I probably should have said “norm execution” (ie follow the norm). This might just be a cultural gap, but I think norm enforcement/execution/implementation works in many ways that are not threats. For instance, there is pizza at a conference. there is a norm that you shouldn’t take all the pizza if there is a big line behind you. some people break this norm. what happens? do they get threatened? no! they just get dirty looks and people talking behind their backs. maybe they get the reputation as the “pizza taker”. In fact, nobody necessarily told them before this happened that taking all the pizza would break the norm.
I think there is a strange presumption that one is owed my and others’ maximum respect and friendship. anything less than that would be a “punishment”. that is pretty strange. if I have money in my pocket but I will only give some to you based on how many “good deeds” I have seen you do, this is not a threat. I guess that if you did not understand the motives or if the motives were actually to get a specific person to do more “good deeds” (by telling them in advance what the reward would be), you could call it a bribe. but calling it a threat is obviously incorrect.
I think norm enforcement/execution/implementation can and is in my case motivated by an aesthetic preference for “points” that are person A to give such as respect and friendship 1) not go to someone who does not deserve them (in my eyes) and instead 2) go to someone who does deserve them. It is not primarily driven by a consequentialist desire for more people to do respect-and-friendship-deserving things. It is primarily driven by a desire for the points to match reality, and thus enable greater cooperation and further good things down the line.
I realized based on a few comments that the three norms I discuss in the post were seen by some as like one giant strategy to produce more public stances from safety researchers. This is not the case. I am just talking to three different audiences and I explain a norm that I think makes sense (independently) for them.
How do you think norm enforcement works, other than by threatening people who don’t comply with the norm?
I probably should have said “norm execution” (ie follow the norm). This might just be a cultural gap, but I think norm enforcement/execution/implementation works in many ways that are not threats. For instance, there is pizza at a conference. there is a norm that you shouldn’t take all the pizza if there is a big line behind you. some people break this norm. what happens? do they get threatened? no! they just get dirty looks and people talking behind their backs. maybe they get the reputation as the “pizza taker”. In fact, nobody necessarily told them before this happened that taking all the pizza would break the norm.
I think there is a strange presumption that one is owed my and others’ maximum respect and friendship. anything less than that would be a “punishment”. that is pretty strange. if I have money in my pocket but I will only give some to you based on how many “good deeds” I have seen you do, this is not a threat. I guess that if you did not understand the motives or if the motives were actually to get a specific person to do more “good deeds” (by telling them in advance what the reward would be), you could call it a bribe. but calling it a threat is obviously incorrect.
I think norm enforcement/execution/implementation can and is in my case motivated by an aesthetic preference for “points” that are person A to give such as respect and friendship 1) not go to someone who does not deserve them (in my eyes) and instead 2) go to someone who does deserve them. It is not primarily driven by a consequentialist desire for more people to do respect-and-friendship-deserving things. It is primarily driven by a desire for the points to match reality, and thus enable greater cooperation and further good things down the line.
I realized based on a few comments that the three norms I discuss in the post were seen by some as like one giant strategy to produce more public stances from safety researchers. This is not the case. I am just talking to three different audiences and I explain a norm that I think makes sense (independently) for them.