Signalling frank discussion norms—when the host of a discussion now and then uses words and phrases that would be considered insensitive among a general audience, people in this discussion can feel permitted to talk frankly without having to worry about how the framing of their argument might offend anybody.
Relatedly, I noticed feeling relieved when a person higher in status made a “politically incorrect” joke. I felt like I could relax some part of my brain that worries about saying something that in some context could cause offense and me being punished socially (e.g. being labeled “problematic”, which seems to be happening much quicker than I’d like, also in EA circles).
Only half joking, if somebody would leak the chats I have had with my best friend over the years, there is probably something in there to deeply offend every person on Earth. So maybe another reason to be “edgy” is just that it’s fun for some people to say things in a norm-violating way? I remember laughing out loudly at two of Hanson’s breaches of certain norms. Some part of me is worried about how this makes me look like, here. I think I laughed because it violated some norm in a suprising way (which would relate it to signalling intelligence), and not because I didn’t find the topic serious or wasn’t interested in serious discussion. I don’t want to imply this was intended by Hanson, though. But I can imagine that it draws in some people, too.
Two other reasons to be “edgy” came to my mind:
Signalling frank discussion norms—when the host of a discussion now and then uses words and phrases that would be considered insensitive among a general audience, people in this discussion can feel permitted to talk frankly without having to worry about how the framing of their argument might offend anybody.
Relatedly, I noticed feeling relieved when a person higher in status made a “politically incorrect” joke. I felt like I could relax some part of my brain that worries about saying something that in some context could cause offense and me being punished socially (e.g. being labeled “problematic”, which seems to be happening much quicker than I’d like, also in EA circles).
Only half joking, if somebody would leak the chats I have had with my best friend over the years, there is probably something in there to deeply offend every person on Earth. So maybe another reason to be “edgy” is just that it’s fun for some people to say things in a norm-violating way? I remember laughing out loudly at two of Hanson’s breaches of certain norms. Some part of me is worried about how this makes me look like, here. I think I laughed because it violated some norm in a suprising way (which would relate it to signalling intelligence), and not because I didn’t find the topic serious or wasn’t interested in serious discussion. I don’t want to imply this was intended by Hanson, though. But I can imagine that it draws in some people, too.