(Epistemic status: I spoke simply / without "appears to" hedges, but I'm not sure of this at all.)

I’m confused why we keep getting scissors statements as our Presidential candidates, but we do. (That is: the candidates seem themselves to break many minds/conversations.)

A toy model:[1]

Take two capacities, A and B. Ideally anti-correlated.

Craft two candidates:

Candidate X, who seems acceptable if you’re A-blind (if you have a major gap in your situation awareness near A).
Candidate Y, who seems acceptable if you’re B-blind (if you have a major gap in your situation awareness near B).

Now let voters talk.

“How can you possibly vote for X, given how it’ll make a disaster on axis A?”, asks Susan. (She is B-blind, which is part of why she is so confused/irate/loud here.) Susan inquires in detail. She (accurately) determines the staunchest X-voters don't understand A, and (understandably, but [...]

The original text contained 1 footnote which was omitted from this narration.

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First published:
November 6th, 2024

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/FkYAYQQig4FDTN6r5/scissors-statements-for-president

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Scissors Statements for President?” by AnnaSalamon 02:38 Share

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“Scissors Statements for President?” by AnnaSalamon