Meta note: Instead of saying “as rationalists, we can do X better”, could we just say “we can do X better”? I think in general if you want an idea to spread it’s good to require as few prerequisites as possible, and I don’t see how any of the LW cluster of ideas is a prerequisite for telling people that you’re comfortable with them displaying affection towards you.
I find it helpful for certain things to remind myself that I am a rationalist.
Keep your identity small. “Being a rationalist” is not a reason to draw any conclusion or make any decision. You just draw the conclusions that are right, because they are right, and make decisions that are good, because they are good, not because “you are a rationalist”.
If therefore “being a rationalist” isn’t playing any epistemic or decision making role, it should be abandoned as a meaningless label.
I’ll try to turn my “I am a rationalist, I can do X.” idiom into “I can do X”.
If it doesn’t work, it will be because saying “I am a rationalist” first primes all the rationality memes (decision theoretic courage, do what wins, etc).
Meta note: Instead of saying “as rationalists, we can do X better”, could we just say “we can do X better”? I think in general if you want an idea to spread it’s good to require as few prerequisites as possible, and I don’t see how any of the LW cluster of ideas is a prerequisite for telling people that you’re comfortable with them displaying affection towards you.
I understand. You are generally right. I find it helpful for certain things to remind myself that I am a rationalist.
Keep your identity small. “Being a rationalist” is not a reason to draw any conclusion or make any decision. You just draw the conclusions that are right, because they are right, and make decisions that are good, because they are good, not because “you are a rationalist”.
If therefore “being a rationalist” isn’t playing any epistemic or decision making role, it should be abandoned as a meaningless label.
Identity sucks; agree.
I’ll try to turn my “I am a rationalist, I can do X.” idiom into “I can do X”.
If it doesn’t work, it will be because saying “I am a rationalist” first primes all the rationality memes (decision theoretic courage, do what wins, etc).