I wish the levels were ever all that clear in any real-world interaction. It’s always a mix, and usually confounded by signaling (of virtue and capabilities) UNRELATED to the nominal topic of communication—people trying to win points or show their sophistication in how they think.
Trying to win points sounds like level 2, and showing sophistication sounds like level 3 or 4.
(Level 3 would be: “This is a model of reality that educated people seem to use. I will learn this model and use it in all discussions. I am not really interested in checking whether the map fits the territory.” Level 4 would be: “This is the response that an educated person would give at this point. I have no idea and I do not care whether there is an underlying model. Followup questions will be handled the same way, or evaded.”)
That said, the descriptions “trying to win points” and “showing sophistication” convey the idea more easily than trying to fit it into the simulacra framework.
I wish the levels were ever all that clear in any real-world interaction. It’s always a mix, and usually confounded by signaling (of virtue and capabilities) UNRELATED to the nominal topic of communication—people trying to win points or show their sophistication in how they think.
Trying to win points sounds like level 2, and showing sophistication sounds like level 3 or 4.
(Level 3 would be: “This is a model of reality that educated people seem to use. I will learn this model and use it in all discussions. I am not really interested in checking whether the map fits the territory.” Level 4 would be: “This is the response that an educated person would give at this point. I have no idea and I do not care whether there is an underlying model. Followup questions will be handled the same way, or evaded.”)
That said, the descriptions “trying to win points” and “showing sophistication” convey the idea more easily than trying to fit it into the simulacra framework.