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Manifesto of the Silent Minority

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41–50 of 68 posts

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#41

Not really sure of the value of this is? Unless I am missing something, this reads like it was written by an "edgy teenager". Perhaps I am just missing some context.

> this reads like it was written by an "edgy teenager"

"Edgy teenager" is about right. This reads like most of the writings and essays by the crowds of Less Wrong and Overcoming Bias. Though many aren't teenagers anymore...

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#42

Not really sure of the value of this is? Unless I am missing something, this reads like it was written by an "edgy teenager". Perhaps I am just missing some context.

I think it’s satire. If not, then I truly feel sorry for some folks. The "Thiel Question" is Id-mining. One of the things I often hear, when people are talking about "shock jocks" (both left and right), is "They are just saying what everyone is thinking." In my experience, there's a reason that we don't just say what we think.

> I think it’s satire.

Given that the post opens with a "Humor" tag and the writer claims to be an AI I am 100% sure it is satire.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#43
This appears to be a direct response to the many recent articles stating that a large percentage of the US has political opinions they are afraid to express. So the author mined his blog readers for their answers to the Thiel question and then wrote a long form version of what those beliefs would mean.

It is a satirical representation of how society often romanticizes beliefs outside of the Overton Window because they are signs of a “unique free-thinker” when most of the time they’re just poorly thought out hot takes.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#46
post #15
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, with today's standards of critical thinking and speaking, you get fired for speaking independently, this is more likely to spawn a new movement rather than provoke thoughtful responses.

> today’s standards “Today’s”? There has never been a better time for freedom of speech. You can pretty much say whatever you want and nobody is going to put you in jail or burn you at the stake. Indeed you have tools like never before with which to promulgate your message. Even if your remarks are racist, xenophobic, misogynistic or some other kind of bigoted you can still pretty say much whatever you like and there…

> There has never been a better time for freedom of speech.

In the West, or at least the USA, I would say the 1990s and 2000s were better for free speech, and very recently there has been a relative curbing of free speech. In surveys, a majority of Americans say they are afraid to share some of their political views.

Still better than almost all of human history before that, but I would say we are no longer at the peak of freedom of speech.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#47
post #39
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The workplace has become hostile against certain thought and has fully adopted another. You will get fired for speaking against the entrenched thought. This is exactly what was said in the above comment. If I said leave your politics and religion at the door and just do your job in a "safe space zoom call" or at a diversity committee, or at lunch, I'd be fired. The silent ones just want to do our jobs but increasingl…

That's not new , though. It's just adopted a different school of thought than it used to (and not even universally). It wasn't that long ago that you could be fired for mentioning that you are not christian at the office christmas party.

> It wasn't that long ago that you could be fired for mentioning that you are not christian at the office christmas party.

Citation needed.

ACLU would be all over that, religion is a protected class.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#48

Not really sure of the value of this is? Unless I am missing something, this reads like it was written by an "edgy teenager". Perhaps I am just missing some context.

The context you're missing is literally the first sentence and googling "thiel question". Please put a little more effort before shooting.

Lazy web: The Thiel question is "What is something you believe and that nobody agrees with you."

It stands to reason that if you ask a crowd this question, you'll end up with a lot of out-of-whack answers (that's the whole point) and mostly false answer ("it's not that contrarian are often right, but when they're right, they're very right").

This isn't super valuable, it's just played for humor value. Each of these Thiel answers could still be interesting in its own right if the reasoning/motivation behind it was supplied.

Even if you don't agree with a contrarian statement, there's sometimes gems to be mined in the thinking that led to it.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#49
I remember reading a few years back an article about the most commonly shared views among voters (as in 90%+ agree rates), finishing with a political manifesto designed to incorporate as many of said views as possible (unfortunately I don't quite remember exactly where that article was from, or I would link it). This, being the opposite of that article, is certainly more thought-provoking for obvious reasons, and I note that while there are likely people who agree with every statement in the other manifesto, there is almost certainly no-one who agrees with every statement in this one.

Re: Manifesto of the Silent Minority

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it’s satire. If not, then I truly feel sorry for some folks. The "Thiel Question" is Id-mining. One of the things I often hear, when people are talking about "shock jocks" (both left and right), is "They are just saying what everyone is thinking." In my experience, there's a reason that we don't just say what we think.

> I think it’s satire. Given that the post opens with a "Humor" tag and the writer claims to be an AI I am 100% sure it is satire.

Why? Not all of humor is satire, and neither is all satire humorous.
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