In my years on Twitter, I’ve summarized hundreds of useful concepts into tweet form.
Here are the best concepts to help you navigate 2024, as chosen by the editors at @UnHerd
Thread:
Here are the best concepts to help you navigate 2024, as chosen by the editors at @UnHerd
Thread:
1. The Opinion Pageant:
The rise of social media as the primary mode of interaction has caused us to overvalue opinions as a gauge of character. We are now defined more by what we say than what we actually do, and words, unlike deeds, are easy to counterfeit.
The rise of social media as the primary mode of interaction has caused us to overvalue opinions as a gauge of character. We are now defined more by what we say than what we actually do, and words, unlike deeds, are easy to counterfeit.
2. Idiocy Saturation:
Online, people who don’t think before they post are able to post more often than people who do. As a result, the average social media post is stupider than the average social media user.
Online, people who don’t think before they post are able to post more often than people who do. As a result, the average social media post is stupider than the average social media user.
3. Bonhoeffer’s Theory of Stupidity:
Evil can be guarded against. Stupidity cannot. And the world’s few evil people have little power without the help of the world’s many stupid people. Therefore, stupidity is a far greater threat than evil.
Evil can be guarded against. Stupidity cannot. And the world’s few evil people have little power without the help of the world’s many stupid people. Therefore, stupidity is a far greater threat than evil.
4. Compassion Fade:
When presented with two appeals for charity—one listing famine statistics and one featuring a single starving girl—people donate much more to the girl. Our minds can’t grasp big numbers, so we think in stories, not statistics. We’re moved by drama, not data.
When presented with two appeals for charity—one listing famine statistics and one featuring a single starving girl—people donate much more to the girl. Our minds can’t grasp big numbers, so we think in stories, not statistics. We’re moved by drama, not data.
5. Celine’s 2nd Law:
Honest communication occurs only between equals.
If one person has power over another, then the less powerful person can’t risk saying what they really think. Thus, in any hierarchy, honest communication only travels horizontally.
Honest communication occurs only between equals.
If one person has power over another, then the less powerful person can’t risk saying what they really think. Thus, in any hierarchy, honest communication only travels horizontally.
6. Nutpicking:
Online political debate mainly involves cherry-picking the most outlandish members of the enemy side and presenting them as indicative in order to make the entire side look crazy. The culture war is essentially just each side sneering at the other side’s lunatics.
Online political debate mainly involves cherry-picking the most outlandish members of the enemy side and presenting them as indicative in order to make the entire side look crazy. The culture war is essentially just each side sneering at the other side’s lunatics.
7. Firehosing:
In the past, the purpose of disinformation was to convince you of a single narrative. In the digital age, the purpose of disinfo is to overwhelm you with many contradictory narratives until you start to doubt everything and become confused, demoralized and passive.
In the past, the purpose of disinformation was to convince you of a single narrative. In the digital age, the purpose of disinfo is to overwhelm you with many contradictory narratives until you start to doubt everything and become confused, demoralized and passive.
8. Preference Falsification:
If people are afraid to say what they really think, they will instead lie. Therefore, punishing speech — whether by taking offence or by threatening censorship — is ultimately a request to be deceived.
If people are afraid to say what they really think, they will instead lie. Therefore, punishing speech — whether by taking offence or by threatening censorship — is ultimately a request to be deceived.
9. Dysrationalia:
Just because someone is intelligent, it doesn’t mean their intelligence is pursuing intelligent goals. It’s possible to devote a genius-level intellect to justifying moronic opinions and behaviors. Tragically, a common fate of intellectuals.
Just because someone is intelligent, it doesn’t mean their intelligence is pursuing intelligent goals. It’s possible to devote a genius-level intellect to justifying moronic opinions and behaviors. Tragically, a common fate of intellectuals.
10. Shiny Object Syndrome:
We evolved to be attracted to whatever’s new, because new info helped us survive. But nowadays most new info is junk, mass-produced to exploit our attraction to novelty. So stop mindlessly chasing the new, and seek info that’s stood the test of time.
We evolved to be attracted to whatever’s new, because new info helped us survive. But nowadays most new info is junk, mass-produced to exploit our attraction to novelty. So stop mindlessly chasing the new, and seek info that’s stood the test of time.
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