most of humankind be filled? Heck, how do we get people to even realize it exists? What is the more appropriate emotion to level at a world that, by and large, just doesn’t get it?
Try to educate/interest them? Project “Hey, this is fascinating, and a really cool idea” Talk about things like animals that can do similar for themselves, and how awesome it would be if we could copy them.
Condescension projects “If you agree that this is actually important then you are low status, and I am high status. You can then regain your status by studying up on all the technical details.” IOW: Condescension has nothing whatsoever with wanting to help them, or feeling bad for them. It’s all about how you’re better than them.
The thought you want to elicit in your listeners is not “I’m an idiot”; that won’t work anyway. The thought you want to elicit is “Wow, they can actually do that?”
Only once someone has concluded that it’s possible is it worth arguing that it’s important.
Information gaps that harm people are not to be less hated for being commonplace. However it does imply is that the person isn’t as likely to be the problem. And I can see how the reaction of condescension towards the person might be less likely to result in productive reforms than another reaction.
But if not condescension, then what? How can this gaping hole in the knowledge of most of humankind be filled? Heck, how do we get people to even realize it exists? What is the more appropriate emotion to level at a world that, by and large, just doesn’t get it?
Try to educate/interest them? Project “Hey, this is fascinating, and a really cool idea” Talk about things like animals that can do similar for themselves, and how awesome it would be if we could copy them.
Condescension projects “If you agree that this is actually important then you are low status, and I am high status. You can then regain your status by studying up on all the technical details.” IOW: Condescension has nothing whatsoever with wanting to help them, or feeling bad for them. It’s all about how you’re better than them.
The thought you want to elicit in your listeners is not “I’m an idiot”; that won’t work anyway. The thought you want to elicit is “Wow, they can actually do that?”
Only once someone has concluded that it’s possible is it worth arguing that it’s important.