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Here are some thoughts on why people behave the way they do. I was wondering if it made any sense to anyone else. Much of it will sound very familiar to regular listeners of Stefan. Personality Traits Personality traits are evolved survival and reproductive strategies and are estimated to be 80% inherited. For the purpose of understanding why people behave the way they do, I'm considering two dimensions to personality. First, all people are either a Maker or Taker. This describes the methods individuals use to get what they want. The second dimension of personality traits describe the methods individuals use to draw conclusions about their world and how they should act. Maker vs Taker There are two ways to get the things people want. Either as a Maker or a Taker. A taker will use aggression, such as lying, cheating, stealing, manipulating, bullying, violence and murder. A Maker will create value and exchange that value for he wants. A Maker will use means that comply with the Non-aggression principle. A taker will use any means he believes he can get away with. I suspect that in present US it is about an even split between Makers and Takers. While it is likely that as intelligence increases an individual will tend toward Maker. However, Individuals of all intelligence ranges can be found in all personality trait categories. Predators Predators use aggression to get what they want. But, this causes a problem for them. Other people do not like being their victims. So, Predators create stories like Communism or postmodernism to hide what they’re doing. The Predator does not care if the stories are true, they only care if it is an effective tool to manipulate others. The debate is only a tool to make you think the Predator is reasonable. While you debate with a Predator he will be slipping a knife into your back. You would not sit down with a serial rapist and explain to them why it is wrong to rape. A serial rapist will not stop raping his victims until he is forced to stop. The Political Predator will not stop raping his victims until he is forced to stop. Force is the only means of effectively dealing with a Predator. It is likely there is very few of these types of people. This is a high return high risk strategy. Followers Most people evolved as followers because it is the safest reproduction strategy. If an individual goes against his family or society, he may be outcast. This effectively results in gene death. Due to this, most people will believe what they perceive the authority, their family or society in general believes. If most people believe murder is wrong, then they will behave as if opposing murder is the morally right thing. If most people believe gassing Jews is right, then they will behave as if gassing Jews is the morally right thing. You cannot argue facts and evidence with Followers because it is too dangerous to have any thoughts that risk banishment from their group. It is important to realize the Follower usually doesn’t actually care if what the society believes is true, he only cares if others in his group see him acting in accordance with his group. To change the behavior of a Follower, he must perceive the zeitgeist is changing. Fanatics The fanatic is an uncommon and extreme version of the Follower. You’ve seen these people on YouTube, dressed in black, beating their adversaries and rioting. Sometimes even causing harm to themselves. Unlike the Follower, the Fanatic really believes. Our modern Fanatic has been indoctrinated into believing their opponents represent an extreme threat to themselves and their entire group. Fanatics can be intelligent or dumb but are always dangerous and cannot be reasoned with. Like with the Predator the only way to deal with them is with force. Rationalists Rationalists evolved from ancestors that had to use understanding of and compliance with the natural world to survive. They were individualist because they had to primarily survive on their own and not rely on their group. Rationalist only make up a small portion of the modern US population and tend toward being Makers. To win a Rationalist to your side you must use reason, logic and evidence. I subscribe to Freedomainradio because I hope Stefan is able to persuade more Rationalists, who in turn will make it appear to the Followers that the Makers are growing in number. I also support Vox Day for similar reasons.

I'm sure there is nothing to be gained by continuing to argue with you, but you implying that Stefan is not an "honest philosopher", because you could find a flaw in one of his arguments, is just frankly bullshit. We are talking about a definition of a word here. It was not clear to me, and I'm sure to many people, how to best define it.

For the most part I don't post anything controversial. Not much to hide when talking about philosophy, history, science, empiricism, voluntarism, and truth.