I don’t like how people are talking about Gleb here where everybody involved knows that he reads it without much respect for that. I understand that it is necessary for this community to solve this out and in a way this community is good that using reflection and neutral point of view but still I’m not too happy how it is done. I’d wish somebody would say:
Hi Gleb, if you are reading this, I’m sorry that we didn’t find a better way. We really want to solve this in a way that is OK for you and us.
As for the tension that Gleb brings (and actually some other newbies, including me too): I think this is a natural process for a community that is developing after some initial hype. People taking the seed elsewhere; the origin not having the same close-knit focus anymore. I’m OK with this and I think adjusting to it and making the best out of it is better than fighting (which has its own questionable trade-offs). So Gleb is just one example. I have seen this very process in the c2 forum almost exactly the same way (there I also arrived after the hype; c2 is defunct now; make of it what you want...).
I like Gleb’s intention and I partly recognize myself. How do you expect somebody with such a skill-set to act and learn? I also tried things. I mean there is a whole CFAR topic about it: CoZE. I hope nobody expects that CoZE always comes with pleasant socially adequate and successful results. I did quite some blunders not that different what some people here feel uncomfortable with tried by Gleb. But he does. And he learns and adjusts. Fast. Maybe too fast because that creates incomplete adjustments that probably add to the uneasy impression he makes. But who knows how non-LW people in his circle perceive him? Who knows what feedback he gets or doesn’t get?
I welcome Gleb and I hope he continues to improve because I see lots of potential. Maybe more impact than many other people here. Make the best out of it.
Gunnar, I read it like you see some similarities between you and Gleb, but from by point of view, you two are quite unsimilar. You often write about the topic you feel most experienced (parenting), your advice seems good, and you fit the local culture well (after the few initial blunders). Gleb’s writings seem very cargo-cultish, he constantly does weird things, and his employees posting here only make it more weird.
Essentially, your posts are valued for their content, while I am afraid that Gleb is merely tolerated here because we still hope that maybe his activities outside of LW will be useful somehow.
What would make me improve my opinion on Gleb?
a) If someone coming here from Intentional Insights would actually fit in our culture and post useful stuff. Then I would say: “Okay, Gleb’s personal style rubs me the wrong way, but now I see that’s only a superficial thing and he actually helps to spread the kind of rationality we value here. There are many paths to the same goal.”
b) If Gleb himself would change.
At this moment I simply don’t see any evidence that what Gleb does is useful. I derive no personal pleasure from reading his articles; and I see no data that it actually helps anyone outside of LW. (I am not saying that everyone here must do super useful things, but someone who tries to become a public face of rationalist movement should.)
I agree with Gunnar that it’s not polite to talk about someone in the third person to their face. I wasn’t sure how to handle that part of it, so I’m glad Gunnar has brought it up.
I don’t like how people are talking about Gleb here where everybody involved knows that he reads it without much respect for that. I understand that it is necessary for this community to solve this out and in a way this community is good that using reflection and neutral point of view but still I’m not too happy how it is done. I’d wish somebody would say:
As for the tension that Gleb brings (and actually some other newbies, including me too): I think this is a natural process for a community that is developing after some initial hype. People taking the seed elsewhere; the origin not having the same close-knit focus anymore. I’m OK with this and I think adjusting to it and making the best out of it is better than fighting (which has its own questionable trade-offs). So Gleb is just one example. I have seen this very process in the c2 forum almost exactly the same way (there I also arrived after the hype; c2 is defunct now; make of it what you want...).
I like Gleb’s intention and I partly recognize myself. How do you expect somebody with such a skill-set to act and learn? I also tried things. I mean there is a whole CFAR topic about it: CoZE. I hope nobody expects that CoZE always comes with pleasant socially adequate and successful results. I did quite some blunders not that different what some people here feel uncomfortable with tried by Gleb. But he does. And he learns and adjusts. Fast. Maybe too fast because that creates incomplete adjustments that probably add to the uneasy impression he makes. But who knows how non-LW people in his circle perceive him? Who knows what feedback he gets or doesn’t get?
I welcome Gleb and I hope he continues to improve because I see lots of potential. Maybe more impact than many other people here. Make the best out of it.
Gunnar, I read it like you see some similarities between you and Gleb, but from by point of view, you two are quite unsimilar. You often write about the topic you feel most experienced (parenting), your advice seems good, and you fit the local culture well (after the few initial blunders). Gleb’s writings seem very cargo-cultish, he constantly does weird things, and his employees posting here only make it more weird.
Essentially, your posts are valued for their content, while I am afraid that Gleb is merely tolerated here because we still hope that maybe his activities outside of LW will be useful somehow.
What would make me improve my opinion on Gleb?
a) If someone coming here from Intentional Insights would actually fit in our culture and post useful stuff. Then I would say: “Okay, Gleb’s personal style rubs me the wrong way, but now I see that’s only a superficial thing and he actually helps to spread the kind of rationality we value here. There are many paths to the same goal.”
b) If Gleb himself would change.
At this moment I simply don’t see any evidence that what Gleb does is useful. I derive no personal pleasure from reading his articles; and I see no data that it actually helps anyone outside of LW. (I am not saying that everyone here must do super useful things, but someone who tries to become a public face of rationalist movement should.)
I agree with Gunnar that it’s not polite to talk about someone in the third person to their face. I wasn’t sure how to handle that part of it, so I’m glad Gunnar has brought it up.