I don’t think it’s necessary for ‘rationality’ to be used an applause light for this to happen. The only things needed, in my mind, are:
A group of people who adopt rationality and are instrumentally rationalist become very successful, wealthy and powerful because of it.
This groups makes up an increasing share of the wealthy and powerful, because they are better at becoming wealthy and powerful than the old elite.
The remaining people who aren’t as wealthy or successful or powerful, who haven’t adopted rationality, make observations about what the successful group does and associates whatever they do / say as the tribal characteristics and culture of the successful group. The fact that they haven’t adopted rationality makes them more likely to do this.
And because the final bullet point is always what occurs throughout history, the only difference—and really the only thing necessary for this to happen—is that rationalists make up a greater share of the elite over time.
I don’t think it’s necessary for ‘rationality’ to be used an applause light for this to happen. The only things needed, in my mind, are:
A group of people who adopt rationality and are instrumentally rationalist become very successful, wealthy and powerful because of it.
This groups makes up an increasing share of the wealthy and powerful, because they are better at becoming wealthy and powerful than the old elite.
The remaining people who aren’t as wealthy or successful or powerful, who haven’t adopted rationality, make observations about what the successful group does and associates whatever they do / say as the tribal characteristics and culture of the successful group. The fact that they haven’t adopted rationality makes them more likely to do this.
And because the final bullet point is always what occurs throughout history, the only difference—and really the only thing necessary for this to happen—is that rationalists make up a greater share of the elite over time.