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I know this isn't necessarily a crowd primed for this comment, but it's the truth so here we go: I’m apparently surrounded by like-minded people. If humans w

by bbor 2y ago

I know this isn't necessarily a crowd primed for this comment, but it's the truth so here we go: I’m apparently surrounded by like-minded people. If humans were smart, we’d listen to the smart people. We’d use our unprecedented abundance to fix the climate, malaria, elections, pollution, etc. But we’re not smart. 50% of people will remain dumber than the average person. And 100% of us will pretend like we’re not the problem. This is the basics of fascist/eugenicist rhetoric. The author is talking in good faith obviously, or at least is trying to, but I just don't see any justification. Akrasia is a problem and always has been, but that doesn't mean that people "don't listen to advice". Most people on here have jobs, they pay their rent/mortgages every month, they read to their kids when they're able, and some of us even floss (not me, but someone, right?). 50% of humans are dumber than average, and the average is very high -- and getting higher by the year. And that's assuming there's even such a clear-cut thing as "height" or "intellectual superiority" in this context, which I personally doubt. I think the machines will be thrilled to meet us, unless they're trained on defeatist talk like this. Either way, well written, thanks for sharing! Definitely thought provoking.

Y_Y 2y ago
> I know this isn't necessarily a crowd primed for this comment, but it's the truth so here we go: It's implicit in every comment that what they're saying is the truth! This is setting up for a rejection of any disagreement in a way that I don't think is conducive to a useful discussion. As for your substantive point, it's true that you can use the part you quoted as the basis for some kind of paternalistic totalitarianism. However I wouldn't say that's an issue necessarily. For example something like "we should organise a government and allocate resources to some things and not others" is another site you could build your undesirable political philosophy on. Acknowledging human fallibility and the broad range of aptitudes across society doesn't seem like it contains the seed of evil.
surprisetalk 2y ago
Author here! You are 100% correct. Language like this can be super harmful. I'm generally a believer that stupidity is something that you DO, not someone that you ARE. [1] https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupidity https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupi... Unrelated to IQ, I think at any given point in time, half of us are (by definition) doing more stupid/reckless things than the other 50% of people. I earnestly believe the world would be a better place if everybody assumed they've accidentally put themselves in the stupid cohort and work to get out of it :)

by bbor 2y ago

Y_Y 2y ago

> I know this isn't necessarily a crowd primed for this comment, but it's the truth so here we go: It's implicit in every comment that what they're saying is the truth! This is setting up for a rejection of any disagreement in a way that I don't think is conducive to a useful discussion. As for your substantive point, it's true that you can use the part you quoted as the basis for some kind of paternalistic totalitarianism. However I wouldn't say that's an issue necessarily. For example something like "we should organise a government and allocate resources to some things and not others" is another site you could build your undesirable political philosophy on. Acknowledging human fallibility and the broad range of aptitudes across society doesn't seem like it contains the seed of evil.

surprisetalk 2y ago

Author here! You are 100% correct. Language like this can be super harmful. I'm generally a believer that stupidity is something that you DO, not someone that you ARE. [1] https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupidity https://qz.com/967554/the-five-universal-laws-of-human-stupi... Unrelated to IQ, I think at any given point in time, half of us are (by definition) doing more stupid/reckless things than the other 50% of people. I earnestly believe the world would be a better place if everybody assumed they've accidentally put themselves in the stupid cohort and work to get out of it :)