I strong-downvoted due to giving me the false impression that “Of course, I’m miserable, I’m a utilitarian” was a quote from Will (haven’t read the OP beyond that). [EDIT from 2023-11-10: in reply to this comment the author has claimed that the above is in fact a quote from Will; so far I failed to verify that claim, but it can be true. The OP was published a long time ago, but I think what probably happened was that it gave me the false impression that that quote was taken from a certain linked interview, and when I found out that it was not I felt mislead).]
The words “I’m a utilitarian” in the OP link to a different interview.
Is this the interview you are talking about here? I failed to find that quote in the transcript of that interview either. (Both in the transcript that YouTube provides automatically and in the transcript that the description links to.)
Will MacAskill: I think this was a huge realization for me. And I have to thank a very excellent therapist, who I have subsequently put a bunch of EAs onto. I think she was really confused with why she gets so many referrals from me. Because when I came in there — in 2012, 2013, probably even earlier, 2011 — I definitely had this mindset that the self-flagellation, the negative blame propaganda was very important. I remember she said, “Well, you seem very stressed.” I was like, “Of course I’m stressed. I’m a utilitarian.”
Rob Wiblin: “We have to suffer!”
Will MacAskill: Exactly.
Rob Wiblin: That’s the core part of the philosophy.
Will MacAskill: Exactly. It felt like it’s a sacrifice of my own wellbeing, but it’s in order to achieve things.
(My mistake, on the quote being inexact. I am fixing it now.)
I don’t understand why this was downvoted. I really liked this post but the title was misleading.
I strong-downvoted due to giving me the false impression that “Of course, I’m miserable, I’m a utilitarian” was a quote from Will (haven’t read the OP beyond that). [EDIT from 2023-11-10: in reply to this comment the author has claimed that the above is in fact a quote from Will; so far I failed to verify that claim, but it can be true. The OP was published a long time ago, but I think what probably happened was that it gave me the false impression that that quote was taken from a certain linked interview, and when I found out that it was not I felt mislead).]
It was a quote from Will. Cf. his interview with Tyler Cowen recounting his early adherence to strict maximization.
The words “I’m a utilitarian” in the OP link to a different interview.
Is this the interview you are talking about here? I failed to find that quote in the transcript of that interview either. (Both in the transcript that YouTube provides automatically and in the transcript that the description links to.)
Will MacAskill: I think this was a huge realization for me. And I have to thank a very excellent therapist, who I have subsequently put a bunch of EAs onto. I think she was really confused with why she gets so many referrals from me. Because when I came in there — in 2012, 2013, probably even earlier, 2011 — I definitely had this mindset that the self-flagellation, the negative blame propaganda was very important. I remember she said, “Well, you seem very stressed.” I was like, “Of course I’m stressed. I’m a utilitarian.”
Rob Wiblin: “We have to suffer!”
Will MacAskill: Exactly.
Rob Wiblin: That’s the core part of the philosophy.
Will MacAskill: Exactly. It felt like it’s a sacrifice of my own wellbeing, but it’s in order to achieve things.
(My mistake, on the quote being inexact. I am fixing it now.)