I wonder whether everyone would be better off if they automatically reversed any tempting advice that they heard (except feedback directed at them personally). Whenever they read an inspirational figure saying “take more risks”, they interpret it as “I seem to be looking for advice telling me to take more risks; that fact itself means I am probably risk-seeking and need to be more careful”. Whenever they read someone telling them about the obesity crisis, they interpret it as “I seem to be in a very health-conscious community; maybe I should worry about my weight less.”
Of course, some comments noted that this meta-advice is also advice that you should consider reversing—if you’re on LessWrong, you’re already in a community that’s committed to testing ideas, perhaps to an extreme degree.
For myself, when it comes to advice, I usually try to inform rather than to persuade. That is, I present the range of opinions that I consider reasonable, and let people make their own decisions. Sometimes I’ll explain my own approach, but for most issues I just hope to help people understand a broader range of perspectives.
This does occasionally backfire—some people are already committed strongly to one side, and a summary of the opposite perspective that sounds reasonable to me sounds absurd to them. In some cases, I’ve trapped myself into defending one side, trying to make it sound more reasonable, while I actually believe the exact opposite. And that tends to be more confusing than helpful.
But as long as I stick to following this strategy only with friends that are already curious and thoughtful people, it generally works pretty well.
(And did you catch how I followed this strategy in this comment itself?)
Scott Alexander wrote a post related to this several years ago: Should You Reverse Any Advice You Hear? | Slate Star Codex
Of course, some comments noted that this meta-advice is also advice that you should consider reversing—if you’re on LessWrong, you’re already in a community that’s committed to testing ideas, perhaps to an extreme degree.
For myself, when it comes to advice, I usually try to inform rather than to persuade. That is, I present the range of opinions that I consider reasonable, and let people make their own decisions. Sometimes I’ll explain my own approach, but for most issues I just hope to help people understand a broader range of perspectives.
This does occasionally backfire—some people are already committed strongly to one side, and a summary of the opposite perspective that sounds reasonable to me sounds absurd to them. In some cases, I’ve trapped myself into defending one side, trying to make it sound more reasonable, while I actually believe the exact opposite. And that tends to be more confusing than helpful.
But as long as I stick to following this strategy only with friends that are already curious and thoughtful people, it generally works pretty well.
(And did you catch how I followed this strategy in this comment itself?)