Condemnation of "Rationalist" Community's Intellectual Honesty and Values
A significant theme is the criticism of the "Rationalist" community's intellectual honesty, particularly concerning their approach to sensitive topics like race and intelligence. Users express concerns that certain beliefs held within the community are not truly "rational" but instead reflect biases and potentially harmful ideologies.
- Questionable Application of Rationality: Users cast doubt on the rationalist label, pointing to specific instances where they believe the community falls short of genuine rationality. "The irony here is the Rationalist community are made up of the ones who weren't observant enough to pick that 'identifying as a Rationalist' is generally not a rational decision." - roenxi
- Concerns about Scientific Racism: Some users accuse the community of harboring "scientific racism," suggesting that certain rationalists support flawed theories about racial differences in intelligence. "They call themselves rationalist, yet they don't have very rational opinions if you ask them about scientific racism." - amarcheschi This sentiment is elaborated upon with links to articles and discussions within the "rationalist" sphere.
- Misunderstanding of Statistical Methodology: One comment describes many "rationalists" as "very poorly informed about statistical methodology, a condition they inherit from reading papers written in these pseudoscientific fields about people likewise very poorly informed." - mjburgess
- The Danger of Contrarianism and Lack of Humility: Users discuss the difficulties in discerning genuine expertise from contrarian views and the potential for confirmation bias to reinforce pre-existing beliefs. "A lot of people who like to think of themselves as skeptical could also be categorized as contrarian -- they are skeptical of institutions, and if someone is outside an institution, that automatically gives them a certain credibility." - saalweachter
Criticism of Ego, Arrogance, and Groupthink
Another prominent theme is the criticism of the "Rationalist" community's perceived arrogance, ego, and tendency towards groupthink. Commenters suggest a cult-like atmosphere and a lack of genuine intellectual humility.
- Ego and Self-Importance: Several users highlight the perceived arrogance and self-importance within the community. "The meta with these people is 'my brilliance comes with an ego that others must cater to.'" - shermantanktop Another user suggests, "Yeah the 'rational' part always seemed a smokescreen for the ability to produce and ingest their own and their associates methane gases." - Avicebron
- Lack of Humility and Openness to Being Wrong: Some criticize the community's perceived lack of humility and their reluctance to admit uncertainty or consider alternative perspectives. "The people involved all seem very... Full of themselves? They don't really ever show a sense of 'hey, I've got a thought, maybe I haven't considered all angles to it, maybe I'm wrong - but here it is'." - contrarian1234
- Randian Influence and Hero Worship: One comment suggests an underlying "Randian impulse" within the Effective Altruism (EA) movement often associated with rationalism, implying a belief in the power of "the right minds" to solve problems and a corresponding "hero worship" dynamic. "There was always an underlying Randian impulse to the EA crowd - as if we could solve any issue if we just get the right minds onto tackling the problem." - greener_grass
Condemnation of "Rationalism" as a Label
Many comments challenge the value and implications of labeling oneself as a "Rationalist." They suggest that labels in general, and this one in particular, can be restrictive and even counterproductive.
- Labels as Restrictive and Useful: While acknowledging the potential limitations of labels, one user also recognizes their utility. "Bleh, labels can be restrictive, but guess what labels can also be? Useful." - Sharlin
- Labels as Ideological Battle Markers: One perspective advises against using labels unless one intends to engage in ideological conflict. "Espouse your beliefs, participate in certain circles if you want, but avoid labels unless you intend to do ideological battle with other label-bearers." - voidhorse
- Claiming Prestige Without Justification: One user suggests that "Rationalists" adopt the label to gain prestige without genuinely embodying the principles of rationalism. "But the Rationalists, by taking that name as a label, are claiming that they are what the GP said. They want the prestige/respect/audience that the word gets, without actually being that." - AnimalMuppet
- Disassociation with Historical Rationalism: Some commenters point out that the term "rationalism" has a specific philosophical meaning, and the self-proclaimed "Rationalist" community's usage deviates from this definition.
Parallels to Historical and Cultural Phenomena
Several comments draw parallels between the "Rationalist" community and broader historical or cultural phenomena.
- Adam Curtis's "The Century of Self": One user evokes the documentary "The Century of Self," suggesting that the community embodies elements of societal manipulation and the rise of ego-driven ideologies. "I feel like I'm witnessing something that Adam Curtis would cover in the last part of The Century of Self, in real time." - cue_the_strings
- Stealth Start-ups and IQ Increasing Drugs: One comment brings up a darker possible future of the movement: namely one of covert and conspiratorial actors developing IQ enhancements to dominate the future. "i hope the stealth start-ups working on iq increasing drugs are successful and everyone who knows the truth stays real quiet about in their public life, which you will too if you want a career in the west." - ineedaj0b