There is no level ceiling in being a rationalist afaik. It’s often clear after a few meaningful interactions, you can gauge how much of a rationalist that the other person wants to be. Why and when do people feel like it’s a waste of their time talking to someone? For instance, I’ve interacted with a couple of homeless people in which most people wouldn’t even bother spending any time interacting with them because of their assumptions based on circumstances. I interacted with them despite knowing some of them aren’t really interested in having productive conversations, they just want to chitchat and pass time. I also enjoy chitchat and pass time with them when I was spending my time with them. For me, the main thing is curiosity on their circumstances. There would be so much to learn from the individuals about their circumstances just talking to them. Of course, there aren’t any statistical significance in these takeaways, but it allows you to gauge certain stereotypes that you have been exposed to but never actually confirmed through your own personal experiences.
It was not a waste of my time because I had so much to learn from those conversations. On the other hand, I went to raves and parties to learn similar things. I’ve spent more time and years dealing with that crowd than the homeless, and after awhile I feel like I’ve learned enough. Now I’ve stopped engaging with that community because I feel like it’s a waste of my time since I no longer find any enjoyment or fascination through such interactions.
There is no level ceiling in being a rationalist afaik. It’s often clear after a few meaningful interactions, you can gauge how much of a rationalist that the other person wants to be. Why and when do people feel like it’s a waste of their time talking to someone? For instance, I’ve interacted with a couple of homeless people in which most people wouldn’t even bother spending any time interacting with them because of their assumptions based on circumstances. I interacted with them despite knowing some of them aren’t really interested in having productive conversations, they just want to chitchat and pass time. I also enjoy chitchat and pass time with them when I was spending my time with them. For me, the main thing is curiosity on their circumstances. There would be so much to learn from the individuals about their circumstances just talking to them. Of course, there aren’t any statistical significance in these takeaways, but it allows you to gauge certain stereotypes that you have been exposed to but never actually confirmed through your own personal experiences.
It was not a waste of my time because I had so much to learn from those conversations. On the other hand, I went to raves and parties to learn similar things. I’ve spent more time and years dealing with that crowd than the homeless, and after awhile I feel like I’ve learned enough. Now I’ve stopped engaging with that community because I feel like it’s a waste of my time since I no longer find any enjoyment or fascination through such interactions.