[ExI] Don't be a locavore fundamentalist

[Anders Sandberg]

Rafal Smigrodzki wrote:
> Nice to see you here again, Anders!

The same!

> ### Hanging out with Robin sure has an effect of on people!

Yes, Robin's cynicism is quite contagious! Signalling may not be the
explanation for everything, but it sure is mixed up with a lot of what we
do.

> Yes,
> signaling is probably the main mechanism for the spread of the
> locovory meme, for reasons you describe below. Otherwise why would
> they bother with the bumper stickers?

There are other reasons too. Take the Atkins diet: if more people follow
it, it becomes easier to follow for you too - more food is prepared that
fits it, you don't get excluded as being weird etc. Diets with more
ideological baggage will of course want to spread more loudly. But I think
there is signalling even with the on the surface most utilitarian food
fads. I vividly remember the flamewars I have seen over which weight-loss
diet was best: people invest a lot of emotion and identity into their
diet. And once your diet reflects your self image, then you are likely to
want to promote it a bit.

Which reminds me, time to get something to eat. Hmm, what signals do I
want to send to whom today...?

-- 
Anders Sandberg,
Future of Humanity Institute
Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University