Looking For Conflict Theorists

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Avatar for Cain
Written by
3 years ago

Thursday, July 2nd, 2020

About a week ago, I saw this story going around social media about this blogger named Scott Alexander and his site slatestarcodex.com.

I'd never heard of Scott Alexander or his site before, but I've since learned he's a psychiatrist from San Francisco who wrote about all kinds of interesting subjects like tribalism, racism, libertarianism, Trump, and so on.

The reason he was in the news was because the NY Times wanted to do a feature on him, but after interviewing him, it was revealed to the blogger that they'd discovered his full name and were planning to doxx him in the article (Scott Alexander is only his first and middle name). You can read the details on his site, but as a result, he decided he would delete his blog in order to protect his identity. The idea was that if there was no blog, there would be no story.

Once this became public the NY Times was criticized by various media outlets, and it's been reported that even amongst their own staff it's become a hotly debated issue.

But I'm not really here to talk about any of that.

A few days after hearing about this whole situation, I was chatting with someone when they brought up the subject of mistake theorists versus conflict theorists. I'd never heard those terms, so they briefly explained what they were and linked me to this article:

https://archive.ph/RyXdk

What do you know? It's an article by that guy I've been hearing so much about!

The blog post is fairly long, so here's a link to a much more succinct explanation of mistake v. conflict theory:

https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/it-turns-out-that-i-am-a-mistake-theorist/

Basically, what it boils down to is that there are two types of people in this world, mistake theorists and conflict theorists. Mistake theorists believe that in order to solve the world's problems, we need to increase intelligence. By educating and informing people to make the best decisions, we put the right people in power, to make the right policies, to make the world a better place.

Meanwhile, conflict theorists believe that our world is always in conflict between those who have power and those who do not. And where mistake theorists believe that you solve the world's problems by increasing intelligence, conflict theorists believe you do so by increasing passion.

“Conflict theorists think you can save the world by increasing passion. The rich and powerful win because they already work together effectively; the poor and powerless will win only once they unite and stand up for themselves. You want activists tirelessly informing everybody of the important causes that they need to fight for.”

I admit I don't fully understand conflict theorists and see myself as a mistake theorist. I believe that if we can help people see the truth, we can improve the world. (For example, there's so much information out there about Covid-19, if there was a way to filter out all the bad information, I believe we would be much better off.)

Maybe I'm a mistake theorist because in the overall scheme of things, I'm not oppressed, I don't have to worry about my basic necessities, so I don't see myself as poor and powerless. Is that what it boils down to?

Do you see yourself as a conflict theorist? Do you believe that what the world really needs is for the have-nots to band together and fight and overthrow the power structure? I'd love to hear from you in the comments so I can better understand your position.

Speaking of conflicts, I wanted to mention how at least one person was very angry with my last post. I was afraid that might happen, that it might be seen as some manipulation tactic to get more tips. Maybe it was and I'm just unwilling to admit it to myself, but I really did wonder to myself why anyone would tip (donate) when they don't have to, or if they didn't think their actions might benefit them in some way (i.e. by increasing the value of their BCH holdings). I asked myself this not only in relation to my read.cash earnings, but also as it related to infrastructure funding in the BCH ecosystem. As someone who donated $500 to Bitcoin ABC, I did so because I believe in their work and wanted to support them in some small way. I didn't have to. My family could have used that $500 as much as Bitcoin ABC could, but I donated because I find value in their work. And that's all I was saying. I was just wondering if the world would be a better place if we were more supportive and encouraging of one another, of the ideas we want to see executed, not because we are forced to, but through voluntary means.

I get that might just be wishful thinking. As I mentioned in my previous article, maybe we're just not built that way.

I admit I've read Ayn Rand and once spent an entire semester in college trying to act like Howard Roark. But I don't know if I'd want a world where all we cared about was our own personal happiness, though maybe I'm just not smart enough to see Ayn Rand was right.

But that's what this is all about for me. The way I see my articles is just me thinking out loud. I'm here to learn while also sharing my own thoughts and experiences. I hope that people don't take offense to my articles, but maybe that's impossible if we're to believe the mistake theorist v. conflict theorist dichotomy.

I've been told mistake theorists and conflict theorists can never reconcile. Perhaps that's true. After all, part of the beauty of this world is that it's filled with all different types of people, so it makes sense that some will just never see eye-to-eye with each other. But at the same time, we are all part of the same human race, and I can't help but wonder if any of us are really all that different in the grand scheme of things.

Thank you for reading. (Who knows, maybe I should be the one tipping you to read these articles.)

