6 ms·

If you're joking, do be aware that it's not very obvious.

by valvar 5y ago

samhw 5y ago
They aren't joking, based on their later comments. This "humans are stupid" trope is quite common. It usually becomes clear that it originates from thinly-concealed classism: "People like me can solve differential equations, but most people just sit around watching TV and playing the lottery. No, I haven't met those people, but I know that's all they do."
- kragen 5y ago
  Oh, no, I wish I could except myself from these comments, but I can stupid right up there with the stupidest of them. In fact, right at this moment I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday. And I'm talking to you. If I were sitting around watching TV, as I was doing a few hours ago, that would at least be pleasant and therefore somewhat rational.
  - samhw 5y ago
    I applaud your adroitness at self-deprecation, but I think it's pretty implicit in your comments that you hold yourself above other people, or else you logically should be simply imitating their views: > I think you're giving the humans far too much credit. Some humans, and most larval humans, are capable of doing that kind of thing. Most of them just imitate. After puberty, almost all of them just repeat their previously acquired behaviors except when imitating. Instead of reasoning, they just rehearse past memories and fictional scenarios, unable to distinguish reality from fiction. Most of them can't remember what they ate for lunch yesterday or the license plate of the car that passed two minutes ago. They engage in complex verbal behavior that's ultimately incoherent, to the point that often even severe senile dementia in a human goes undiagnosed until its victim is in a new situation where their previous mindless habits no longer apply.
    - kragen 5y ago
      I am simply imitating their views. I haven't got an original thought in my head, at least not one I haven't had for 30 years. And here I am sphexishly replying to you again like a sucker. Is there anything I could possibly be doing that would be less intelligent? Any raven would have long since flown away, or possibly pecked your eyes out.
      - samhw 5y ago
        I don't suppose you'd be so kind as to just imitate my beliefs? It would really save me some time here!
        kragen 5y ago
        How would that help? Wouldn't it just make the problem much worse? Instead of futilely arguing against the kind of scumbag that turned Twitter into the vile cesspool it is today and is now infesting HN, I'd become another one of them! I may not be any smarter than you are, and I can't solve differential equations, but at least I can remain less of an asshole, and continue making helpful contributions like https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28592961 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28592961, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28591650 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28591650, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28467260 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28467260, or https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28466492 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28466492 instead of sinking this place further into chimpanzee dominance games by launching baseless calumnies at strangers as you're doing. I mean, I do hold myself above you. But it's not because I think you're even stupider than I am, which would be quite a remarkable feat. It's because you're spending your efforts to try to hurt people and I'm spending my efforts to try to help them.
    - adolph 5y ago
      > . . . I think it's pretty implicit in your comments that you hold yourself above other people . . . This is a common enough cognitive bias that it should be expected. The Dunning–Kruger effect is a hypothetical cognitive bias stating that people with low ability at a task overestimate their own ability, and that people with high ability at a task underestimate their own ability. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

If you're joking, do be aware that it's not very obvious.

by valvar 5y ago

If you're joking, do be aware that it's not very obvious.

They aren't joking, based on their later comments. This "humans are stupid" trope is quite common. It usually becomes clear that it originates from thinly-concealed classism: "People like me can solve differential equations, but most people just sit around watching TV and playing the lottery. No, I haven't met those people, but I know that's all they do."

kragen 5y ago
Oh, no, I wish I could except myself from these comments, but I can stupid right up there with the stupidest of them. In fact, right at this moment I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday. And I'm talking to you. If I were sitting around watching TV, as I was doing a few hours ago, that would at least be pleasant and therefore somewhat rational.
- samhw 5y ago
  I applaud your adroitness at self-deprecation, but I think it's pretty implicit in your comments that you hold yourself above other people, or else you logically should be simply imitating their views: > I think you're giving the humans far too much credit. Some humans, and most larval humans, are capable of doing that kind of thing. Most of them just imitate. After puberty, almost all of them just repeat their previously acquired behaviors except when imitating. Instead of reasoning, they just rehearse past memories and fictional scenarios, unable to distinguish reality from fiction. Most of them can't remember what they ate for lunch yesterday or the license plate of the car that passed two minutes ago. They engage in complex verbal behavior that's ultimately incoherent, to the point that often even severe senile dementia in a human goes undiagnosed until its victim is in a new situation where their previous mindless habits no longer apply.
  - kragen 5y ago
    I am simply imitating their views. I haven't got an original thought in my head, at least not one I haven't had for 30 years. And here I am sphexishly replying to you again like a sucker. Is there anything I could possibly be doing that would be less intelligent? Any raven would have long since flown away, or possibly pecked your eyes out.
    - samhw 5y ago
      I don't suppose you'd be so kind as to just imitate my beliefs? It would really save me some time here!
      - kragen 5y ago
        How would that help? Wouldn't it just make the problem much worse? Instead of futilely arguing against the kind of scumbag that turned Twitter into the vile cesspool it is today and is now infesting HN, I'd become another one of them! I may not be any smarter than you are, and I can't solve differential equations, but at least I can remain less of an asshole, and continue making helpful contributions like https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28592961 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28592961, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28591650 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28591650, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28467260 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28467260, or https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28466492 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28466492 instead of sinking this place further into chimpanzee dominance games by launching baseless calumnies at strangers as you're doing. I mean, I do hold myself above you. But it's not because I think you're even stupider than I am, which would be quite a remarkable feat. It's because you're spending your efforts to try to hurt people and I'm spending my efforts to try to help them.
  - adolph 5y ago
    > . . . I think it's pretty implicit in your comments that you hold yourself above other people . . . This is a common enough cognitive bias that it should be expected. The Dunning–Kruger effect is a hypothetical cognitive bias stating that people with low ability at a task overestimate their own ability, and that people with high ability at a task underestimate their own ability. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect