Seeing dementia up-close has prompted some reflection. I see a person with several deficits, the most striking is that they’re unable to perceive salience (what does this mean to me?). No perception is unimportant, everything is relevant. This makes them vulnerable to the modern internet, where websites are ad-funded thus attention-optimised. Unable to see something and think
“why am I being shown this? should I pay attention to it? hmm, no, not important”
One’s ability to perceive [what’s being said] alongside [intent behind the action of saying] helps us communicate more effectively with salience-perceptive people.
People less salience-perceptive are both harder to communicate with, and more vulnerable to manipulation.
Working memory deficit (symptom of ADHD) is similar and maybe sufficient. But this isn’t necessary: I’ve seen reduced/differently calibrated salience sense in autistic people as well.
Seeing dementia up-close has prompted some reflection. I see a person with several deficits, the most striking is that they’re unable to perceive salience (what does this mean to me?). No perception is unimportant, everything is relevant. This makes them vulnerable to the modern internet, where websites are ad-funded thus attention-optimised. Unable to see something and think
“why am I being shown this? should I pay attention to it? hmm, no, not important”
One’s ability to perceive [what’s being said] alongside [intent behind the action of saying] helps us communicate more effectively with salience-perceptive people.
People less salience-perceptive are both harder to communicate with, and more vulnerable to manipulation.
Is this a well-represented trait in LW?
Random thoughts:
Is this like (a stronger version of) ADHD?
I wonder what % of ad sales actually goes to people like this.
Working memory deficit (symptom of ADHD) is similar and maybe sufficient. But this isn’t necessary: I’ve seen reduced/differently calibrated salience sense in autistic people as well.