This suggests that instead of trying to influence the behaviors of low-IQ folks, we’re better off trying to influence the behavior of folks whose IQs are slightly lower than ours, then, having influenced them successfully, aim for a slightly lower IQ, etc. Figure that the dumber you are, the greater the degree to which you have learned to distrust your own bad reasoning and “go with the herd”. So to get to the low-IQ folks, create a wave throughout the population starting with the high-IQ folks.
(Actually a more straightforward implication of this might be to work harder saturating the high-IQ echelons with LW ideas, since they still haven’t been saturated, then start working on lower-IQ folks.)
This suggests that instead of trying to influence the behaviors of low-IQ folks, we’re better off trying to influence the behavior of folks whose IQs are slightly lower than ours, then, having influenced them successfully, aim for a slightly lower IQ, etc. Figure that the dumber you are, the greater the degree to which you have learned to distrust your own bad reasoning and “go with the herd”. So to get to the low-IQ folks, create a wave throughout the population starting with the high-IQ folks.
(Actually a more straightforward implication of this might be to work harder saturating the high-IQ echelons with LW ideas, since they still haven’t been saturated, then start working on lower-IQ folks.)