Mar 16, 2022·edited Mar 16, 2022Liked by Jeremy Driver
Do you think there's a crossover between "personal cheems mindset" and imposter syndrome? I.e. a main reason for letting these small downside opportunities go by is the fear that others will realise who you really are?
This also sounds like the Barbell Strategy (15% Swole Doge, 85% Security, 0% Cheems) and Kelly Criterion (Progressiveness = Winning Chance - Losing Chance / Odds). This message is brought yo you by Nassim Taleb's Antifragile! Feel like a Chad TODAY! (/s) This tactics hints at strategies to be more conservative than Cheems, whilst respectful to Swole Doge (Pop Cat maybe?).
The opposite of the Cheems would be those that are of the Dunning-Kruger kind
From the Original papers: (a) everyone believe they are better than average, (b) the top 25% of performers low-ball their success, (c) nobody would be crass enough to believe that they are the top 15%, (d) no amount of knowing about this effect would fix these biases, and (e) this isn't some statistical error.
What would a Swole Doge that is braindead would look like however? "Bet it all on black"? How would that manifest?
Excellent newsletter, thank you, and a fascinating idea. I suspect that at a social level cheems mindset is actually part of why we have been so successful as a species; risk aversion, slow, incremental developments, especially in an environment where we were in constant competition for resources. But because of natural variation in risk appetites, environmental opportunities etc, individuals slowly discover innovations like fire, or blue cheese with apple pie, and share them with others who don't have to bear the risk of the innovation because it's already been taken.
This is a really great point that I hadn't considered. Perhaps cheems mindset made total sense right up until the point we left the Malthusian Trap? Something for me to reflect on there...
I was going to write, "Great Article", then I thought, "maybe I shouldn't, the author already knows it's awesome. Besides, what does writing 'Great Article' add to a great article?" Is this line of thinking cheems or something else entirely?
The downside of writing "Great Article" is low: the author and other readers will feel I'm adding nothing and I'll feel silly for writing such a pointless comment. Yet, the upside is that maybe, there is a small chance my "Great Article" comment will inspire the author to write another great article instead of eating Cheetos
Thank you! This midwit concept is great. Being a topwit seems both difficult and unobtainable. Learning to become a dimwit sounds like a fun challenge. Who knows, maybe I'm already there...
The idea of being a topwit is something Venkatesh Rao write extensively as "Gervais Principle" and "Be A Little Evil", but it is very convoluted even when I understand.
I understand the feeling you describe. Another terms that was used in times past is "naysayers." My own word is "obstructionist." As for the personal cheems mindset, it's like looking into an abyss and wondering why, whatever is at the center, doesn't want to be seen. Some version of "we're not worthy." One must take honest pride in at least one thing about oneself. And then, one must stop self-sabotaging and use the power of "yes." I think it's like surfing where everything occurs in waves of ups and downs, there is no permanent wave, there are lulls in between. Just ride them. ~ Hm. I have made a transition from getting in my way to getting out of my way. I seem to have overcome some of my executive dysfunction. I can now decide and carry out. Certainly more often than I used to. Wow, this was quite the mind trip. Thanks for the journey. Hope some of it made sense.
now do doge mindset
Big Doge Mindset, written by Big Doge Mayfly... sussy?
Do you think there's a crossover between "personal cheems mindset" and imposter syndrome? I.e. a main reason for letting these small downside opportunities go by is the fear that others will realise who you really are?
I certainly think there's some overlap for sure- perhaps imposter syndrome is a component of cheems mindset?
This also sounds like the Barbell Strategy (15% Swole Doge, 85% Security, 0% Cheems) and Kelly Criterion (Progressiveness = Winning Chance - Losing Chance / Odds). This message is brought yo you by Nassim Taleb's Antifragile! Feel like a Chad TODAY! (/s) This tactics hints at strategies to be more conservative than Cheems, whilst respectful to Swole Doge (Pop Cat maybe?).
The opposite of the Cheems would be those that are of the Dunning-Kruger kind
From the Original papers: (a) everyone believe they are better than average, (b) the top 25% of performers low-ball their success, (c) nobody would be crass enough to believe that they are the top 15%, (d) no amount of knowing about this effect would fix these biases, and (e) this isn't some statistical error.
What would a Swole Doge that is braindead would look like however? "Bet it all on black"? How would that manifest?
Excellent newsletter, thank you, and a fascinating idea. I suspect that at a social level cheems mindset is actually part of why we have been so successful as a species; risk aversion, slow, incremental developments, especially in an environment where we were in constant competition for resources. But because of natural variation in risk appetites, environmental opportunities etc, individuals slowly discover innovations like fire, or blue cheese with apple pie, and share them with others who don't have to bear the risk of the innovation because it's already been taken.
This is a really great point that I hadn't considered. Perhaps cheems mindset made total sense right up until the point we left the Malthusian Trap? Something for me to reflect on there...
I was going to write, "Great Article", then I thought, "maybe I shouldn't, the author already knows it's awesome. Besides, what does writing 'Great Article' add to a great article?" Is this line of thinking cheems or something else entirely?
The downside of writing "Great Article" is low: the author and other readers will feel I'm adding nothing and I'll feel silly for writing such a pointless comment. Yet, the upside is that maybe, there is a small chance my "Great Article" comment will inspire the author to write another great article instead of eating Cheetos
Great Article!
Here is an annoying response of that idea: being ignored as a dimwit is okay, discovering your own topwit style is cool & good, but looking like a midwit makes you easy pickings. Patel and MK has some reading analogues on this idea, that one should casually read and write everything, be serious about research papers and edit drills, but avoid "pop culture" and half-ass writing. https://dwarkeshpatel.com/barbell-strategies/ https://www.mightyknowledge.com/use-the-barbell-strategy-for-risk-taking-in-your-life/
Better benchmark still, is S&C's idea that the ideas worth concealing is midwit antiquarianism, whilst ideas that are absurdly revolutionary can be casually shared. https://swellandcut.com/2018/09/26/in-plain-sight/ https://swellandcut.com/2018/06/28/the-trident/
Thank you! This midwit concept is great. Being a topwit seems both difficult and unobtainable. Learning to become a dimwit sounds like a fun challenge. Who knows, maybe I'm already there...
The idea of being a topwit is something Venkatesh Rao write extensively as "Gervais Principle" and "Be A Little Evil", but it is very convoluted even when I understand.
I understand the feeling you describe. Another terms that was used in times past is "naysayers." My own word is "obstructionist." As for the personal cheems mindset, it's like looking into an abyss and wondering why, whatever is at the center, doesn't want to be seen. Some version of "we're not worthy." One must take honest pride in at least one thing about oneself. And then, one must stop self-sabotaging and use the power of "yes." I think it's like surfing where everything occurs in waves of ups and downs, there is no permanent wave, there are lulls in between. Just ride them. ~ Hm. I have made a transition from getting in my way to getting out of my way. I seem to have overcome some of my executive dysfunction. I can now decide and carry out. Certainly more often than I used to. Wow, this was quite the mind trip. Thanks for the journey. Hope some of it made sense.