Idle thought: We were talking about how Less Wrong had a lot (though a minority) of people from less savoury parts of the internet, but that's... actually very good? Less Wrong is actually a great community of last resort because it does genuinely make its members better.
The core LW worldview is not one I would particularly endorse, but honestly most people don't end up staying there. A lot of people seem to have become much healthier and more complete human beings as a result of joining LW, taking on board its worldview, and building on it.
And actually that is exactly the sort of site we want more of on the internet.
LW has a huge diaspora, and that is very good. It's how a community that creates healthy human beings *should* look.
I was never a member of LW, but I sometimes feel like that was a mistake and my life might have gone better if I had been at the right time. At the time I was just hyperaware of its flaws and wanted to keep it at arms length, but maybe I shouldn't have.
And to be clear, I still think a lot of the rationalist canon is wrong on most of its claims, I just think that's actually quite a normal position for LW diaspora people to have and it serves as a useful transitional state.
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A big problem I had not previously appreciated with acquiring more chill is that what this does is make you chill enough to do the things you previously couldn't, which necessarily causes you to discover that you are not yet chill enough for the consequences.
1. I am not actually stuck yet but years later this is still my favourite meme and it makes me go "Awwwww 😻" every time I see it so I'll start here.
2. This week has been intense in very productive ways. I've seen *such* positive movement on some of the most important relationships in my life and huge ❤️ to everyone involved.
I do know who needs to hear this, but: Talking articulately about your problems on Twitter is not being a burden to others. It is the opposite of that. It is throwing a lifeline to people who have similar problems but are not yet able or willing to articulate them.
Yes if everyone else had happy and perfect lives and you were just going into those happy and perfect lives unwelcomed and shouting about how miserable you are, that would be a downer. THIS IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
People follow you on Twitter because they're interested in what you have to say. That means what you are talking is resonating with them. They share some of your problems.
When you are being "whiny" and "complaining nonconstructively" or whatever, you are helping.
1. Is having sexual fantasies about someone you know but do not have an IRL sexual relationship with creepy?
2. Which binary gender are you / least badly describes you?
This question prompted by a discussion with a friend in which we took different stances and were each non-judgemental but vaguely surprised by the other's stance.
Follow up question.
1. Is having sexual fantasies about someone you know but do not have an IRL sexual relationship with creepy? 2. Do you do it?