There has been falling out about it. One of the pillars of the rationalist commity E' is asking for insight on how they could have missed this. I feel we should monitor this situation as it develops.
My take on this evergreen question has always been that in a long run, in true materialist fashion, a community that mostly consists of comfortable straight white tech dudes is going to replicate the ideology that benefits said demographic, no matter how open-minded they claim to be
“White”: for when you have a void in the place your sense of belonging would go
I remember commenting in one of their threads a few years ago. They were all collectively wondering how the fuck working class people could afford boats. They honestly had zero experience with being on the water and thought boating was either mahogany-decked yachts or Hyannisport sailing vessels. Nobody had ever been on a bass boat, or a jetski, or a center console. They were flabbergasted when I linked to a local Craigslist showing the large number of boats for sale for the price of a paycheck or two.
They think they're so smart, but they have huge gaps in their knowledge about the world. If they were actually smart, they'd be aware of this. When I gave them this unwelcome education they treated me like some kind of incursion, as if I were an unexpected petri dish they had to examine with gloved hands.
There’s nothing people like less than being educated. Especially when they have a good circle jerk going.
Not gonna lie this site is especially bad about it.
Not gonna lie this site is especially bad about it.
Hey, we were fuckin' vibin' until you pulled that shit outta your ass. Relax, pal.
This is exactly what I’m talking about. If you want to learn you have to embrace criticism instead of getting defensive.
Imagine if it worked though, all the rich and cool tech bros decided to just live by utilitarian ethics and made the world a better place.
Shit would have been cash money
Couldn't make it past the first reply before the nausea become overwhelming:
I share your thoughts exactly. It's unfortunate they've chosen this route, it's quite antithetical to the tenets of rationality to let politics and indignation prevent discourse. Especially when their podcast just involves reading politically neutral content for others to learn.
If they'd take their stance seriously, the mere mention of something that pretends to be "politically neutral", "free of ideology" etc. should set off all alarm bells.
Some part of me wants to help them. At some point your ignorance is so deep you can't knoe you don't know. Then I remember the cult is about learning how to behave better and I just can't process.