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Avatar for Cain
Written by
3 years ago

Comments

what a terroris!! 🙄😂

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I have no background on anything about philosophy so this is new to me and something to think about. I think I'd be a mistake theorist though. I agree with the fact that people need to be shown the truth and fitting people should be there to govern. Specially where i live. The lack of science people and number literate people governing really gets my blood boiling because what do they know ;-; I'm hating the system of voting towards the rich and popular

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3 years ago

I like to be a Truth theorist. The first thing one must do is work from the truth and then look at opposing sides.

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3 years ago

Well I think the both conflict theorist and mistake theorist are both right but they are only looking the same solution from different points of view..from what I read in your article about both conflict and mistake theorist. The party are correct, mistake theorist are assuming that we need to increase intelligent to solve the problem of the world, why conflict believe that the master key to the world problem is to increase passion. But first how do you increase intelligent if you don't have passion for what you want to increase, and how will you know that you have passion for something if you dont have any intelligence at all. For example a Scientist can who has passion for what he is doing, will try to do much research and in the process of doing that he is adding more knowledge to himself and then we can say he is getting more intelligent. And these also goes vice versa, for somebody to be intelligent in any field or area he or she has to have passion for what he is doing. I think the problem of the world can be solved by increasing both intelligence and Passion. Every one of us is both a conflicting and a Mistake theorist. Thank you

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3 years ago

I will need to read your article about 3 times to absorb the thought presented here. I need to have a better perspective of what the mistake theorist v. conflict theorist is all about from the links presented here. Then i can make reasonable response to your article. Thanks

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3 years ago

I'm definitely a Conflict Theorist but i know the mistake theorist wins in the end..because everything takes time and a mistake theorist is a patient observer & leader

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3 years ago

Ah a conflict theorist! Would you mind answering this for me. Do you not think just educating people and making them more intelligent on various issues works better than just making people more passionate about getting rid of those in power? I guess I'm just wondering why you see yourself as a conflict theorist. Thanks!

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3 years ago

From experience Over the past i have learned that the more you know the more vulnerable your life will be.. Most people discover how the world is designed late in life, Some go into crime when the have discovered and get killed or arrested on the act. The point i am trying to prove is educating more people could have little impact.. Not everybody are willing to learn, Not every educational sector teaches well, The balance wont equal if we were to solve this with education

$ 0.25
3 years ago

Interesting. Curious why the more you know the more vulnerable your life will be?

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3 years ago

Appreciate Sir

Those with an ultra-HD view of the world can probably see that many of its laws and systems are inefficient or even counterproductive, and choose defiance. To choose defiance in 3rd world countries for example hete in africa is like a do or die affair. So does that defy go all in and accept the risk . Human right is exploited daily, here in africa its demoCrazy and no 1 is available to compensate whatever you loose. Most intelligent folks die within a snap because they were confident they found loopholes in the SYSTEM. Thank you for this Topic Sir

$ 0.25
3 years ago

Wow, this is interesting.informative.When I finish reading this, I started pointing some of my friends on FB (just in my mind), by what they were posting, who is conflict and mistake theorist. And I think I'm a mistake theorist. I never thought there is a name for it and I'm one of them. Because every time there is an issue that needs to be solved. I want to be educated first. Know everything before I think or execute the solution. Some, not all, conflict theorists do their passion without being educative enough and gets severely damaged not knowing why and what cause it.

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3 years ago

actually I can't fully understand too what is theorists. but I think, we just need a teamwork for example, the pandemic we are suffering now. If we just have a teamwork, we can help each other to fight covid 19 by following rules of government and also prayer is the most important.

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3 years ago

Well for me I also believes in mistakes theorists, if all people are intelligent enough the world would be better, I mean having knowledge is also a power you can do a lot if you are knowledgeable enough than being ignorant and naive. I belong to the poor, and I realized if you have knowledge into something then you can uplift your living in finding ways, in that way you can't be that powerless. We can always add passion anyway at all times with intelligence. This is my views and opinions 😁

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3 years ago

I don't have no knowledge about "Conflict Theorists". I get some knowledge from your article. Thank you a lot.

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3 years ago

I'm 11th grade when my philosophy professor told us about mistake and conflict theorist. Same explaination as what you've mention. But for me, the world consists of many conflict theorist. Let's say that the Government are thhe mistake theorist. They only do what they think is right because it's their responsibility. But they don't do it with passion and that's why, some of there policies didn't last long.

While, conflict theorist can be the activist, they're united, they stand for what they're fighting for, because they know that they will over power the mistake theorist bevause they are united and passionate in what they are doing.

As for myself, I think I'm one of the conflict theorist, just exactly what I've mentioned above. I stand for what I'm Fighting for and will pursue and win it with passion in my heart.

