Chapter
The Costs and Benefits of Being an Authority on Information
2:38:29 - 2:44:04 (05:34)
Being an authority on information comes with some benefits, but it also has its costs. While an authority's credibility might initially come from being informative, they must also be careful not to convey too much information that might cause them to lose their authority altogether.
Clips
In this episode, the speaker discusses the hypothesis that most people want to look nice and the impact of authority on determining one's appearance.
2:38:29 - 2:40:48 (02:19)
Summary
In this episode, the speaker discusses the hypothesis that most people want to look nice and the impact of authority on determining one's appearance.
ChapterThe Costs and Benefits of Being an Authority on Information
Episode#292 – Robin Hanson: Alien Civilizations, UFOs, and the Future of Humanity
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The absence of authorities may lead to conflicting opinions and chaos, but when authorities promote adherence to misinformation, it prevents the growth of human civilization.
2:40:48 - 2:42:54 (02:05)
Summary
The absence of authorities may lead to conflicting opinions and chaos, but when authorities promote adherence to misinformation, it prevents the growth of human civilization. The WHO and CDC's behavior during the pandemic suggests that they have not been acting like the best possible evolutions of authorities.
ChapterThe Costs and Benefits of Being an Authority on Information
Episode#292 – Robin Hanson: Alien Civilizations, UFOs, and the Future of Humanity
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
There is a conflict between being an authority and being maximally informative as authorities may not remain the perceived authority if they are too incautious about how they use that authority.
2:42:54 - 2:44:04 (01:10)
Summary
There is a conflict between being an authority and being maximally informative as authorities may not remain the perceived authority if they are too incautious about how they use that authority. However, the struggle to determine how much information to provide authorities to maximize outcomes is important as more information tends to be better in trusting the intelligence of people.