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1/ Here are some highlights from the comments on my thread about vice warnings a couple weeks ago. There were a number of very interesting responses to my confusion about why moralizers warn about risks, rather than happiness.
2/ The ever-illuminating @robinhanson gives an evolutionary explanation that shame motivates humans far better than happiness. Sadly.
(And @naval agrees )
(And @naval agrees )
3/ @naval also points out the Taleb-ian Black Swan nature of vice risks. Sure, most promiscuity and drug use doesn't cause long-term harm - but AIDS reminds us that what you might call "tail risk" is very real. (ducks)
4/ @BennettJonah of @palladiummag points out that it depends whether the warner thinks it is OK to indulge in moderation.
5/ @tezosbrigade suggests that it takes effort to distinguish pleasure from satisfaction, and it can be hard for people (especially the young, I think) to understand that what feels good won't make them happy.
6/ @Schummie suggests it's about people not trusting their own self-control, adding "They’re afraid that if they intellectualize it, it will be the same as rationalizing it, and the it will open a floodgate in themselves"
7/ @justinowings suggests that doing something once is a slippery slope to doing it always, so we should consider costs accordingly:
9/ Thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion, I learned a lot, and hope you did too. If you liked this format (the question & summary follow-up), like and/or retweet the first tweet in this thread (or the original) and it will inspire repeats on new topics :).
