What I wish for is a conscious and intentional decision regarding what kind of ‘temperature’ one wants LW to have, and then strive to achieve that temperature.
This may be possible via a private club type membership system, where there’s a capped number of possible members, along with some kind of vetting process. Though I doubt the actual practical effects would be net positive, at least for a public forum.
This may be possible via a private club type membership system, where there’s a capped number of possible members, along with some kind of vetting process. Though I doubt the actual practical effects would be net positive, at least for a public forum.
If ‘public forum’ is the right temperature for LW, it is not in opposition to my point. My argument is to make purpose, sub-goals and potential ‘vetting’ streamlined, in order to clarify success-metrics and also have a uniform direction, instead of a lot of unwritten and unconscious ideas forming the future LW. For users to be part of and to directly contribute to a clear goal, and not just serve some vague idea of something, and for this goal to also serve the users joining that specific goal.
One issue with having a vague and broad goal, is that the goal would fit a long list of different iterations. With as broad a goal as it is now, the iteration Private club type with membership or anyone is welcome, isn’t mutually excluded. But which of the iterations are LW specifically encouraging and supporting? What is the identity of LW?
LessWrong is a community dedicated to improving our reasoning and decision-making. We seek to hold true beliefs and to be effective at accomplishing our goals. More generally, we want to develop and practice the art of human rationality.
To that end, LessWrong is a place to 1) develop and train rationality, and 2) apply one’s rationality to real-world problems.
The needs of beginners, amateurs, intermediates, experts and masters are very specific when it comes to what constituents a useful and nurturing environment to ‘develop and train rationality’. There might be some slight overlaps, for various reasons, but to “be effective at accomplishing our goals”, there must be specific goals that need accomplishing. And the environment that enables one group to thrive, might be the opposite of what the other needs, and ignoring that is detrimental to both.
Meaning that LW might be ‘the best place’, but it isn’t the best place because it is giving everyone on the different levels the unique environments they need to thrive, it only means that it is ‘the best place’ when compared to what is available. When people have left LW, I imagine them having recognized this, that even though it doesn’t specify it explicitly, implicitly the needs of specific groups are ignored or not acknowledged. And when a site opens to a lot of new members, without specific selection, at some point there will be a very significant balance shift in one or two directions, creating dynamics and shifts in balance, even without any explicit changes in direction or form.
I am arguing for a clear metric for measuring success, so that it is actually even possible to improve effectiveness in accomplishing goals. As it stands now, the goal of LessWrong is so vague, it is ruining functional reasoning and decision-making, simply through its lack of clarity and specifications.
This may be possible via a private club type membership system, where there’s a capped number of possible members, along with some kind of vetting process. Though I doubt the actual practical effects would be net positive, at least for a public forum.
If ‘public forum’ is the right temperature for LW, it is not in opposition to my point. My argument is to make purpose, sub-goals and potential ‘vetting’ streamlined, in order to clarify success-metrics and also have a uniform direction, instead of a lot of unwritten and unconscious ideas forming the future LW. For users to be part of and to directly contribute to a clear goal, and not just serve some vague idea of something, and for this goal to also serve the users joining that specific goal.
One issue with having a vague and broad goal, is that the goal would fit a long list of different iterations. With as broad a goal as it is now, the iteration Private club type with membership or anyone is welcome, isn’t mutually excluded. But which of the iterations are LW specifically encouraging and supporting? What is the identity of LW?
The needs of beginners, amateurs, intermediates, experts and masters are very specific when it comes to what constituents a useful and nurturing environment to ‘develop and train rationality’. There might be some slight overlaps, for various reasons, but to “be effective at accomplishing our goals”, there must be specific goals that need accomplishing. And the environment that enables one group to thrive, might be the opposite of what the other needs, and ignoring that is detrimental to both.
Meaning that LW might be ‘the best place’, but it isn’t the best place because it is giving everyone on the different levels the unique environments they need to thrive, it only means that it is ‘the best place’ when compared to what is available.
When people have left LW, I imagine them having recognized this, that even though it doesn’t specify it explicitly, implicitly the needs of specific groups are ignored or not acknowledged. And when a site opens to a lot of new members, without specific selection, at some point there will be a very significant balance shift in one or two directions, creating dynamics and shifts in balance, even without any explicit changes in direction or form.
I am arguing for a clear metric for measuring success, so that it is actually even possible to improve effectiveness in accomplishing goals. As it stands now, the goal of LessWrong is so vague, it is ruining functional reasoning and decision-making, simply through its lack of clarity and specifications.
Kindly, but firmly,
Caerulea-Lawrence