I literally just said that this is the first time I've heard of effective altruism. I read what others said about it here, and it doesn't sound good. I have generally favored what little I've read about stoicism, but apparently it's become problematic too. I know better than to talk about ideas that I'm unfamiliar with. Is it a problem that I refuse to assert any kind of intellectual authority where I have none?

So what I said was I appreciate the fact that he is curious. I remember when I was his age. I believed in some batshit crazy things. I was a devout fundamentalist christian, a young earth creationist, an incel before they used the word. You know how I broke free of all that? Insatiable curiosity. I filled my head with other people's ideas. Cognitive dissonance forced me to abandon bad ideas and I clung to good ideas until I was able to form a solid foundation for how to face reality. Rationality was critical to that process.

I'm not prepared to criticize the ideas and positions he was curious about. But I do praise a curious mind. Young people are still forming their positions. Part of that process is investigating ideas, accepting the good and rejecting the bad. I don't know how he will turn out. But curiosity is a good quality.

[–] froztbyte@awful.systems 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

okay a lot of that is good and all, but here's the flipside: a lot of these fuckwits outright prey on naïve curiousity. it is one of their biggest feeders for taking in people who don't yet know any better

and that's kinda the point. broadly I agree with you, but curiousity is/can be a dangerous thing

(also the reason I asked was the framing of one of your statements, so: Rationalism, big-R specifically. congratulations on learning about some of the worst people around)

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yes, I've gradually become aware of that. You make a good point. It famously tends to kill cats.

I managed to avoid a lot of that, somehow, fortunately. I know my path isn't everyone else's and I certainly wouldn't wish mine on anyone. I dumped Kent Hovind and Ken Hamm and went straight to people like Carl Sagan and Mr Rogers, and made a bunch of leftist and gay friends I'd always been warned to avoid. I never understood the appeal of Jordan Peterson and his ilk.

Actually, I did still get hooked by Graham Hancock for a few weeks a while back. But I'm guarded against grandiose claims and quickly checked out his critics. Lesson learned. I may be vaccinated, but I'm not immune.