It becomes clear that the situation is much more promising than we originally thought. We both, apparently, get what we wanted.
Our Ogdoad merely resulted in us both being capable of seeing the situation from the other’s perspective. I see that you got to have your Good, you see that I get to have my Good. Boring and simple, right?
It should be. Let’s make sure that any other way can only mess things up. Our intuitions say that we ought to simply allow ourselves to enjoy our choices and not to interfere with each other. Are our intuitions correct?
Me◯⟶◯Good
↘
You◯⟶◯Better
This is the perspective if I choose to see your perspective as superior than mine. If I consider yours authoritative, then I have made your choice out to be “better” than mine. Likewise, if you choose to do the same for me, you’ll see mine as better. The only situations that could result from this are:
We fight over your choice.
We share your choice, and I drop mine.
We swap choices, such that you have mine and I have yours.
All three easily seem much worse than if we simply decided to stay with our original choices. Number 1 and 2 result in one of us having an inferior choice, and number 3 results in both of us having our inferior choice.
Apparently, neither of us have anything to gain from trying to see one another’s preferences as “superior.”
“Speaking of art” is a phrase which refers not just to discussing one’s preferences openly, but specifically doing so while assuming an air of superiority and judgementality. I.e., to be condescending to others about what they want or do not want.
A short, simple thought experiment from “Thou Shalt Not Speak of Art”:[1]
From my perspective: I chose the top one over the bottom one, because I consider it better. You, apparently, chose the one I consider worse.
Me ◯⟶◯ Good
You ◯⟶◯ Worse
From your perspective: Identical, but our positions are flipped. You becomes Me, and Me becomes You.
You ◯⟶◯ Worse
Me ◯⟶◯ Good
However, after we Ogdoad:
Me ◯⟶◯ Good
You ◯⟶◯ Good
It becomes clear that the situation is much more promising than we originally thought. We both, apparently, get what we wanted.
Our Ogdoad merely resulted in us both being capable of seeing the situation from the other’s perspective. I see that you got to have your Good, you see that I get to have my Good. Boring and simple, right?
It should be. Let’s make sure that any other way can only mess things up. Our intuitions say that we ought to simply allow ourselves to enjoy our choices and not to interfere with each other. Are our intuitions correct?
Me ◯⟶◯ Good
↘
You ◯⟶◯ Better
This is the perspective if I choose to see your perspective as superior than mine. If I consider yours authoritative, then I have made your choice out to be “better” than mine. Likewise, if you choose to do the same for me, you’ll see mine as better. The only situations that could result from this are:
We fight over your choice.
We share your choice, and I drop mine.
We swap choices, such that you have mine and I have yours.
All three easily seem much worse than if we simply decided to stay with our original choices. Number 1 and 2 result in one of us having an inferior choice, and number 3 results in both of us having our inferior choice.
Apparently, neither of us have anything to gain from trying to see one another’s preferences as “superior.”
“Speaking of art” is a phrase which refers not just to discussing one’s preferences openly, but specifically doing so while assuming an air of superiority and judgementality. I.e., to be condescending to others about what they want or do not want.