Monday, January 30, 2023

The Mind Is Fragile, Projection Issue (2/2)

Dan Bern, "Jerusalem."
Funny and relevant to the below, the "Everybody's waiting..." section.


As a counterpoint to the above "makes me laugh" review:

In the "Robot Overlords" chapter in Losing My Religions, I mention someone who stopped donating to animal advocacy and instead gave his money to promoting Christianity (infinite expected value). I didn't mention that he had also gone through a kick where he tried to convince me to put all my money into silver - he had all the charts and facts to "prove" this was the best course of action.

Well, sir....

So last week, out of the blue after many years, I hear from him again. He's writing to tell me that he left his cult and is now into Effective Altruism and chanting. But mostly, he wanted to tell me that I'm "sick" and "need help" because I "want robots to kill all humans."

Um....

The coincidence is that Anne and I had just been discussing a book I was once asked to blurb. In it, animals can talk to each other, and one says, "Kill all humans." (That line was the main, but not only, reason I didn't blurb the book.)

Anyway, I'm sad but not surprised that veganism and effective altruism attracts so many mentally unstable people. I'm also sad that people can't consider, let alone discuss, ideas without massive mischaracterizations and accusations of genocide. I guess I have a slight understanding of what Peter Singer goes through. 

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