31–40 of 124 posts
The tricky part is, when you're talking to someone, to figure out the boundaries of their viewpoint and take that into account when you communicate.
The trickier part is seeing the boundaries of your own viewpoint and forcing them wider. This is hard as your view of the narrowness of your own viewpoint is limited by the narrowness of your own viewpoint.
Two people want to share a cake. The reasonable person asks for half the cake, the unreasonable person asks for the whole cake. They compromise and split the difference - the unreasonable person gets three quarters of the cake and the reasonable person gets a quarter. [I wish I knew the origins of this - I heard it years ago.]
I have my own, but I'm curious about what people believe is the moral of the story.
Two people want to share a cake. The reasonable person asks for half the cake, the unreasonable person asks for the whole cake. They compromise and split the difference - the unreasonable person gets three quarters of the cake and the reasonable person gets a quarter. [I wish I knew the origins of this - I heard it years ago.]
can you elaborate how you would apply this thinking to your everyday life? thanks
However most people don't ask for it. So only the ones who take the time to ask for it and write two sentences of why they should receive one get it.
I was contemplating a problem I was having, and thought of a solution that was so perfect that both the problem and solution completely annihilated each other. All that remained was the memory that I had had a problem, and solved it. I couldn't even remember what the problem had been because it was totally, and completely, solved. I started to think about what this might mean for finding answers to questions. Perhaps…
Seeing "the light" in a lucid dream.
How much of human activity is just signalling, posturing, and status jockeying with no purpose I would consider practical. To the point where those behaviours seep into contexts where they're obviously unproductive, like discussions on pseudonymous Internet forums. Robin Hanson has some extensive descriptions[1] of what I mean, with the crucial insight that "X is not about Y"[2], and that rationalization may be the o…
Life approach: - Some people look at the world as a series of things that happen to them. They relish the sympathy and attention they get. Do not befriend these people, they will drain you emotionally, and you might be the next person they accuse of doing them wrong. - Instead, think of the world as a set of resources provided to you for the purposes of achieving your goals.
Edit: I see you elaborated on your comment a bit, which makes mine read quite differently. I also agree with you loads more now.
This affects your ability to influence others and be influenced by others.
The takeaway for you receiving wisdom is to be open to things that you are not yet ready to hear, to remember them and keep them in mind as it may apply to you in the future when you are ready.
If you need to share wisdom, empathise with where the receiver is currently and tell them what they're ready to hear based on where they are today (or will shortly be).
Tons of people will buy stuff for reasons you can't even conceive.
The difference between being poor and having a bright future has a lot to do with knowledge and awareness, more than initial means.
There are heaps of differences between people of different cultures, religions, countries, but there are still very strong common elements you can use as a basis to work together.
Building a solid network and community around you is a big driver for luck, probably more than your own skills.
That governments in all forms throughout history have had one purpose only--to keep the population fed. People have an endless capacity to endure abuse from those in power as long as they are kept satiated. The moment the food stops flowing is when revolutions occur, and not a moment before.
To be more precise, that's not the purpose, that's the means. The purpose is to extract the maximum value out of the livestock. Now, to do that, governments must find the right balance of propaganda, social programs and freedom. It differs for different countries. Western countries are no exception: it's just that people are taught that government serves them, while the opposite is actually true. Government is power…