Not every child needs to stare Nature in the eyes. Buckling a seatbelt, or writing a check, is not that complicated or deadly. I don’t say that every rationalist should meditate on neutrality. I don’t say that every rationalist should think all these unpleasant thoughts. But anyone who plans on confronting an uncalibrated challenge of instant death, must not avoid them.
Granted. Now, where are the useful, calibrated challenges? I am like a school-age child in my rationality; I can read and understand this passage about neutrality and think about it for a moment, but I cannot yet hold it in my mind as I go out into the world to do work. But I want to do work, and I want it to be useful. Is there anything I can do short of disconnecting from society and meditating on rationality until neutrality seems intuitive?
Granted. Now, where are the useful, calibrated challenges? I am like a school-age child in my rationality; I can read and understand this passage about neutrality and think about it for a moment, but I cannot yet hold it in my mind as I go out into the world to do work. But I want to do work, and I want it to be useful. Is there anything I can do short of disconnecting from society and meditating on rationality until neutrality seems intuitive?