$ 0.50
3 years ago

Interesting and thanks for sharing! So I'm kind of confused by conflict theory. Do you not value figuring out what's the best solution through education?

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3 years ago

I do value it. It's just that, we aren't aware what is really the best solution to our education system. People may tell you it's the best solution because at first, there's a good outcome, but it won't last long. When failure occur, you won't call it again as "best".

(I don't really understand if you're referring to the best solution TO education system. I'm a bit confused by the word Through.)

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3 years ago

Okay so maybe the way to say this is that you don't think just educating people is enough? But if you organize the oppressed and overthrow those in power, then what? is the goal of a conflict theorist?

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3 years ago

The goal of conflict theorist is to put someone in that position who really know well how to solve the problem. How come that educating people would be enough if those who have powers aren't well educated? Some mistake theorist keeps on giving solutions without even thinking all the possible effects of it. They just give unlimited solutions but nothing happens. Why is that? Simple. They don't put their selves to the situation of conflict theorist.

To simply describe the difference between them. Mistake theorist are those who are privileged and have power just because they have a position in politics, while Conflict theorist are those who are in silver lining yet does have power when they are united.

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3 years ago

I believe that mistake theorists have faith in a better future doing they role, they don't need someone to tell them to do if they contribute a bit to solve some mistakes they see their efforts enough to change it, no matter if it in fact get solved, I see myself as mistake theorist, no matter what keep doing what I think is good somehow will correct that mistake, great article!

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3 years ago

I admit I don't fully understand conflict theorists and see myself as a mistake theorist.

I think there's no ultimate truth, so the only route for understanding is love. Briefly speaking.

$ 0.05
3 years ago

Mistake or Conflict; I wonder if they are truly unreconcilable and are we one or the other for our entirety of our lives. Perhaps we move from one perspective to the other in different moments, when our circumstances change or as we get older.

Very interesting; thank you Cain for yet another thought provoking and informative article.

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3 years ago

Well, until today, I did not know what type of thoerist I was. One thing is sure that I'm a bit conflict theorist. However, sometimes I'm a mistake theorist. Hmmm. Can I be a confused theorist 😂😂

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3 years ago

I like this confused theorist 😂 can I joined this one?, I'm also not that sure of what I was saying 7 hours ago 😂

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3 years ago

Hahaha Thanks for not leaving me alone then 😌😌

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3 years ago

Definitivamente soy un teórico de conflictos, pero sé que el teórico del error gana al final ... porque todo lleva tiempo y un teórico del error es un paciente observador y líder

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3 years ago

Very entertaining

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3 years ago

I think I am both in some ways. I am mistake terrorist because I believed that here in the Philippines we need a leader who has intellectual capacity , the power to implement the policies well but at the same time I am conflict terrorist becuase I believed also that we need a compassionate leader who cares for the my fellow countrymen. I dont know if I undertand your article right. But I want to share my thoughts 😅

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User's avatar Yen
3 years ago

Nice 👍 keep up

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3 years ago

The mistake theorist v. Conflict theorist, well from all you've said the mistake theorist are those who seek to know what is wrong in the world and try to educate other to fix it, so they know the right way but the right way is not always the best way.

Let's say for instance, a government claims to have found the right person to put in power and along the line the so called mistake theorist discovers that the country's population is too much and that if we should continue at this rate, the economy would be in shambles so he comes up with a crazy idea that no family Should have more than 2 children, so as to control the population and save the economy.

Though you would agree that this was a right decision based on the statistics and all, but imagine a situation where a mother gives birth to triplets or more, so what happens to the rest of her babies? they would be murdered or incinerated. How would that family feel after such an incident. Definitely they would never be in good terms with the government. They would look for all opportunities to go against the government.

So I do stand as a conflict theorist, because I believe in passion. When you have passion everything falls into place at the right time. They say don't let your emotions get the best of you but what are we without our emotions.

Fine it's good to solve problems but in solving some problems other problems arise, thats how codes get bugs. Most times in trying to fix those little bugs you could end up crashing the whole system. Thats why I said the right way isn't always the best way.

Have you noticed that some mistake theorist once they attain power, they gradually become conflict theorist. They would want to remain in power so they do everything possible to remain in that position, thereby making others believe in their ideas about the right way things should be done. When people start going against these person's, then that's how dictatorship starts. The so called mistake theorist keeps forcing other to do things the right way because they have now developed passion for their ideas and they believe it's the right way and being the one in power they would say it's their duty ensure others follow it.

So at one point we are all conflict theorist and activists fighting for what we believe in.

$ 0.05
3 years ago